Tankless water heaters are amazing, but they’re not an end-all to your water problems. Sure, you spend less on heating actual water, but if you have hard water, you might run into some unexpected repairs.
You might need tankless water heater repair in Chesterfield, MO without even realizing it. Do you know if you have hard water right now? Let’s start by explaining what it is, why you might benefit from a water-softening system, and what it means for your tankless water heater.
Hard Water Problems for Tankless Water Heaters
Hard water is a menace, especially when you realize what it can do to your expensive tankless water heater.
- Scale Buildup: When scale builds up over time from hard water, it creates deposits in the inside of your tankless water heater. It reduces the efficiency of your water heater but also poses the problem of overheating in the future.
- Complete Clogging: If your tankless water heater can’t send water through the pipes, then it shuts down. Yes, scale buildup can get that bad.
- Corrosion Over Time: While scale won’t corrode your pipes in a week or even a month, it still causes damage. Over time, corrosion can cause leaks and weak points in the pipes which could become a much bigger problem.
- Less Life for Your Water Heater: One of the appealing aspects of tankless water heaters is their long lifespan. With hard water buildup, it will reduce that lifespan and create more problems for you than you really need to deal with.
How to Fix These Problems
Fortunately, there’s a way to fix these problems. And there are even preventative measures for the future.
- Filter Your Water: Water filtration systems help catch calcium and magnesium. Those are both responsible for scale buildup in the first place, so you’re effectively removing a problem before it becomes a problem. Look at you go.
- Annual Maintenance: Your maintenance technician will be able to spot signs of scale buildup and other problems from hard water, including corrosion. Your annual tankless water heater maintenance appointment acts as a point of inspection.
- Have a Water Softener System Installed: Soft water has its own pros and cons, but it’s not going to build up scale in your tankless water heater at breakneck speed, so it’s worth it. This pulls minerals out of the water.
Hard Water Isn’t Your Friend
Hard water is bad for your skin and doesn’t taste good as drinking water, but beyond that, it could be damaging your tankless water heater without you even realizing it. Nobody wants a shortened lifespan on one of the most fantastic upgrades to modern plumbing, so let’s do something about it.
First, call for repairs, and if it seems appropriate, install a water softening system to prevent these issues from happening at such a fast pace in the future. Soft water isn’t perfect, but it’s a lot easier on your tankless water heater than hard water.
Contact Performance Plumbing today to schedule your tankless water heater repairs as soon as possible.