Questions · Water heaters
Do tankless water heaters need flushing here?
Yes, and the Valley's hard water makes it matter more than the manual assumes. Descaling circulates a solution through the heat exchanger to clear mineral off the surface that does the heating. Skip it and you lose output, then temperature, then the unit starts throwing faults.
What you notice when it is overdue
- The temperature wanders during a shower
- The unit takes longer to come up to heat
- Error codes that clear and come back
- Less hot water at the same setting than the unit used to give
- More noise from the unit when it fires
What a service actually involves
- 01
Isolate the unit at its service valves, which is why those valves are worth having on the install
- 02
Circulate a descaling solution through the heat exchanger
- 03
Flush it clear and check what came out, because that sets the next interval
- 04
Clean or rinse the inlet screen, which catches grit before it reaches the exchanger
- 05
Fire the unit, check the temperature rise and clear any stored faults
How a softener changes it
A softener removes the mineral before it reaches the unit, so far less of it lands on the heat exchanger. It does not remove the job, but it stretches the interval and makes each service easier. If you are putting in a tankless unit in the Valley, this is the conversation to have at the same time rather than a year later.
From the job log
Work we’ve done
Answers
How often should a tankless unit be flushed in the Valley?
More often than in soft water country. The honest guide is what comes out: a service that runs heavy with scale means the next one should come sooner, and a clean one means you have room.
Can I flush it myself?
With service valves installed and a pump kit, some homeowners do. Getting the isolation and the refill right matters, and so does knowing what the unit is telling you afterwards.
Does flushing fix an error code?
Sometimes, when the code is about flow or temperature and scale is the cause. A code that returns after a proper descale is pointing at something else.
If you need this done
- Tankless water heatersSwapping a builder-grade tank for a tankless unit, indoors or out, with the gas, venting and water lines done right.
- Water softenersValley water is some of the hardest in the country. A softener removes the minerals that scale fixtures, spot glass and shorten a water heater's life.
- Water heater repairNo hot water, water that runs cold early, noises or a leak? We find the real cause and give you an honest call on repair versus replacement.
- Where we workEvery town and ZIP across the Valley we cover.
In-home estimate
Rather have someone look at it? Tell us what's going on
We come out, look at the problem and explain what it needs before any work starts. For something urgent, calling is fastest.
Rather talk? Call or text (602) 833-4133.