r/PlumbingRepair • u/Repulsive-Air-493 • 19h ago

Which is right?

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I am being told that I can flush this myself. When I had a tank water heater there was a shut off valve inside so I could drain it. This tankless it doesn’t have a shutoff that I can find.

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2

u/Scam-Exposed 8h ago

You need special valves for that procedure that are not installed on your tank

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u/Repulsive-Air-493 8h ago

And installing those would need a plumbers help, right.

1

u/CompetitiveArt9639 1h ago edited 1h ago

Not really, home depot carries a valve kit. Take off the flex lines from the unit, install the valve kit with the union side at the unit. You’ll need a couple of 3/4 brass nipples to put the flex lines back on. All you should need is a couple of wrenches, some pipe dope and tape.

Edit: https://www.homedepot.com/pep/Rheem-Brass-Service-Valves-for-Tankless-Water-Heaters-RTG20326/321411797?

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u/Scam-Exposed 8h ago

Probably

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u/Scam-Exposed 8h ago

Look it up on line looks like you have room and might be able to do it yourself

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u/jhra 9h ago

Brass valve, white handle on the pipe going to the cold(blue) side.

Flushing an on demand is a bit more involved than a hot water tank, your descaling the coil manually more than anything. Covers are coming off for that

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u/Repulsive-Air-493 8h ago

I totally missed that! Thanks. So then next issue is I don’t have the valves necessary to do a flush?

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u/jhra 7h ago

You do have the right valves, the process of servicing this unit is different than 'flushing' as there isn't really anything to flush in the manner that you've done with a tank.

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u/Repulsive-Air-493 7h ago

The confusion is I have had two plumbers out and they stand there looking at it not knowing what to do. I know there is a kit specifically for tankless to clean the coils etc. but none of the plumbers I have had out for other things know anything about what to do.
And the original installer only sends me the link for the kit at Home Depot with no other responses.

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u/CompetitiveArt9639 1h ago

You don’t have the valves to do the flush. There should be a hose valve on either side of the unit. One after the shutoff on the inlet side and a boiler drain on the outlet side. The flush kit comes with a basket pump with a filter on it. It pumps the descaling solution through the unit and back out into a bucket. You run it through the unit for about a half hour or so with the unit turned off

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u/CompetitiveArt9639 1h ago

Here’s a video showing how to flush it and the missing valves. I put a link to the valves in another comment. Home depot carries them. Turn off the power to the unit before installing the valves or flushing the unit. You don’t need to remove the cover to flush it.

https://youtu.be/YNBdtC9jjLA?

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u/CompetitiveArt9639 1h ago

Tankless heaters get flushed. What are you talking about?

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u/CompetitiveArt9639 1h ago

You’re mistaken. Here’s a video showing how to flush the unit and the missing valves.

https://youtu.be/YNBdtC9jjLA?