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Tankless Water Heater Repair in South Jersey
A malfunctioning tankless water heater presents more than just inconvenience for homeowners; it disrupts essential daily routines like showering, doing dishes, and performing other household tasks. While this is a significant concern in itself, it can also indicate a broader underlying issue. Such a fault may lead to further damage and put your home or even your family at risk. While many people try DIY fixes with their system, you need to be well-versed in the intricacies of both plumbing and gas or electrical systems to avoid causing more damage to your system, which can be very expensive.
Understanding the seriousness of the situation requires a timely response. Addressing the problem quickly is about more than just restoring normal function. It’s also about ensuring the integrity and safety of your home’s water heating system. If you are experiencing issues with your tankless water heater, we urge you to contact a qualified water heater repair technician at Vaughan Comfort Services today. By doing so, you can proactively protect your property and loved ones and return your household to its regular routine.
How a Tankless Water Heater Works
In a traditional water heater, you have a large water tank (sometimes 50 gallons or more) that continually heats the water within so that when it runs through the pipes, you get warm water out of the tap. This can raise your utility bills due to the constant need to heat large amounts of water, and it can cause significant issues if the tank rusts through, causing all that water to run out on the floor.
With a tankless heater, you only heat the water as you need it. This improves efficiency, removes the potential for tank failure, and ensures you will not run out of hot water because the tank is empty.
Why Isn’t My Tankless Water Heater Getting Hot?
If you turn on your faucet and get cold water instead of hot, you could have too many taps open simultaneously, and your heater cannot keep up with the demand. For example, if you are trying to run the dishwasher, clothes washing machine, and shower all at the same time, it could simply be overtaxing the water heater.
However, not getting enough hot water could also indicate a larger issue. Some quick troubleshooting for common problems can sometimes reveal the cause of water heater problems.
Sediment Buildup
Your water heater or pipes may have a buildup of sediment, dirt, or minerals in the system. This is particularly true with systems with iron pipes or components where rust can lead to iron particles that cause blockage in the lines, interfering with the water supply and water pressure. If you have hard water, you could be subject to a buildup of minerals like calcium or magnesium scale. Descaling can remove the buildup and allow your system to heat water again.
No Ignition
A lack of ignition could indicate insufficient gas pressure. Low gas pressure is the most frequent cause of tankless water heater issues and is usually a relatively easy fix. First, check your gas line valve to be sure it is open. If it is closed, an easy DIY fix is reopening it. If that is not the issue, look at your electrical components, like the thermostat, fuses, sensors, and the like to check for burnout. Check for debris or condensation on the burners — if wet, they may not ignite.
What Should I Do if My Tankless Water Heater Is Leaking?
If your water heater is leaking, you likely have bad valves or another plumbing issue. The first step is to figure out where the leak stems from, and if you are comfortable with plumbing, you can do a DIY fix for the leak. It may simply require tightening a fitting. However, you should call a plumbing company technician at Vaughan Comfort Services for more complex plumbing issues.
A plumber has years of experience and training in dealing with all sorts of issues, and they can help fix these problems quickly and correctly. Leaking pipes in your home can cause structural damage to the house and be the cause of bacteria, mold, and pathogens that can put your family in danger.
Calling a plumbing services company like Vaughan Comfort Services will keep your family and home safe and healthy. We are available any time for emergency services, and we will get the problem fixed quickly and correctly the first time out. Call us at 856-627-0303 or use our online form to schedule a technician today.
What is the Most Common Issue With Tankless Water Heaters?
First, annual maintenance is necessary to keep the units running efficiently and avoid costly repairs, including flushing the heat exchanger per manufacturer specs. Second, we highly recommend a sediment filter to keep your lines from clogging. The issue we hear about most often at Vaughan Comfort Services relates to flow rate. Showers and faucets with restrictors can cause low flow through the tankless water heater, and this can cause fluctuations in the hot water temperature.
What is the Lifespan of a Tankless Water Heater?
Tankless water heaters are rated to last much longer than tank-based heaters. Tankless heaters can go for 15 to 20 years with proper maintenance. You can do some regular maintenance on your tankless system yourself. Still, some issues may be complex enough to schedule a service call with a company that performs tankless water heater repair services.
