When a tankless water heater is not heating water, you may find yourself with questions. What’s causing no hot water in your tankless system? We’ll break down the details below. If you need help, our expert plumber in Chesapeake, VA, can provide you with tankless heater troubleshooting tricks and more.
You’re Exceeding the Capacity of Your Chesapeake, VA, Tankless Water Heater
One of the most common reasons a tankless water heater is not heating water occurs because you’re using more hot water than the system can manage.
Different types of water heaters have different levels of capacity based on the size of the tank. Tankless water heaters don’t have a tank that limits hot water capacity. However, certain tankless models do have a maximum amount of water they can heat, called the flow rate capacity.
If you are running multiple appliances that are simultaneously demanding hot water, you might be exceeding the flow rate capacity of the tankless water heater. You might notice this issue when taking a shower and you receive hot water for several seconds, followed by cold water for several seconds. This switch between hot and cold water could continue for a while, and it may even last for the duration of your shower.
Although this problem can be frustrating to deal with, the good news is that you don’t have a malfunctioning system.
The solution to this issue is to run fewer appliances that need hot water at the same time. You could also consider installing a new tankless hot water heater that gives you a greater hot water capacity.
The Tankless Water Heater Is Not Creating Hot Water From a Lack of Power or Fuel
If you are tied into a Chesapeake power or natural gas utility line, it’s possible that the utility is having a power outage that’s affecting service. However, this is a rare issue.
It’s far more likely that the problem lies with the equipment on your property. Check your electrical panel for a tripped circuit breaker that is cutting off electricity to the tankless heater. If you have your own propane tank, make sure it’s not empty.
If you are unsure whether your appliance is receiving power or natural gas to heat the water, you may want to try performing the tankless heater reset process, which may restore normal operation.
Asking our professional technicians to perform tankless heater maintenance and repair can help you solve any problems with your gas or electrical hookup.
The Flow of Water Is Not High Enough
When it seems like your tankless water heater is not heating water, you may have tankless water heater flow rate problems. The tankless heater needs to register a certain amount of water flow before it heats the water. If you have a tap open to a trickle, the tankless water heater might not start operating because the flow of water is too low.
If you need hot water, consider opening the faucet a little more to generate a higher flow, which may fix the issue.
You See Error Codes When the Tankless Water Heater Won’t Work
Some brands of tankless water heaters will have display screens to show error codes. If your appliance is not generating hot water and you see an error code on the screen, it may give you a clue about the problem you’re having.
You might need to check the user manual to decipher the error code.
A common one occurs when the external exhaust vent for the tankless heater has a blockage. For example, it might have fallen leaves covering it during autumn in Chesapeake. Removing any blockage should allow the appliance to begin working normally again.
Although Chesapeake, VA, rarely has significant cold weather snaps, you could receive an error code if your water pipes freeze. The tankless water heater may not be heating water because it’s not receiving enough from the frozen supply pipes.
Let Hats Off Heating & Cooling Help When a Tankless Water Heater Is Not Heating Water in Chesapeake, VA
Although you may think you understand common tankless issues, troubleshooting water temperature issues can be a significant challenge. When you need help, Hats Off Heating & Cooling has technicians with the experience and skills you can trust.
What should you do when your tankless water heater is not heating water? Is your AC frozen? Do you need furnace maintenance? Our expert HVAC technicians can provide answers and solutions to all these questions and more when you reach out to us for an appointment today.
