Your tankless water heater is essential to the operation of your home. If something goes wrong, you’ll have difficulty cleaning dishes, taking showers, and managing various other tasks. As a result, you must keep an eye on your water heater and ensure it is still in excellent working order. Are you wondering what warning signs you should look out for? Then continue reading. Here are several signs that your tankless water heater needs to be serviced.

1. Your Water Pressure Is Off

If your water pressure is off, there’s a chance that your tankless water heater is to blame. Tankless water heaters heat and pressurize the water simultaneously, so if there’s a problem with your water heater, it may result in a drop in the water pressure.

The best way to check your water pressure is to have someone else turn on the water and see how quickly the water comes out. The average water pressure is somewhere between 65 and 80 PSI. If you’re below this number, it may be time to call a plumber.

2. Your Water Heater Is Shutting Off Randomly

If your water heater is shutting down on its own, it’s probably due to a problem with the thermostat. The most common reason for this is a failed thermocouple. A thermocouple is a tiny sensing device that monitors the temperature inside the tank of your water heater. When it fails, the water heater shuts down.

To check if it’s the thermostat, simply turn it to “on” and see if it stays on. If it does, then you’ll want to turn the thermostat up to make sure that it’s entirely on. If it still turns off, you may have a thermostat problem, something a plumber can quickly fix.

3. Your Tankless Water Heater Is Leaking

If your water heater is leaking, that’s a pretty telling sign that it needs to be repaired. Water heaters are pressurized, which means that if there’s a leak, it could result in a lot of damage to your home.

To check for leaks, you can simply look for water stains on the floor and inspect the water heater for seepage or rust. You can also perform a leak test. This involves turning off the water to your water heater and checking it for any water. If there’s water, then your appliance is leaking, which means you’re going to need to call a plumber.

4. Your Water Can’t Stay Hot for the Duration of a Shower

If you notice that your water is not staying hot for the duration of a shower, then that could mean that there’s a problem with your water heater. A typical shower should last about 10 to 15 minutes, which means that your water heater should be able to provide hot water for the entire duration.

Simply take a shower and see how long the water stays hot to check this. If it runs out within two minutes, you may have a problem. You could also test your water heater by turning the thermostat off and on again. If it still fails to heat the water, then you’ll need to call a plumber.

5. Your Water Heater Is Making a Lot of Noise

Very few things are more annoying than a water heater that’s making a lot of noise. It may be a sign that something needs to be repaired. There can be a few common issues that cause this. It could be that there’s too much sediment in the tank, or the water supply could be clogged. It could be a thermocouple issue as well.

Tankless Water Heater Maintenance

The best way to keep your tankless water heater running at peak performance is to perform regular maintenance. This can be a simple process and help you avoid costly repairs later on. Here’s how to perform tankless water heater maintenance.

1. Remove the Minerals from Your Water

The easiest way to keep your tankless water heater running smoothly is to remove the minerals from your water. If you live in an area where the water is hard, this is a must. Hard water can cause your tankless water heater to perform poorly over the long term. With soft water, you should be fine.

To remove the minerals, you simply need to install a water softener. A water softener is a device that uses salt ions to neutralize the water’s hardness. 

2. Clean the Sediment Filter

Over time, sediment can build up in the sediment filter of your water heater. If you don’t clean out this sediment, then it can clog the heating elements of your tankless water heater. When this happens, you won’t have hot water. For this reason, you should clean out the sediment filter every six months.

3. Flush Out Sediment

If you’re not getting a lot of hot water, it may be time to flush out the sediment. To do this, turn the water off to the water heater and fill a bucket with water. Then pour the water in and out of the top of the tank. If there’s a lot of sediment at the bottom, you may want to take a hose and rinse it out as well.

4. Have It Inspected By a Professional

Over time, the electrical components of your tankless water heater can degrade. It would help if you had the appliance checked by a licensed professional every two years to prevent this from happening. A plumber can quickly check the internal workings of your water heater and tell you whether or not you need to replace it.

What to Look for When Hiring a Plumber for Service

If your tankless water heater breaks down, you’re going to have to call a plumber to fix it. To ensure that the job is done right, hiring a reputable plumber is essential. Here’s what to look for when searching for a professional.

1. Local Company

One of the best ways to find a reputable plumber is to hire someone local. By hiring a company from around your area, you’ll be able to track them down if the need arises quickly. It’s also a good idea to hire a local company because it helps support your community.

2. They’re Licensed and Insured

A big part of hiring a good plumber is ensuring that they’re licensed and insured. This is important because it ensures that you will get a quality job regardless of what type of work they’re doing.

3. Reasonable Rates

Your tankless water heater is going to cost you a pretty penny, which is why you’re going to want to hire a plumber that offers reasonable rates. This will make it easier to budget for repairs and give you peace of mind that the job is being done right.

4. They Offer Warranty

Another way to ensure that you get a good job is to hire a plumber that offers a warranty. A warranty shows that the company is confident that its work will hold up over time. This is reassuring because you don’t want to keep paying for expensive repeat jobs.

Conclusion

Hopefully, this guide has helped you understand a little bit more about your tankless water heater, the signs it needs to be serviced, how to maintain it, and how to hire the right plumber for the job. If you’re experiencing any of the above signs, you should consider having your water heater serviced by a professional plumber.

For tankless water heater repair and replacement in Chatsworth, California, get in touch with Candu Plumbing & Rooter right now! We’re a company of licensed and certified plumbing professionals in the Los Angeles Country who will care for those problematic pipes for you!