Tankless Water Heaters are the present and future of water heating. Period. With advances in tankless water heating technology making them fit for every application regardless of its size, tank-style water heaters are rightfully on their way out. However, it is imperative to be aware of the maintenance requirements of tankless water heaters so that you can get the most out of this efficient form of water heating. Flushing is one of the most frequent and critical maintenance needs for most tankless water heaters. This guide will answer any questions that you may have about tankless water heating. How to flush a tankless water heater? How often is flushing a tankless water heater necessary?
After answering these questions, we will look at what makes Intellihot products different when it comes to flushing tankless water heaters.
Flushing is a routine water heater maintenance procedure to remove the buildup of sediments due to hard water scaling from the water heater's pipes and internal fixtures.
Flushing a tankless water heater is integral to its long-term maintenance. It is a necessary step for most tankless water heaters for a variety of reasons. The single operating principle that makes tankless water heater flushing necessary is scaling.
Scaling is the buildup of minerals from hard water in pipes and other surfaces. You must have observed this buildup on external surfaces like taps too – usually, a white and granular buildup (like the picture attached here).
No matter where you live, the water that enters your property has various levels of impurities or other components. This includes minerals like calcium carbonate which naturally occur in the water present in our planet’s aquatic resources. To clarify, water treatment does not completely eliminate such minerals as these are not technically unsafe for human consumption.
As water runs through pipes and other fittings, these minerals get deposited to their surfaces little by little. Imagine passing coffee through a filter multiple times. Over time, you would find that tiny coffee grounds would accumulate on the surfaces of the filter and little by little, turn into a significant and visible masses. In the case of scaling, the tiny molecules of minerals that get attached to the pipes grow in number and become sizable masses over time.
As the above happens, the area through which the water can pass in the pipes reduces. The scale that deposits in the pipe starts to take up more and more of the surface area within the pipes. Flushing is the periodic procedure of removing the buildup of sediments arising due to hard water scaling in water fixtures.
Flushing tankless water heaters is necessary to:
You might wonder if every tankless water heater needs to be flushed. Every model of tankless water heater is different. Moreover, there is a wide range of the amount of minerals in water in every region on the planet. Hence, the rate of scaling differs due to various factors. However, some form of scale is still present, no matter where you are located or which model of tankless water heater you currently use.
Hence, flushing is a necessary process for almost all tankless water heaters. However, some models work differently. For instance, Intellihot’s tankless water heaters are specially designed to mitigate scale buildup. This means that our products are highly resistant to scaling since they are built with the customer’s ease of operation in mind. Hence, their design provides an easy-maintenance setup with no flushing requirements. You can read more about this below.
It is not advisable to skip flushing your tankless water heater. It will surely result in unsavory consequences. If you do not flush your tankless water heater, you may encounter the following problems:
It is a commonly accepted understanding that you should flush your tankless water heater at least once a year. Doing so more than once is advisable to continue operating it at the highest standards. This is especially true if you live in an area with relatively harder water (that is, water with more mineral sediments). You can check your area’s water hardness using this tool.
Flushing a tankless water heater is by no means a challenging task. If you possess an adequate amount of working knowledge, you can do so yourself, without the help of a plumber. However, you should make it a point to be fully knowledgeable about the process of flushing your tankless water heater. There might be subtle differences in the procedure based on your particular tankless water heater model.
Hence, we recommend doing your research before attempting to flush your tankless water heater yourself. Read your tankless water heater’s manual, watch a few videos and read a few articles before flushing.
If you are unsure, it might be advisable to contact a local plumber to do it for you. This could be especially beneficial during the first few occasions. You can observe your plumber flushing your tankless water heater a few times and then choose to do it yourself the next time.
Flushing most tankless water heaters involves a standard procedure. However, there are subtle differences for each model. It is advisable to refer to your tankless water heater model’s operational manual so that you are fully aware of the process.
To flush a tankless water heater, you will need the following items:
Optional: A Tankless Water Heater Flush Kit
Now that you know the items you need to buy for flushing a tankless water heater, let’s look at how you can use these. It is best to read the operational manual of your tankless water heater to understand the specific procedure. However, this is what the general process looks like:
If you are facing any issues with your water heater after the flushing procedure is complete, you should contact your plumber immediately.
In most cases, you can also choose to use food-grade vinegar to flush most tankless water heaters. Again, it is best to refer to your tankless water heater’s manual to be fully sure. If you use vinegar, be sure to let the pump run for 1.5-2 hours.
If you hire a plumber, you will probably have to pay anywhere between $100 to $600 to get your tankless water heater flushed. However, if you choose to do it yourself, the cost depends on the equipment you need. If this is your first time flushing a tankless water heater, you would need to buy all the gear mentioned. Here is an average range of the cost of these items on Amazon as of 2023 (each of these items also have more premium and expensive options that can be above the range mentioned):
Hose: $16-$25 * 2
Descaling Agent: $20-$60 based on quantity
Submersible circulation pump: $40-$60
5-gallon Plastic Bucket: $10-$15
Based on the costs above, you can expect to spend $102-$185 to get the gear to flush your tankless water heater for the first time. However, you can reuse the circulation pump, bucket, and hoses. Hence, for every additional flushing instance, you would only need to spend $20-$60 for the descaling agent.
Please note that these prices were obtained from Amazon using a set of standard assumptions. This range can vary for your use case.
Optional: If you opt for a tankless water heater flushing kit, you can get one for $110-$200 with more expensive, premium options available.
Short answer: No, Intellihot units are designed to handle 2-3 times the amount of scaling than competing water heaters and as a result, they do not need to be flushed.
Intellihot’s innovation-first approach means that we design our products with the end consumer in mind. After reading this article and/or having used a tankless water heater in the past, it is easy to tell that the process of flushing is a routine maintenance headache. The process of flushing usually results in downtime if a property does not have a backup water heating system. Downtime/lack of hot water, even for an hour, can have a significant negative impact for properties like hotels and restaurants. Moreover, if a non-Intellihot tankless water heater is not flushed on time, it can lead to breakdowns, costly repairs, and higher energy bills. Most tankless water heaters that do not have remote access capabilities (unlike Intellihot units) leave the task of scheduling timely flushing to the facility manager.
For instance, the maximum allowable hardness for incoming water at 60 psi and a temperature set point of 120-139 degrees Fahrenheit for Intellihot units is 20 grains per gallon. This means that Intellihot units will resist scaling and continue to function efficiently without the need for flushing if the hardness of water is under 20 grains per gallon. This number is 2-3 times bigger than competing tankless water heaters. That is, most competing tankless water heaters can only handle hardness of 6.66-10 grains per gallon.
Intellihot can achieve this due to its patented heat exchanger which vibrates constantly when in use to resist the accumulation of scaling. Moreover, the ability of Intellihot units to move water at lightning-fast speeds within the system ensures that efficiency is not compromised even if there is some level of scaling. Hence, you do not need to flush Intellihot units regularly on an annual basis.
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