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Why Noritz Tankless Water Heaters Are a Game-Changer for Southern California Homes

Written by Kevin on . Posted in Noritz, Tankless. No Comments on Why Noritz Tankless Water Heaters Are a Game-Changer for Southern California Homes

If you’ve ever run out of hot water in the middle of a shower or noticed your energy bills creeping up, you’re not alone. Many Southern California homeowners struggle with traditional tank-style water heaters that can’t always keep up with daily household demands. This is where Noritz tankless water heaters have made a noticeable difference—but how do they actually work, and are they the right choice for your home? Let’s break it down.

What Is a Tankless Water Heater?

Unlike a conventional water heater that stores a set amount of hot water in a tank, a tankless water heater heats water on demand. When you turn on a faucet or start a shower, cold water flows through the unit, is heated instantly, and delivered directly to your tap.

Why it matters for homeowners:

  • You don’t run out of hot water during busy mornings or evening showers.

  • Energy is used only when water is needed, which can lower utility costs.

Benefits of Noritz Tankless Water Heaters for Southern California Homes

1. Endless Hot Water

One of the biggest frustrations with traditional tanks is running out of hot water during peak usage. With a tankless system, multiple showers, laundry loads, and dishwasher cycles can often run consecutively without interruption.

2. Energy Efficiency

Tankless water heaters heat water only when needed, rather than maintaining a full tank at a constant temperature. For Southern California homeowners, this can translate to noticeable savings on gas bills over time.

3. Space-Saving Design

Noritz tankless units are compact and wall-mounted, freeing up valuable space in closets, garages, or utility rooms—something many California homes can benefit from, especially those with limited storage.

4. Longevity and Reliability

Traditional water heaters usually last around 8-12 years, while tankless systems like Noritz can often last 15-25 years or more with proper maintenance. This longevity can make them a smart long-term investment for your home.

Things to Consider Before Switching

While Noritz tankless water heaters offer many advantages, they aren’t perfect for every home. Here are some important factors to weigh:

  • Initial Cost: Tankless units generally cost a bit more upfront than traditional tanks due to the retrofitting requirements. However, many homeowners find the energy savings and longer lifespan offset this over time.

  • Flow Rate Limits: Tankless water heaters heat water as it flows, so very high simultaneous demand may require multiple units or careful planning for larger households. We can help size the system properly to avoid this.

  • Maintenance: Regular maintenance, like descaling for hard water, helps preserve efficiency and performance. Southern California’s varying water quality makes this an important consideration and an additional annual expense.

 

Let’s Keep It Real…

Traditional tank water heaters work well and are relatively easy to maintain, but they’re limited by capacity, consume more energy, and usually need replacement within a decade.

Tankless units are more complex and require professional installation and annual service — but when properly installed and maintained, they outperform tanks in both efficiency and longevity, often lasting twice as long.

 

Call THE Experts Today! 

Noritz tankless water heaters can be a game-changer for Southern California homes, offering endless hot water, energy efficiency, and a compact design. But as with any home upgrade, it’s important to evaluate your household’s needs and budget.

At THE Water Heater Company, we help homeowners navigate these decisions with total transparency and expertise. We don’t push one solution over another; we educate and guide you so you can make the choice that fits your home best.

Ready to explore whether a Noritz tankless water heater is right for your home? Call THE Water Heater Company at 877-798-7487 for a professional evaluation today.

How to Care for and Troubleshoot Your Noritz Tankless Water Heater

Written by Kevin on . Posted in Water Heater, Noritz, Tankless, Troubleshooting. No Comments on How to Care for and Troubleshoot Your Noritz Tankless Water Heater

Noritz tankless water heaters present you with error codes when something is wrong, and knowing how to understand these error codes and troubleshoot them appropriately is truly vital. That’s what we’re going to cover for you today. We know how frustrating it can be when you’re faced with what seems like a random code that you’ve never seen before. But we’re about to clear things up for you.

