The quality of your water is very important for how long your gas water heater lasts and how well it works. We’re going to talk about how different types of water, like hard water and soft water, can affect your water heater. The experts of gas heater service Canberra explains more.

How Hard and Soft Water Affect Regular Tank Water Heaters

Most homes use gas water heaters with a tank. These can be harmed by both hard and soft water.

Problems with Hard Water

The biggest problem with hard water in tank water heaters is that minerals can build up inside, forming scale. This is especially true with calcium because it likes to come out of the water and stick to things when the water gets hot. So, when you heat water in the tank, scale can form on the parts that heat the water, and stuff called sediment can settle at the bottom of the tank. This could possibly lead to heater repairs in Canberra.

• Less Efficient Heating: This scale and sediment act like a barrier between the heat from the burner and the water. This means it takes more energy to heat the water, so your water heater becomes less efficient. Studies show that you can lose about 3% of efficiency in just two years if you have hard water.
• Damage to the Water Heater: The scale can make the metal tank and its glass lining get too hot. This can damage them and even lead to rust on the metal. The sediment at the bottom can also make that part of the tank overheat, which can cause the water heater to break down sooner.

Problems with Soft Water

Soft water, especially water that has been softened with salt, can increase the chance of rust in your tank water heater.

• Faster Rusting: Soft water is better at helping electricity flow in the water, which speeds up the rusting process of the metal parts inside the water heater. A company called A.O. Smith says that artificially softened water can be very hard on water heaters because of the sodium.
• Wearing Out the Anode Rod: Soft water makes the anode rod rust much faster. This rod is a very important part that is made to rust first to protect the tank from rusting. If you don’t check this rod every year and replace it when it’s worn out, your tank can start rusting quickly, and your water heater might only last half as long.

How Hard and Soft Water Affect Tankless Water Heaters

Tankless water heaters are becoming more popular because they heat water as you need it, instead of storing hot water in a tank. They also have problems with water quality.

Problems with Hard Water

Tankless water heaters can get scale buildup very easily because they heat water very quickly in a small part called a heat exchanger.

• Less Efficient and Can Stop Working: A study by Battelle found that tankless water heaters can lose a lot of efficiency, going from 80% down to 72% in less than two years with hard water. The scale can also clog important sensors and other parts, which can make the water heater stop working. You will also need to clean the scale out (deliming) often. Talk to the experts if you need emergency hot water repair.

What About Soft Water?

Tankless water heaters are usually made with metals like copper and stainless steel that don’t rust as easily in soft water. They also don’t have an anode rod.

Even though these metals are better, we still need more research to know exactly how soft water affects tankless water heaters over a long time. We shouldn’t just assume they are safe from rust or leaking hot water repair in Canberra.

What You Can Do to Help Your Water Heater

No matter what kind of water you have, there are things you can do to make your gas water heater last longer and work better.

If You Have Hard Water:

• Clean Out the Scale Regularly: You need to remove the scale from both tank and tankless water heaters. You can use things like phosphoric acid or vinegar. If you have a tankless heater, you must follow the cleaning and heating repair Canberra schedule that the company who made it recommends.
• Drain Your Tank Once a Year: Emptying your tank once a year can help get rid of the sediment at the bottom and prevent overheating.
• Use Special Dip Tubes: Some tank water heaters have curved tubes that help stir up the water and reduce sediment buildup.
• Consider a Water Softener: If your water is very hard, you might need to get a water softener, especially for tankless water heaters. But for tank water heaters, be careful with salt-based softeners because they can cost more and might make the tank rust faster if you don’t take good care of the anode rod. Other types of water softeners haven’t always worked well.

If You Have Soft Water:

• Check and Replace the Anode Rod Every Year: If you have a tank water heater and soft water, you absolutely must check the anode rod every year and replace it if it’s getting worn out. You might even want to put in a second anode rod if your water is very corrosive.
• Use a Powered Anode: There’s a type of anode rod that works on electricity and doesn’t need as much maintenance.
• Tankless Heaters Use Rust-Resistant Materials: Tankless heaters are made with copper and stainless steel, which are better at resisting rust.
• Make Sure Everything is Grounded Properly: Making sure your hot and cold water pipes are correctly connected to the ground can help prevent rust caused by electricity in the water.

It’s important to know if you have hard or soft water and to take the right steps to protect your water heater. Talk to the heating and cooling services if you have questions.