Q: I bought a home built in 2007 that already had a tankless water heater – the kind that is supposed to produce hot water instantly. But when you turn on the faucet, the hot water runs for five to 10 seconds, then the water gets cold, and then switches back. What’s wrong? Does my system need servicing of some kind? I do not have a water softener system, by the way.
A: Tankless systems can produce heated water quickly on demand. But this flash heating process has a tendency to produce mineral deposits that clog the internal equipment in the tankless system. This kind of damage can be particularly bad in Arizona where we have very hard water with lots of minerals in it. To prevent calcium buildup in your system, you must have a water softener. You will probably need to install one if you continue using a tankless system. You probably should call a plumber to look at your device to see if it’s operating properly.
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