How Much Does a Tankless Water Heater Install Cost?
The price for a new tankless water heater installation varies based on several factors. First, you must determine what size water heater you need. Next, consider the installation specifics — replacing an existing tankless heater is different from replacing a tank heater with a tankless model, for example. Your water heater installation company can help you determine the cost of a new tankless heater
What Kind of Maintenance Does a Tankless Water Heater Need?
Tankless water heater maintenance in South Jersey is essential to getting the greatest efficiency and the longest possible life out of your system. Routine water heater maintenance can allow you to catch small problems before they grow into risky and expensive repairs. Your technician or plumber can help you get on a routine maintenance schedule.
External Maintenance
External maintenance involves your technician ensuring that the components of your system are in good working order. This includes cleaning your fan motor, replacing the intake valve, checking the exhaust burner assembly and gas manifold, and examining the heating element, flame, and ignition rods for corrosion.
Internal Maintenance
During internal maintenance, the technician flushes your system with water. This helps to prevent mineral buildup and keeps water flowing smoothly through your system. Internal and external maintenance ensure efficiency and functionality, preventing breakdowns and repairs in the future and saving you money.
Is a Tankless Water Heater More Efficient Than a Traditional Water Heater?
A tankless water heater can be more efficient than a traditional water heater, depending on how much water you use in your home. For the most part, tankless water heaters are more efficient as they only use heat when needed and as you use water. After a certain threshold, however, it no longer becomes energy efficient to have a tankless heater because it runs too long and too often.
In general, if you use less than 41 gallons of water per day, you can improve energy efficiency by more than 30 percent with a tankless heater. If you use over 80 gallons of water daily, you still might improve efficiency by up to 14 percent. Going higher than that will see diminishing returns.
Advantages of a Tankless Water Heater
A tankless water heater boasts many other benefits besides energy efficiency. First, they last up to 20 years, more than double the average lifespan of a tanked water heater. The longer your tankless water heater remains in service, the more you will save. Energy.gov estimates that tankless gas water heaters can save over $100 per year, while electric tankless water heaters can save about $44 per year.
Tankless water heaters also take up less space than storage tank water heaters, as they do not require large tanks for storing water. A water heater technician can install these small water heaters in tight spaces and outside if necessary. Finally, they provide instant, on-demand hot water, up to three gallons per minute. You won’t have to wait a few seconds for hot water as you do with storage tank heaters.
Why Choose Vaughan Comfort Services for Your Tankless Water Heater Repair?
When you call a Vaughan professional to your house to diagnose an issue, repair your tankless unit, or install a new water heater, our technicians will do so efficiently and quickly. We understand our customers’ needs and are ready to handle emergency services. You will get friendly and knowledgeable service that will have your hot water restored quickly.
Need ongoing maintenance? Some water heater maintenance involves electrical systems, motors, fans, and the like. Many people are understandably skittish about the upkeep of wires and electrical attachments. Our technicians are highly trained in all the complex issues with the repair and maintenance of all sorts of water heaters, from electrical components to descaling and beyond. We can help keep your existing system going strong and advise you when replacing a water heater will cost less than repairing it.
Drop the Bulk and Go Tankless
Vaughan Comfort Services has served South Jersey for over 80 years. We are a hometown company located in Magnolia, New Jersey, and we take great pride in bringing upfront honesty and integrity to every job and in building relationships with our customers that last for years. Thanks to our customers, we have grown from a small kerosene and propane delivery service in 1937 to one of the region’s most respected and trusted HVAC and plumbing services companies. We offer easy payment plans and financing. We also accept all major credit cards, checks, and EFT over the phone or online at no additional charge.
If you need hot water heater repair or replacement services, we are ready to help. Contact us at 856-627-0303 or use our online contact form to schedule an appointment today or for information about installation, warranty, and prices.
NJ LIC. NO.13VH01727600
Robert W. Vaughan,
Master HVACR Contractor Lic. # 5842
Thomas J. Weaver,
Master Plumber Lic # 9521