How to Maintain a Gas Tankless Water Heater? 10 Crucial Steps to Follow.

The gas tankless water heater is an innovative and space-saving product. It provides users with on-demand hot water. These are modern-era advancements that make the availability of hot water feasible. With utmost features, gas tankless water heaters need maintenance over time. In this article, we have discussed ten steps to maintain a tankless water heater.

What is a Gas Tankless Water Heater?

Gas tankless water heaters do not need a tank to store hot water. When the user turns on the hot water tap, the heater heats the water. The cold water accelerates through the heat exchanger to the gas burner. It saves from the fuss of waiting for the water to heat up. Instead, the burner provides continuous hot water to the user.

The best feature of a tankless water heater is its space-saving property and efficient mechanism. It is economical and suits smaller compartments with short room for tanks. The constant flow of water across tankless heater can cause mineral build-up. To cope with this and many other problems, experts advise taking the necessary steps to maintain a tankless water heater.

Design Of a Tankless Water Heater:

Here are the parts and design of a tankless water heater.

Heat Exchanger:

The heat exchanger carries out most of the functions. It is where the cold water heats up and flows through the unit. A tankless water heater’s heat exchanger can be copper or stainless steel. Both these metals are highly efficient for heat conduction and durability, respectively.

Heating Element/Burner:

The heating element in a tankless water heater differs from the actuation source. We can power them with electricity, natural gas, or propane. The burner is in gas-powered heaters, while electric ones operate via electricity.

Control Panel:

The control panel offers temperature settings and monitors the unit’s status. The modern tankless water heaters may come with digital control panels.

Flow Sensors:

Flow sensors are susceptible elements that detect the need for hot water. They signal and activate the burner or heating element of the water heater. Their promising feature is to take care that hot water only runs when there is a demand.

Inlet and Outlet Ports:  

These ports are the parts of a tankless water heater that allow cold water and exits the hot water towards the tap.

Exhaust Vents:

Exhaust vents are crucial parts of gas tankless water heaters. They allow proper venting and safety by removing combustion byproducts.

Working of a Tankless Water Heater:

The working of a tankless water heater begins at the moment when you turn on the hot water faucet. The cold water from the water supply escapes into the tankless water heater. A heating element lies inside the tankless water heater. It can be a gas burner or a high-powered electric element.

When cold water circulates through this unit, the heating elements raise the temperature of the cold water, making it hot and desirable. The heat exchanger has a significant role in heating the cold water. The water is now ready to exit the tankless water heat and flow through the hot-water tap, which initiated the process. Water heating continues until the faucet is open, providing consistent hot water.

Top 10 Steps to Maintain a Tankless Water Heater:

Below is a complete method you can use to carry out the maintenance needs of your system. Here is a series of 10 steps to maintain a tankless water heater.

1. Turn Off Energy Connection:

To start the maintenance activities, turn off energy connections to the tankless water heater. In case of an electric connection, turn off electric power, and in case of a gas tankless water heater, turn off the gas.

• Turn Off Water Valves:

Valves are connected to the tankless water heater that takes water in and out of the tankless heater. You must turn them off to prevent water from entering the tankless water heater.

• Take Off Protective Valve Caps:

The hose connections contain purge port valve caps. They serve the primary protection function. Remove them to carry out the maintenance process.

• Connect Hoses to the Valves:

Now, connect cold and hot purge ports with both hoses. The cold water hose will connect with a recirculation pump. The side of the hose connected to the hot water end will join the container with a cleaning solution.

• Open Port Valves:

Turn the port valve perpendicular to the water lines. It will open the port valves.

• Perform De-scalation:

Now is the time to descale. We can use white vinegar or a descaling solution from the market to descale a tankless water heater. Place the recirculation pump in the cleaning container and turn the pump on. The pump should be submerged in the container. The pump will circulate the cleaning fluid around the tankless water heater from the hose to the heat exchanger. Upon its cycle completion, the fluid returns to its container.

• Flush the Apparatus:

To finish after descaling, flush the tankless water heater. Flush it thoroughly for more than half an hour to get a thorough cleaning. After washing, disconnect hoses, close port valves, and return the unit to its shape.

• Check the Venting System:

Keep inspecting the venting system of the tankless water heater for obstructions. An efficient venting system makes operation smooth.

• Inspect Burner Assembly:

The burner assembly of a gas tankless water heater must be maintained for long-term performance. Check for soot buildup and corrosion in the burner and fix it accordingly.

1. Check Pressure Relief Valve:

If your tankless heater has a pressure relief valve, lift and release the valve to inspect its working. Perform maintenance activities for PRV as per the instructions.

Tankless Water Heater Valve Kits:

Tankless water heater valve kits include valves, connectors, etc. They can be very crucial to install and service the unit. Having these kits can quickly solve most of the maintenance errors.

Here are tankless water heater’s pros and cons.

Pros of Using Tankless Water Heaters:

• Energy Efficiency: Tankless water heaters supply on-demand hot water, being energy-efficient. They only use energy when there is a demand for hot water and heat until the need remains. It reduces the standby heat losses as in water heaters having tanks.
• Space-saving: They are compact and mounted on the wall. They don’t take up floor space and suit smaller houses or buildings.

• Continuous Supply: Tankless water heaters keep flowing hot water until the tap is open. You don’t have to worry about water shortage while having a shower or using multiple hot water taps at a time.
• Less Energy Costs: The energy-optimizing quality of a tankless heater reduces energy costs. It cuts down your energy consumption as in traditional tank heaters. This reduces your utility bills and expenses.

Cons of Using Tankless Water Heaters:

• Complex Installation: The installation can be complex if you set up a tankless water heater in an existing home. Changing the gas or electric supply to operate the tankless water heater gets more complicated.
• Maintenance Requirements: The performance of a tankless water heater highly depends on how well you maintain it. The descaling process is essential to remove mineral buildup. Paying no head to maintenance can affect performance.

Conclusion:

Tankless water heaters are becoming popular daily due to their compact structure and efficient performance. They have largely replaced the traditional water heating tanks. Their durable working depends upon their maintenance state.

You can perform most of the maintenance by following the abovementioned 10 steps to maintain a tankless water heater. If some tankless water heater parts malfunction, you can replace them or use a valve kit. A good maintenance check can uplift the working and life of the apparatus.