In the colder months, tankless water heaters ensure that you will have an endless supply of hot water.
Nevertheless, inductions in climates ranging from mild to frigid call for their own set of special concerns.
As long as the gas and electricity are operational, the water heaters themselves do not need to be protected from freezing during periods of cold weather.
On the other hand, if there is an interruption in the supply of electricity, your tankless water heater may get frozen.
When the air begins to become chilly and the temperatures start to drop, your home’s hot water heater is more likely to freeze up and experience other issues that are directly tied to the weather.
Whether you are closing up a summer cottage and need to winterize the water heating system or you live in an area that gets very cold in the winter, you may be required to do so.
The tankless heating system you have will need some more effort on your part.
In this post, we will discuss the steps that must be taken in order to defrost your tankless water heater throughout the winter months.
In addition, you will learn how to prevent the tankless heater you have from freezing up throughout the winter months in this post.
In any case, it is essential to have an understanding that the advice provided by various manufacturers, such as Rinnai and Raheem, might vary.
You should make it a habit to examine the owner’s handbook for your water heater at least once a month for important information.
How to Defrost a Water Heater That Does Not Have a Tank
- First things first, you need to determine whether the water heater itself is frozen, or if it’s only the pipes that flow in and out of the unit that are frozen. It is quite likely that this will be the case. You may verify this by simply touching your tankless water heater to pinpoint the spot where the temperature drops to an abnormally low level. In order to provide heat indirectly to the frozen region until it thaws, you may do it using a space heater or another kind of heating element.
- Moreover, examine for cracked or burst pipes. The expansion of water caused by freezing inside of a hot water heater is the primary culprit behind broken pipes. Imagine that there is not enough room in the heater to accommodate such growth. It’s possible that one or more of the pipes burst or snapped. It indicates that you will have a watery disaster on your hands once the pipes thaw out of their frozen state. Before beginning to defrost the pipes of your water heater, it is prudent to familiarize yourself with the location of the shut-off valve for the water supply.
- If you believe that the whole unit has been frozen solid, you should turn off the gas or water supply that is connected to the hot water heater (if thawing frozen pipes did not make the heater work). Detach the system and move it into an open location like a garage or other out-of-the-way spot. If you do this, even if it explodes while it is melting, you won’t have a mess inside your home to clean up.
- Warm up the area to thaw the water in the water heater, which is now frozen over. The solution is as simple as turning on the heating in the room.
- As the frost on your hot water heater starts to melt, give it a slow trickle. To do this, just turn off the water supply that is connected to the heater. The next step is to release the little drainage valve that is located close to the base of the tank.
How to Prevent the Freezing of a Water Heater That Does Not Have a Tank
To ensure that your tankless water heater makes it through the winter without experiencing any problems, you may want to give the following suggestions a try as preventative measures against freezing.
#1. Put Your Heater In An Area That Is Already Warm.
You should know that the most effective method of protection is to put your tankless water heater in a warm or hot location.
For instance, you may mount it on a wall that faces the sun directly during the whole year.
You might also have an outside space that is covered and use it for this purpose.
In addition to that, you should make sure that you combine the vent terminals so that there is additional wind resistance.
#2. Empty Out Your Hot Water Heater.
In most cases, the only way for water to frost is if it is completely still.
If you flow a little amount of water in a continuous stream through the tankless water heater, you may significantly reduce the likelihood that the heater will freeze up.
It doesn’t have to be a lot at all.
For a tankless water heater, for instance, a flow rate of 0.1 to 0.2 gallons per minute will be enough to keep the water from freezing.
You may do this by slowly opening a tap that is located in an inconspicuous location.
On the other hand, it might cause your water bill to go up.
However, if you want to prevent an exorbitant bill for water heater repair, it will definitely be worth the additional expense.
#3. Ensure That You Have A Power Source
To ensure that the water heater’s freeze prevention mechanism will function properly, you need to be linked to an electrical source.
It is important to keep in mind that this does not imply that the water heater has to be turned on; it just needs to be connected in.
The use of either a drain-down solenoid or a battery backup system is recommended for locations that are prone to experiencing power outages on a regular basis.
#4. Think About Installing A Recirculation System
If you reside in an area that experiences severe cold, you should seriously consider installing a recirculation system in your home.
On the other hand, these systems are often installed in order to provide a localized supply of hot water at a particular place.
In addition to this, they consistently activate your plumbing system and water heater.
Even while it will keep your pipes and water heater from freezing, many individuals decide that the additional cost is not worth it because of the inconvenience it causes.
There are advantages to using a system that recycles the water.
For instance, cutting down the amount of time it takes for hot water to reach fixtures that are located farther away from the tankless water heater.
#5. Insulation
If you insulate your water heater, you may help prevent the internal components from freezing.
Invest some time and effort into insulating your pipes as well.
Especially so if they are situated in an area where the degree of safety is questionable to begin with.
Pipes that are located in crawl spaces and attics often have a high risk of being severely damaged.
You may get the greatest results by using any of the following:
- Insulation made of fiber glass.
- The heat tape
- Coating of polyethylene
#6. Have A Backup Plan
Frost protection equipment can’t function without access to electricity.
Imagine that you live in an area that often has power outages.
You should give some thought to installing a backup system so that the juice may continue to flow.
Take Away
When winter arrives, it is fairly uncommon for pipes to freeze, which may cause a variety of problems.
Although this is something that tankless water heaters can accomplish, it is quite unusual for them to do so.
The fact that they often have hot water running through them is the primary explanation for this phenomenon.
On the other hand, if you turned off the heating system for an extended period of time, you run the risk of your tankless water heater being frozen.
Moreover, this occurred when the temperature outside was much below freezing.
If you are dealing with a water heater that has frozen over.
Be patient and make sure to follow the steps that were outlined above in order to defrost the hot water heater.
Unquestionably, there is going to be a period of waiting involved.
