Do I need to install a water softener for my tankless unit?
No. It is not required to install a water softener. But to prevent very hard water from damaging the performance of your tankless heater add a water treatment system, which prevents scale from forming inside the heater’s copper piping, a whole-house water softener system, or do a routine flush maintenance. Have your installer test your water hardness or contact your city’s water department for the water test report. Water hardness levels in excess of 12 grains per gallon will significantly affect its performance and will void manufacturer warranty.
No. It is not required to install a water softener, but if you do live in an area that has very hard water it will eventually harm the performance of your tankless water heater. Some things you can do is to add a water treatment system such as our ScaleShield which prevents scale from forming inside the heater’s copper piping, a water softener system (non-reverse osmosis type), or do a routine flush maintenance (frequency depends on your water hardness level). The way you can tell if you have hard water is by either contacting your city’s water department for their water test report, testing your water by purchasing a water hardness kit (fairly inexpensive), or by looking at your water fixtures to see if you have mineral build-up.
