Do Tankless Hot Water Heaters Leak

Tankless water heaters have several advantages over traditional tank style water heaters.

Do tankless hot water heaters leak.

A corroded water heater almost always needs to be replaced. If the main burner is on and producing hot flue gases when cold water enters your water heater and its piping two things happen. Since tankless water heaters do not store hot water they can t explode in the same way that storage water heaters can. A tankless water heater can develop leaks inside the heat exchanger.

If venting is not working correctly it may occur condensation inside the water heater which leads to leakage problems. When humid air comes in contact with a cold surface droplets of water form in a process called condensation. When this happens the escaping water will put the system in danger of corrosion. A drip from above can easily leak down on top of the water heater and even work its way down the insulation and make it look like the leak is coming from the tank itself.

This can happen on the water heater itself associated pipes or any nearby appliance. They heat water on demand. Architects and engineers understand that when a tankless water heater reaches the end of its life it will likely leak just like a tank. If condensation is continuing it might fall the entire system.

As such water leakage is near impossible. A lot of moisture gets released in gas water heaters when natural gas or propane burns. Check the plumbing pipes above the water heater using a stepladder if necessary. In addition it could lead to a build up in pressure which could cause a fire or even an explosion.

The water droplets can begin to drip on to the floor and you my suspect the puddle to be a leak. Leaks can occur when a water heater is not maintained which can be costly and damaging to your home depending on where the water heater is located. Lack of adequate venting will cause water leakage and it is a well known culprit for tankless water heaters. The first place to check is the plumbing pipes above the water heater.

However after several years of usage it is possible that the piping and joints may start leaking. They save energy and save you money they provide unlimited hot water they re small and compact they never leak and don t contribute to harmful metals in your water. The water makes the tank s piping and heat transfer surfaces cooler and then that makes the hot flue gases condensate. Cold water travels through either an electric or gas heating element within the tankless water heater on its way to the tap and comes out hot and ready for use.

Best of all they last twice as long as tank style water heaters.