Do You Have A Tankless Water Heater? Do This Maintenance Item Now

Dustin Edwards • April 18, 2025

Tankless water heaters are one of the more convenient and cost-saving upgrades a landlord can do to their rental property, however, this is only the case if the tankless water heater is being maintained properly. One critical task that is often overlooked by landlords is flushing and descaling the heat exchanger. Understanding why this matters and how to manage it can help you protect your investment and avoid complaints from your tenant.

Below, we’ll go over why flushing your tankless water heater is important and what signs to look out for when inspecting your tankless water heater.


Importance of Flushing a Tankless Water Heater

Tankless water heaters are an intelligent investment, as they’re significantly smaller than traditional water heaters, energy efficient, and long-lasting when properly maintained. If not maintained properly, even the best units may quickly fail. Flushing and descaling your tankless water heater is essential preventative maintenance. Southern California is known for having hard water, which is water that contains elevated amounts of dissolved minerals like calcium or magnesium. Over time, these minerals build up within the heat exchanger, which leads to restricted water flow. This reduces heating efficiency and may even cause the system to overheat and shut down entirely.


By overlooking this maintenance, you can significantly reduce the lifespan of the unit, which can cost thousands in early replacements. Additionally, your tenants will likely complain about the inconsistency in water temperatures or the noise coming from the unit before major repairs are needed. It's important to know how hard the water in your rental property is, as this determines how often you should flush and descale your tankless water heater. Generally, it should be done once a year, though for homes with harder water, it should be done every six to nine months.


How It’s Done

If you’re an investor who prefers to do things themselves, the flushing process isn't too complicated. However, it does require specific tools, patience, and care. Flushing is typically done using a bucket, hoses, a submersible pump, and commercial descaling solution or vinegar. The bucket is filled with the solution, hoses are installed onto the cold water inlet and the hot water outlet. After circulating the cleaning solution for up to an hour, a clean-water rinse is necessary to remove any leftover residue.


For those DIY inclined landlords and onsite managers, a flush kit and a simple step-by-step guide make the maintenance easier. Although many landlords, especially those with growing portfolios, prefer to hand this job to professionals. As many landlords would rather invest their time in other projects, professionals can provide documentation and warranty on their work.


Signs of Neglect

Like most core system maintenance, descaling and flushing your tankless water heater shouldn't be left for the tenant to do, as they may ignore the signs or damage the water heater accidentally due to a lack of experience. When inspecting the property, pay attention to signs such as how fast water heats up, error codes on the unit, or fluctuations in water temperatures. Preventative maintenance on your tankless water heater doesn't just prevent breakdowns, it supports tenant satisfaction and reduces long-term operational costs.


As previously stated, Southern California is well known for having hard water, meaning this preventative maintenance can be the difference between frequent maintenance requests and reliable long-term performance.


Flushing and descaling your tankless water heater is the most important maintenance item you can do for it. While being a small effort, it can prevent major issues while keeping your tenants satisfied. If you’re having a hard time doing it yourself or you need help managing your Beach City rental property, we invite you to call us today at (562) 888-0247 or complete our Owner Application online.