We’ll first discuss how to take care of your Noritz tankless water heater and then move onto the common problems and the error codes attached to them. That way, you’ll know what the problem is and what to do about it next time your water heater displays an error code. Read on now to find out more.

How to Care for Your Noritz Tankless Water Heater

One thing you can and should do regularly to maintain your Noritz tankless water heater in the right way is to purge the port valves. You do this by attaching hose lines and opening the relevant purge port valves. As long as you prepare properly and have a safe discharge location, this should be an easy process and it’ll remove waste from the heater system.

You can also use undiluted white vinegar to clean out the water heater now that you’ve purged its lines. There’s a range of draining and flushing procedures recommended by the manufacturer so be sure to follow these when cleaning out the water heater. Whatever you do, don’t use harsh chemicals during the cleaning process because these will only cause damage.

When all that’s done, you’ll want to turn the water on again. This is something that you should do slowly in order to remove any trapped air from the system. Do it by finding the faucet furthest away from the heater and turning it on slowly because this will remove the air safely.

Noritz Tankless Water Heater Troubleshooting Guide

When you see an error code, it means there’s something wrong with your Noritz tankless water heater. Most of these problems can be fixed pretty easily with a basic set of tools, even if you’re no expert. Find out about some of the most common error codes and how to troubleshoot them below.

Error Code 05

This is an automatic service reminder telling you that your system is due to a service. When you see this, call a licensed technician and book a service.

Error Code 10

If the combustion continues or the power drops even after the unit has been turned off, you’ll see this error code. Look for foreign objects and materials like oil and grease on the burner that might still be burning.

Error Code 11

Error Code 11 signals a problem with the ignition. When there’s an ignition failure in your water heater, you should check the gas pressure and see if there’s anything obstructing the air supply. Any such obstructions should be removed.

Error Code 12

When the water isn’t being heated properly, it’s often because of a weak flame. Check the airflow is correct and make sure the flame sensor isn’t being covered by any debris. Cleaning it might fix the problem too.

Error Code 14

This error code means the thermal flame has failed for some reason. It might be necessary for you to replace the thermal flame. Flushing the heat exchanger and checking the water quality is important because this can cause it to clog up.

Error Code 16

This error code is telling you that the water temperature is too high. This is usually caused by scale buildup or hard water, so descaling the system is a good idea. The maintenance process described above can be used.

Error Code 20

This error code shows when the high limit switch has been activated. Checking the switch and replacing it if necessary is one thing you can do. If that’s not necessary, descaling the water heater might be the answer.

Error Code 29

When the water level in the neutralizer isn’t draining correctly, you’ll see Error Code 29. To overcome the problem, you’ll need to ensure the condensate drain line is correctly routed and no obstructions are causing problems.

Error Code 59

This error code means that there’s low gas BTU input and that combustion problem are being caused as a result. Ensure air is flowing to the combustion chamber and set the correct gas pressure to address the problem. Cleaning the fan and burner chamber might help too.

Be sure to follow the advice outlined above next time you have a problem with your Noritz tankless water heater. Just find the error code that’s being displayed and take the actions we’ve described here.

Noritz Tankless Water Heaters: Error Codes

Written by Kevin on . Posted in Tankless, Noritz, Water Heater. No Comments on Noritz Tankless Water Heaters: Error Codes

As a proud owner of a Noritz tankless water heater, you can enjoy endless hot water on demand, energy savings, and a compact design that takes up less space than traditional tank water heaters. However, like any other appliance, your tankless water heater may experience occasional malfunctions or error codes that require troubleshooting and repair. Knowing what these error codes mean and how to fix them can help you avoid costly repairs and extend the life of your water heater. In this article, we’ll cover the most common Noritz tankless water heater error codes and their meanings.

What Do Noritz Tankless Water Heater Error Codes Mean?

