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Currently, homeowners in Mansfield, TX, and beyond have been increasingly focused on making their homes more energy-efficient and eco-friendly. Luckily, with the continuous advancements in technology, it has become easier for the average American homeowner to find innovative ways to achieve these objectives without having to sacrifice the comforts they already enjoy.

The tankless water heater is among the many inventions that have made it possible for residential property owners to decrease the amount of water and energy their households use. Experts from the US Department of Energy claim that homes that use less than 41 gallons of hot water daily could greatly benefit from asking their tankless water heater repair expert to install an on-demand water heater. Specifically, the agency discovered that a tankless water heater could be 24 to 34 percent more efficient than conventional tank-storage models.

This, along with the fact that tankless water heaters can guarantee an unlimited supply of hot water, are among the key reasons why a Mansfield, TX, homeowner may consider installing one on their property. However, before deciding to schedule an installation service, below are some of the questions you should ask your preferred tankless water heater contractor.

How Do Tankless Water Heaters Work?

Before requesting an installation service from your tankless water heater repair professional, you should at least have a working understanding of how they conveniently supply your home with hot water. As the name suggests, tankless water heaters ensure that hot water is available throughout your residence without the need for a storage tank. Therefore, when you crank open any hot water faucet in your residence, cold water will travel via a pipe into the water heating system.

Once there, it may be heated by either a gas burner or an electric element. This is how tankless water heating systems often manage to ensure that your home has a constant supply of hot water. However, even though you may no longer need to wait for any tank to fill up so you can access some hot water, tankless water heater outputs often affect the flow rate.

Past that, once you’ve installed an instantaneous water heater in your home, with help from your local tankless water heater expert, it typically provides two to five gallons of hot water per minute. However, you should ask your water heater installation service provider to install a gas-powered model since it can deliver hot water at a much higher rate than an electric system.

Although gas-powered heaters may guarantee a higher output, sometimes even the largest model may fail to satisfy all your household’s hot water needs. This can be particularly evident if you attempt using more than one hot water outlet simultaneously. Fortunately, you can counter this phenomenon by requesting your Mansfield, TX, tankless water heater repair professional to install multiple units. If they agree to your request, ask the technician to connect them in a parallel manner so you can enjoy simultaneous hot water use.

Alternatively, you can request your tankless water heater repair expert to mount separate systems for individual appliances. You can ask them to mount units for appliances that account for a significant chunk of your household’s water usage such as dishwashers and laundry washing machines. Other areas you may want individual tankless water heaters installed include remote bathrooms and hot tubs. Your water heater repair professional can also mount separate units as a booster for solar water heating systems, if your home uses one.

What Are the Different Types of Water Heaters?

Although your heart may have settled on installing an instantaneous water heater on your property, don’t shy away from asking your preferred tankless water heater repair service professional which other water heater options can satisfy your household’s hot water needs. Even though each product varies in method of operation and potential energy-saving benefits, below are the five main types of water heaters your plumbing service specialist in Mansfield, TX, can install.

Conventional Storage Tank Water Heaters

This is the most popular type of water heating system. It features a storage tank for the hot water your home is going to use. In that context, the capacity of the tank inadvertently determines the amount of hot water available in your residence.

Conventional storage tank water heating systems are insulated to ensure that the heated water remains warm until it’s needed. The tank has temperature and pressure control valves that perform different functions individually.

The temperature control valve is responsible for heat release, whereby it opens to regulate temperatures after they’ve gone beyond 120 degrees Fahrenheit. As the name suggests, the pressure release valve reduces the pressure once after it has reached a certain limit.

On-Demand Water Heating Systems

Tankless water heaters, otherwise known as on-demand or instantaneous water heaters are relatively newer water heater models that facilitate unlimited access to hot water. As you may have probably guessed, these systems lack a storage tank. They have super-heated coils that fill up with water and heat it almost instantaneously to ensure that you have it as you use it.

Tankless water heater repair experts often recommend the installation of these units in homes that have extensive hot water needs. However, your water heater service contractor should help you choose the right size system since a small unit that’s unable to keep up with your household’s needs may end up producing cold or lukewarm water. Past that, water heater service professionals recommend tankless water heater installation in homes that use gas-powered equipment to serve their hot water needs.

Heat Pump or Hybrid Water Heaters

While you may be used to the idea of heat pumps being used for indoor heating and cooling purposes, your tankless water heater repair contractor can install a functional heat pump water heater in your home. They can install it as a stand-alone heat pump water heating system or as a combination of a water heating and space conditioning unit.

These water heater models rely on heat from the air or the ground to heat your household’s water. In that regard, they only use electricity to transport heat from the ground or air as opposed to other systems where the electricity is used to generate the heat. Due to this factor, a hybrid water heating system can use up to 60 percent less energy that other water heater models.

Solar-Powered Water Heaters

These water heater models draw energy from the sun to serve your household’s hot water needs. You should probably ask your local tankless water heater repair expert to install one in your Mansfield, TX, home if it already has solar panels.

