Do High Hard Water Levels affect Tankless Water Heaters?
Brad Berdon • Feb 15, 2019

You may have noticed that the use of tankless water heaters has grown over the past years. Neighborhoods like Nocatee exclusively use these updated styled water heaters. However, hard water levels in Jacksonville FL municipal water are very high. Which can cause the risk of scaling inside these water heaters that causes damage. Therefore tank less water heaters would benefit from the use of a water softener system.

Accumulated Scale Inside Tankless Water Heaters

Hard water produces white scale deposits that form crusty white deposits in your home. Inside tank less water heaters this scaling builds up over time eventually shutting down the water heater.
Tank less water heaters have sensors that monitor the heat-exchange operation. It turns out that, scaling inside the heat exchanger will eventually lead to a fault code for over-temperature conditions.

 

1. Have the piping set up to facilitate chemical cleaning.

Request that the tankless water heater be installed in a way that allows for chemical cleaning. Chemicals can be used to flush out hard water scale deposits inside the water heaters heat exchanger. However, you will need to do this routinely to keep the water heater from failing.

2. Install pressure gauges before and after the tank less water heater.

Installing pressure gauges before and after the water heater will help monitor scale build up. You see, a pressure loss on the gauge after the water heater would demonstrate restriction. If your pressure is lower on the outlet side then your water heater is becoming overcome by scale deposits.

3. Install a water softener system ahead of the water heater.

Installing a water softener system in Jacksonville FL is the best option to protect your tankless water heater. Water softener systems remove the minerals that produce the white scale build up. In other words without these hardness minerals your tankless water heater and other appliances will be protected.

By Brad Berdon 13 Sep, 2023
If a water softener system stops using salt you will not get soft water. The most common reason a water softener stops using salt is due to the formation of a "Salt Bridge". A Salt Bridge is a clump of salt that has been fused together due to moisture that's spans entire diameter of the salt tank. This clumped salt resembles concrete and is very hard to break up. Consequently, the salt bridge prevents the salt on top from coming in contact with the water beneath it. That is why we call it a Salt Bridge. How is a Salt Bridge formed? A salt bridge is formed when the dry salt is exposed to moisture. Moisture causes the once granular salt crystal or pellet to merge into one giant clump of salt. By chance if it makes it from one side of the tank to the other side a bridge is formed. Once the bridge of salt is formed the salt level will no longer go down. At this point the salt bridge needs to be broken up. How to remove a salt bridge. I hope you ate your Wheaties because removing a salt bridge can be intense. Once the salt has fused together the consistency resembles concrete. So, breaking it up will take some effort. Method 1. The Rubber Mallet First. Use a rubber mallet and gently tap/hit the side of the salt tank all around it. Next, grab the rim of the salt tank and give it a good shake. Note, the salt tank is hundreds of pounds so shaking it may be difficult for some people. Method 2. The Broom Stick If Method 1 did not work it's time to move onto method 2. Brut force and a firm tool. By using a broom stick, a shovel, or an iron rod, you will attack the salt bridge until you succeed. Start by removing all the loose salt from the salt tank into a bucket or onto a drop cloth. Once you see the bridge start pounding trying to locate a weak area of the bridge. Keep working the weak area until you make it all the way through the bridge. It might be a few inches to a foot thick. Then keep working the salt bridge until the entire bridge breaks up and falls down inside the salt tank. Remember, the greater the obstacle the greater the glory when you overcome it. Method 3. The Water Method If you cannot physically break through the salt bridge then you may have to add water. To do this, use a hose to spray water into one dedicated spot while continuing to work the area with a broom stick. The salt bridge will quickly give way however your salt tank will have a lot of water left in it. Stop spraying water and thoroughly break up the remaining clumps of salt. From here, place the system into regeneration either immediate (right now) or delayed (tonight at 2am). Different models of water softeners will have different configured buttons and programming. You may have to consult your owners manual. Note, adding water is an effective way at breaking up a salt bridge but all the salt gets wet during the process. Wet salt will have the potential to bridge again. If you have to use the water method, break up the salt daily to avoid another salt bridge. How to Avoid a Salt Bridge Preventing a salt bridge in a water softener system in Jacksonville FL is easy. Either before you refill a low/empty salt tank, or if you are filing the tank for the first time simply place two pieces of scrap pipe in the shape of an X. As the salt level lowers it falls around the pipes and avoids bridging. This is our standard practice when installing our water softener systems in Jacksonville FL.
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