You bought a tankless water heater specifically so that you could have hot water as long as you like. So, it’s very frustrating if the heater shuts off during your shower. What is going on when you heater gives up, and what can you do to fix the problem?
1. Overwhelmed Water Heater
The first thing you can do to fix this problem is to assess whether you have other fixtures or appliances running when the tankless water heater shuts off. While tankless water heaters can produce water for as long as you want, they can only produce a limited amount. If your heater was sized properly, it should be able to supply water to of your home’s fixtures at once. However, it probably won’t be enough to run them all.
Running particularly high-consuming appliances or fixtures, such as your washing machine or dishwasher, while you have a shower may be the problem.It may simply be that the water heater gets overwhelmed with demand and not that it turns off. All you need to do is turn an appliance or fixture off, and you should be able to have a shower uninterrupted.
2. Circuit Breaker
This is another potential problem with the water heater that you can fix by yourself. If the water heater is turned off, and won’t turn back on, then it is possible that the breaker supplying the heater with electricity has tripped. All you need to do is find the circuit breaker in the box and flip it back.
If this problem keeps reoccurring, then there may be too much demand on the circuit that your water heater is on. You may need your plumber’s help to resolve this problem.
3. Other Electrical Issues
Other electrical problems may also cause a tankless water heater to shut down. Disconnected wires, disconnected power supply, and a tripped reset button are all possibilities. You’ll need your plumber’s help to correct these problems for the long run.
4. Plumbing Issues
There are many plumbing problems that might interrupt your hot water heater too. For all of these problems, you will need a professional plumber to find and fix the issue:
- Mineral deposits: While the tankless water heater does not hold water itself, a build-up of mineral deposits in the pipe may interfere with the proper function of the tankless water heater.
- Gas supply: There may be a number of reasons that a gas tankless water heater is not getting enough gas to work properly. There may be a partially closed gas valve or a leak.
- Pressure problems: Using a shower head that isn’t a good pressure match for your tankless water heater can cause problems, including excluding the hot water that the tankless water heater is trying to run to the fixture.
5. Thermostat Issues
Your tankless water heater relies on a thermostat to gauge the heat of the water and add more. If the thermostat is broken, then the water heater may not add enough heat to the water. For this problem, you will need your plumber’s help.
The Best Way to Diagnose your Tankless Water Heater
It shouldn’t come as a huge surprise that the best way to diagnose a tankless water heater is to call a local plumber that you can trust. If you need help with water heater repairs in Manteca, Lathrop, or Mountain House, please consider giving us a chance to show you who we are, what we can do, and how we do it. Just call today to get started and get your shower repaired.
