Your Local Experts on Tankless Water Heaters in Oroville
If you’re unfamiliar with the tankless water heater concept, having 40 gallons or more might seem effective. As it turns out, tankless water heaters supply 40 gallons and keep on going, with an endless supply of hot water if you need it. The difference is, with tankless units you select the flow rate, instead of the total capacity. You can get all the hot water you want, at a certain maximum rate of gallons per hour based on the heating capacity. The tankless unit heats the water as it starts passing through when you turn a tap somewhere in the house, and if you turn on too many taps, that’s where tankless meets its limit. With a properly selected unit, that’s rarely an issue.
Though tankless water heaters have been around for about as long as tank-based ones, it’s the technology inside that has made them a great option today. Tankless water heater service tends to be a maintenance, taking care of the vents and any sediment that has built up from minerals in the water. The control electronics, flow and temperature sensors, and heating element or burner are the main components that might need attention eventually, and their reliability is part of the reason that tankless water heater lifetimes tend to be about double the typical service life of a tank-based unit, or 20 years.
Tankless water heaters earn their keep by not keeping 40 gallons or more of water hot all the time. That provides significant energy savings for you in Oroville, since these units only heat on demand and still get the job done. Their peak energy demand is higher, but then they wait for the next tap turn. Manufacturers have been improving tankless water heaters, adding new features such as connection placement that’s similar to tank-based systems, so less plumbing work is needed to make the change. Our team can make the switch for you, or replace your existing unit, both quickly and carefully.
Here are a few signs that you might need tankless water heater service:
- Energy consumption increases
- Water temperature is too low
- Error code displaying on the unit
- No burner ignition or electric heating
- Discolored hot water from the tap
It’s important to note a few things about tankless water heater operations that are different from a traditional water heater tank. One is the flow rate, which can become an issue if you are washing clothes, running the dishwasher, and taking a shower at the same time. Reducing your simultaneous hot water use fixes that. Also, the sensors require that you open your hot water tap about halfway to trigger heating, so trying to get a trickle of hot water is tricky.
Finally, the “hot water sandwich” issue is characteristic of tankless systems and is perfectly normal. There may be hot water already in the pipes from previous use, so when the unit first starts there may be a short burst of cold water following it, and then a steady flow of hot water. In other words, no worries and no need for tankless water heater service if this “sandwich” happens.