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Simply said, tankless water heaters save you money by lasting years longer and significantly lowering energy bills. A great deal of attention has been paid to the maintenance requirements of tankless water heaters, and here's what you need to know.
Can I Do My Own Tankless Water Heater Maintenance?
Navien tankless water heater maintenance is relatively simple. You certainly don’t need to be a professional plumber, but it doesn’t hurt if you are comfortable tackling the occasional DIY project. Whether or not you’re ready is entirely up to you.
Be advised that if you damage your water heater while performing routine maintenance, you may void your warranty.Make sure you understand the steps as outlined in your user manual, which can be downloaded here.
What Maintenance is Needed?
There is very little that needs to be done to keep your Navien tankless gas water heater working properly, but there are a few maintenance items that should be performed, such as:
- Clean the inlet water filter(s): Remove filter, rinse with clean running cold water and scrub clean with brush, if necessary. All Navien tankless water heaters have water screens on the cold water inlet, and the NPE-Advanced models have an additional screen on the recirculation inlet.
- Clean the intake air filter: Keep the air intake filter free of dust or lint by cleaning it using a toothbrush and clean cold running water - then allow to dry completely. All Navien tankless water heaters have inlet air screens inside the cabinet just below the air intake collar to prevent debris from being pulled into the blower, burner and heat exchanger assembly.
- Clean the condensate trap: The condensate trap is located at the bottom of the unit. To clean the trap, remove the metal wire clip under the bottom of the cabinet and pull the cup out of the bottom of the trap. When you replace the trap, ensure that the o-ring is correctly in place.
- Flush/descale the heat exchangers: Flushing involves using a pump to circulate a cleaning solution that removes lime and mineral deposits (scale), followed by rinsing.
- Visually inspect & verify operation: Inspect the tankless hot water heater after any maintenance and verify that it’s working properly (including gas pressure) before using.
You’ll need to drain the water heater before attempting any of the maintenance listed above (draining is also explained in the user manual).
Using a certified Navien technician for tankless hot water heater maintenance will not only save you time, it will help protect your warranty. The cost will vary depending on tankless water heater size, ease of accessibility for your unit, regional water quality and local labor rates from service providers.
How Often Should Tankless Water Heaters Be Serviced?
To be certain your Navien tankless water heater is working correctly and will provide service for many years, annual maintenance is recommended. Annual maintenance removes mineral deposits collected on heat exchangers and other parts. These deposits (aka scale) can interfere with the operation of your Navien water heater.
Your tankless water heater maintenance schedule depends in part on water hardness. If you have hard water, you may need to perform maintenance more often. You can also install an anti-scale or water softener system to minimize corrosive lime and mineral buildup.
What Happens if You Don't Service Your Tankless Water Heater?
Neglecting to properly maintain your tankless hot water heater can lead to unwanted outcomes including:
- Mineral deposits on the heat exchanger, which reduces efficiency
- Mineral buildup in the pipes and filter, which reduces water flow
- Shorter service life
- Warranty issues - failure to perform regular maintenance as set forth in the user manual may void the manufacturer's limited warranty
Tankless Water Maintenance Extends Service Life
Many Navien tankless gas water heater owners decide to go the route of performing their own maintenance. If you are reasonably handy, it is rather simple, and you will save an annual financial expense. If this is the direction you choose, please consult the owner’s manual for a complete outline and checklist for this process.
You can also use the Navien contractor locator to find and contact a local plumber that provides Navien maintenance services.