Solar-powered water heating units are arguably the most energy-efficient models currently available in the market. They rely on mounted solar panels as their main energy source, where the energy is often transferred to a closed loop system designed with heat-conductive materials.

These materials facilitate the heating of the water in the tank. Even though they perform exceptionally in areas that predominantly experience warm or sunny conditions, a backup plan is nigh inevitable to ensure that your residence still has hot water even during the cloudy days.

Condensing Water Heaters

Since they rely on unused gas fumes to heat your water, asking your tankless water heater repair professional to mount a condensing water heater could be one of the most worthwhile decisions you could ever make.

This is particularly true if your residence currently works with a gas-powered water heating unit. In terms of operation, condensing water heaters filter heated exhaust from your home’s natural gas infrastructure and use it to heat the water. The hot water is then stored in a tank just like in a conventional water heater.

The gas fumes often move via a coil located beneath the tank, allowing these water heaters to use as little energy as possible to produce hot water. However, since it’s a tank-storage model, you should ensure that your water heater installation professional installs a tank that’s large enough to satisfy your household’s hot water needs.

Which Typical Tankless Water Heater Problems Can You Help Resolve?

Now that you know the various types of water heaters you can choose from, you should understand some of the typical tankless water heater problems you may encounter if you’re still determined to mount an instantaneous water heating system in your home. Below are some of the main problems tankless water heater repair experts in Mansfield, TX, and beyond regularly encounter during residential service calls.

Faulty Ignition

While tankless water heaters remain a popular option for homeowners looking to improve the energy efficiency of their premises, they aren’t immune to issues that may cripple their functional efficiency.

One of the most common reasons why your home may need a tankless water heater repair service is faulty ignition, which can cause the system not to ignite. Ignition problems often stem from inadequate gas supply.

However, gas valves that don’t fully open can also lead to ignition issues. You can check the ignition pack, gas and water valves, or propane tank to troubleshoot ignition issues. If you can’t reach a decisive conclusion, your local tankless water heater repair professional can provide informed solutions.

Flame Failure

This tankless water heater repair issue is relatively similar to the aforementioned ignition problem. The flame in your home’s on-demand water heater may fail due to regulator failure, a narrow gas line, or lack of ventilation.

To counter such scenarios, you should ask your tankless water heater service technician to check your home’s propane tanks as well as the venting since the flame can only remain active if the vents aren’t blocked or closed.

Mineral Buildup

Mineral accumulation is an issue that affects both tankless and conventional tank-storage water heaters. Calcium and magnesium deposits are the most common form of buildup.

Without immediate solutions from a reliable tankless water heater repair service provider, the buildup could end up reducing your system’s operational efficiency or completely damaging it.

Constant Thermal Fluctuation

Every homeowner with a working water heating system on their property may have encountered this problem. If you decide to take a shower immediately after someone else, you may be met with lukewarm or cold water, which can be quite uncomfortable.

Even though tankless water heaters are designed to provide hot water on demand, the water may take some time before the water reaches a temperature that allows you to shower comfortably. That said, this issue shouldn’t prompt you to schedule a repair service since it’s just how tankless water heaters work.

Blocked Exhaust or Air Supply

Sometimes your home’s on-demand water heating system may show a distress signal that claims its air supply may be blocked. Under such circumstances, it often means that the unit may no longer be useful due to extensive combustion or ventilation problems.

You can request a tankless water heater repair professional near Mansfield, TX, to check if anything’s blocking the ventilation or whether the vent pipes may be punctured or loosely connected. If the vent pipes are worn-out, you should request a replacement service to maintain your system’s efficiency.

Is Investing in a Tankless Water Heater Worthwhile?

Now that you know how tankless water heaters work, the various types of water heating systems available in the market, and the common problems associated with instantaneous water heating systems, you should understand the various benefits of a tankless water heating system.

Mansfield, TX, tankless water heater repair experts believe that on-demand water heaters last longer than conventional tank-type systems. Other benefits that homeowners may accrue include reduced energy costs and unlimited access to hot water as long as your installer mounts the right size system based on your household needs.

Homeowners can also choose between gas and electric-powered units, with gas-powered units offering added convenience in homes located in areas that have frequent power interruptions. Additionally, asking your Mansfield, TX, tankless water heater repair expert to install an on-demand system could qualify you for a tax credit if you purchase an energy-efficient system.

Where Can I Find Tankless Water Heater Repair Services in Mansfield, TX?

Despite their environmental and convenience benefits, tankless water heaters can be quite inconspicuous, making them quite difficult to repair. Their initial cost of installation may also cost you a pretty penny, which is why you should always leave your tankless water heater repair needs to the professionals at Benjamin Franklin Plumbing of Fort Worth.

Our Mansfield, TX, company can provide timely and comprehensive solutions when you need a smaller and more convenient water heating system. Call us today to schedule your appointment.