Share this post

Beach Rentals Need These 3 Maintenance Items Before Summer Starts

By Dustin Edwards • May 30, 2025
Summer is a great time of year where people enjoy a number of outdoor activities. Though for landlords, summer brings with it a list of maintenance items and preventative care for their properties. Below, we’ve gathered three of the most important maintenance items to do before summer starts. Service your HVAC System Southern California summers are getting hotter and hotter, if you want to maintain tenant satisfaction you’ll need to have the HVAC or any A/C or cooling system properly serviced . Filters should be cleaned or replaced, and the ductwork should be inspected. For rentals with window units or mini-split systems should also be thoroughly inspected as well for optimal cooling. Doing proactive maintenance can reduce the risk of the cooling system breaking down during peak usage while also improving the system’s efficiency. This can lower utility costs for your tenants while extending the lifespan of your cooling system, saving you money in the long run. Additionally, consider inspecting your window and door seals for leaks. If the seals are broken, it allows hot air into the living space, this increases the cost associated with cooling while adding more load to the HVAC or cooling system. While not directly a part of the HVAC system, ensuring there aren’t any breaks in the seals helps extend the lifespan of your cooling system which is beneficial to your bottom line. Inspect your Roof The condition of a roof is oftentimes ignored since they tend to last over twenty years, and some property owners may not even be sure when the roof was last replaced . A poorly conditioned roof is one of the primary ways for a rental property to drive up the costs of repairs and tenant complaints. A damaged roof can inefficiently insulate a home, making it harder to keep it cool. It can also lead to water leaks during rainfall, which can lead to water damage, stains, and mold growth. While summers tend to be dry, the coastal cities such as Long Beach may see unexpected shifts in weather, which can bring sudden rainstorms or increased humidity. Fixing a small roof leak is relatively inexpensive, however, leaving said leak to grow can result in an emergency repair can cost thousands especially if a tenant has already moved in. A thorough roof inspection is a great maintenance item to do during a vacancy period especially as this can result in a positive experience with new tenants. This can lead to a long term stay with many lease renewals. Check for Signs of Pests Pest infestations are one of the fastest ways to ruin a tenant’s stay while also damaging a landlord’s reputation. Pests such as ants, cockroaches, other bugs, and rodents are common in many beach cities, especially during the warmer seasons. Being in a city, you’ll likely never truly be rid of pests, though, even a single complaint about an excess of bugs or rodent droppings can lead to bad reviews online, service calls, and in severe cases, lease termination. These pests not only create an unwelcome environment for your tenants, but they can also cause real damage to your investment property. Cockroaches are known to damage small wiring in appliances, ants can ruin food and get in everything, while rodents can chew through walls, plumbing, and even electrical wiring. Landlords should schedule regular ppest inspectionsto check for early signs of pest activity before the hotter season begins. Much like everything in this article, preventative maintenance is significantly cheaper than an emergency call, in this case to an exterminator. If you want to keep your tenants happy and your property well taken care of, preventative maintenance is a must. If you’re unsure about the signs to look for when doing routine inspections or you need help managing your Beach City rental property, we invite you to call us today at (562) 888-0247 or complete our Owner Application online .

What Is A Solar Battery and Does Your Rental Need One?

By Dustin Edwards • May 27, 2025
A Solar Battery is an important party of a solar panel system. However, is it valuable for a rental property? Read on to discover.

If You Have These 3 Things, Consider Putting Solar Panels

By Dustin Edwards • May 22, 2025
As California becomes more and more electric, the idea of installing solar panels becomes more enticing for many landlords. While the initial investment may be quite expensive, there are a few things to consider before making the decision. By keeping these factors in mind, you can greatly reduce the overall cost of installation as well as reduce your operational costs throughout the lifespan of the solar panels. Below, we’ve compiled three considerations you should keep in mind before making your decision to install solar panels on your rental property. Long Term Ownership For landlords whose plan is to own their rental property for a long period of time, a solar energy system can be a strategic investment with long-term benefits. The longer you own a solar panel system, the lower the operational costs can be for your rental property. Unlike a homeowner, who sees their return through their energy bill. A landlord sees their return through lower vacancy rates and higher lease renewals. The initial expense associated with installing solar panels can be offset over time through reduced energy costs, improved property efficiency, and adjusting your property’s rent accordingly. Tenants are quite receptive to features that lower recurring expenses, such as their electricity bill. With so many people working from home, a lower energy bill can result in an improvement in tenant satisfaction , as well as reduced vacancy and turnover rates. The use of solar panels fits well in a long-term investment strategy that focuses on keeping operational costs low and reliable while improving your rental property’s value . Stand Out From the Competition In a competitive rental market, such as in Long Beach, CA. Features such as solar panels can help your property stand out to prospective tenants. Features such as solar panels can increase a rental property’s attractiveness to many tenants, though, specifically environmentally conscious individuals and younger tenants tend to gravitate towards rentals with solar panels more. Properties that are energy efficient appeal to renters who prioritize lower utility bills and more sustainable living conditions. These features may influence a prospective tenant’s decision when choosing between rentals of similar characteristics and space. Additionally, tenants who are interested in sustainability often care for the rental and follow the rules better than others. They are also more likely to opt into lease renewals. This means that solar panels can improve your bottom line through a more consistent monthly rental income due to the reduced vacancy and turnover rates. Your Roof is in Good Shape It goes without saying that your roof needs to be in a structurally sound condition in order to install solar panels. In general, a roof is expected to have a lifespan of twenty to twenty-five years, If your roof still has over fifteen years of proper functionality, it's ideal for installing solar panels without requiring additional costs for repair. If your roof is in good condition and won't require repairs in the foreseeable future, you’re far less likely to face problems that would require you to remove the solar panels temporarily. This can be expensive, which is why it's important you don't properly inspect your roof before making the decision to install solar panels. Installing a solar system on your rental property offers measurable benefits to your bottom line in reducing your vacancies and turnover rates, as well as keeping your rental property competitive in the market. If you’re unsure if your roof is structurally sound to install solar panels or you need help managing your Beach City rental property, we invite you to call us today at (562) 888-0247 or complete our Owner Application online .
Show More