  • Noritz Error Code 10 –This error code indicates a flame failure or flame loss in the combustion chamber. Check the gas supply, igniter, and flame sensor for any issues, and clean or replace them as necessary.
  • Noritz Error Code 11 –This error code indicates an ignition failure, which can be caused by a malfunctioning igniter or gas valve. Check the igniter and gas valve and replace them as necessary.
  • Noritz Error Code 12 –This error code indicates a flame loss during operation, which can be caused by low gas pressure, insufficient combustion air, or a dirty or damaged flame sensor. Check the gas supply, combustion air supply, and flame sensor, and clean or replace them as
  • necessary.
  • Noritz Error Code 14 –This error code indicates a thermal fuse failure, which can be caused by a malfunctioning fuse or overheating in the heat exchanger. Check the fuse and heat exchanger and replace them as necessary.
  • Noritz Error Code 16 –This error code indicates overheat protection, which can be caused by low water flow, dirty or clogged filters, or a malfunctioning heat exchanger. Check the water flow rate, filters, and heat exchanger, and clean or replace them as necessary.
  • Noritz Error Code 21 –This error code indicates a gas inlet temperature sensor failure. Check the sensor and wiring connections and replace them as necessary.
  • Noritz Error Code 22 –This error code indicates an outlet temperature sensor failure. Check the sensor and wiring connections and replace them as necessary.
  • Noritz Error Code 29 –This error code indicates heat exchanger overheat protection, which can be caused by low water flow, dirty or clogged filters, or a malfunctioning heat exchanger. Check the water flow rate, filters, and heat exchanger, and clean or replace them as necessary.
  • Noritz Error Code 31 –This error code indicates an inlet thermistor failure. Check the thermistor and wiring connections and replace them as necessary.
  • Noritz Error Code 32 –This error code indicates an outlet thermistor failure. Check the thermistor and wiring connections and replace them as necessary.
  • Noritz Error Code 33 –This error code indicates a heat exchanger thermistor failure. Check the thermistor and wiring connections and replace them as necessary.
  • Noritz Error Code 51 –This error code indicates a fan motor failure. Check the motor and wiring connections and replace them as necessary.
  • Noritz Error Code 52 –This error code indicates an exhaust blockage. Check the exhaust venting and clean or remove any blockages.
  • Noritz Error Code 59 –This error code indicates overheating abnormality, which can be caused by low water flow, dirty or clogged filters, or a malfunctioning heat exchanger. Check the water flow rate, filters, and heat exchanger, and clean or replace them as necessary.
  • Noritz Error Code 90 –This error code indicates combustion abnormality, which can be caused by a malfunctioning gas valve, improper gas pressure setting, insufficient combustion air supply, or a dirty or damaged flame sensor. Check the gas supply, gas pressure, combustion air supply, and flame sensor, and clean or replace them as necessary.
  • Noritz Error Code 92 –This error code indicates a neutralizer abnormality, which can be caused by a clogged or damaged neutralizer or improper installation. Check the neutralizer and installation, and clean or replace it as necessary.
  • Noritz Error Code 99 –This error code indicates a communication error between the control board and other components. Check the wiring connections and replace any damaged components as necessary.
  • Noritz Error Code 108 –This error code indicates a flow sensor failure. Check the flow sensor and wiring connections and replace them as necessary.
  • Noritz Error Code 111 –This error code indicates a hot water outlet thermistor failure. Check the thermistor and wiring connections and replace them as necessary.
  • Noritz Error Code 112 –This error code indicates a cold water inlet thermistor failure. Check the thermistor and wiring connections and replace them as necessary.

Now that you know the Noritz tankless water heater error codes and their meanings, you can troubleshoot your unit; however, we highly recommend you contact a water heater specialist for assistance. Regular maintenance, such as descaling the heat exchanger, cleaning or replacing
filters, and inspecting components for wear and tear, can also help prevent error codes and prolong the lifespan of your water heater.

THE Water Heater Company is a small family-owned and operated business. We are Noritz Authorized Service Providers so if you are in our service area and need assistance with your tankless water heater, give us a call. We look forward to helping you with your water heater repair and maintenance needs.