Lucas Noah We can hardly imagine a modern house without different devices and apps created by genius engineers. One of the most important and convenient inventions is a water heater. There are two kinds – with a tank and without it. Both kinds help to heat water in less than a minute. Many machines do that instantly. You surely know about their usefulness and have one of the kind.
This article focuses on a tankless kind. It addresses the following question – How to flush a tankless water heater? It is a very important question that must be asked and resolved. Not all people know that it must be flushed. Some people also try to install this appliance on their own, without finding a Noritz contractor. It’s quite risky!
What is the reason for flushing? Water surely contains certain minerals that damage the system. It may leak and get spoiled entirely. That is why you need to purify it regularly. How often to flush a tankless water heater? You don’t have to do that too often. Once per year is commonly enough for a tankless unit. This informative article explains to do it correctly and safely.
The Basics
We need to start with the basics. Pay attention to the type of your appliance. Is it electric or is it based on gas? Depending on the type, the instructions will differ in some places. You are to read the manual of the manufacturer before you start. Although our instructions are universal, some slight differences in design and functioning may be crucial. Accordingly, you need to check all the details.
The second basic step is to get the required tools. Be sure you buy white vinegar that cleans the system perfectly. Besides, you should look for a special kit that contains other tools. The standard flush kit commonly includes:
- Pump,
- Bucket,
- Hoses,
- Isolation valve,
- Screwdriver (for a gas unit).
Now, you are ready to find out how to flush a Noritz tankless water heater.
Instructions for a Gas Unit
If you have a gas unit, you need to know how to flush a tankless gas water heater. You need to prepare for it. Here are the entry instructions:
- Power off the heater.
- Remove the access panel.
- Be sure to utilize a non-contact voltage tester and thus safely check if the power is surely gone.
- Identify and shut all the valves.
- Connect hoses to hot and cold water service ports.
- Connect the cold water hose to the pump.
- Put the free end of the hot water hose into the bucket.
- Get white vinegar into the bucket.
The Flushing Phase
Now, we go on through our guide on “how to flush a tankless hot water heater” and get busy with flushing itself. Follow the next points:
- Open the water service ports.
- Switch the pump on.
- Let the vinegar circulate for at least one hour.
- Swatch the pump off to dump the vinegar.
- Shut the cold water service port.
- Remove the hose.
- Open the cold water shut-off valve and flush the vinegar that remains in it (ca 10 minutes).
- Shut the valve.
- Remove the second hose.
- Shut the hot water service port.
- Remove and flush the filters.
When these procedures are finished, open the gas valve and connect the electricity.
Flushing an Electric Unit
If you have an electric unit, you need to know how to flush out a tankless water heater is a bit different way. Nonetheless, most of the instructions are the same.
- Power off the unit.
- Shut shut-off valve for cold water.
- Get rid of the water in the heater by opening the faucets.
- Shut shut-off valve for hot water.
- Utilize a non-contact voltage tester to check the power safely.
- Remove the screws that protect the heating elements.
- Be sure the heating elements aren’t damaged and remove all cracked elements.
- Clean the heating elements in the cooper chambers.
Next comes the flushing itself. Here are the instructions that clarify how to flush a tankless water heater with vinegar if it’s electric:
- Fill the cooper chambers with white vinegar.
- The vinegar should remain in the chamber for 90-120 minutes.
- Get rid of the vinegar.
- Replace the heating elements and get the wires in place again.
- Open the shut-off valve for cold water.
- Fill the tank and check it to be sure there are no leaks.
- Open the shut-off valve for hot water.
- Drain the water that remains to get rid of the vinegar.
- Replace the filter.
- Electrify the unit again.
There is one more question left to discuss. How much to flush a tankless water heater? It depends on the capacity of your unit. If it is not too powerful, you may need to flush the unit for more than an hour and use more gallons of vinegar. However, the best answer is to use 4 gallons of white vinegar.