Is your Navien tankless water heater starting to act strange lately? Is it showing you weird numbers and you don’t know what it means? Well, don’t worry! You are not alone.
It is pretty normal to encounter problems with Navien Tankless Water Heater once in a while, just like every other water heater. But what’s great with Navien is that it makes sure an error code will be displayed on its LCD display whenever an issue arises. In this way, you will not be left puzzled and wondering what to do.
So for today’s article, let’s discuss about some of the most common problems you will encounter with Navien Tankless Water Heater and error codes you will find as well as an easy solution to solve this problem. Please keep on reading below.
Board Failure
One of the most common issues when it comes to Navien Tankless Water Heater involves the control board or the motherboard, sometimes it may even be both. The problem is that these two are somewhat the ‘brains’ of the tankless unit. Its main job is to receive and transport functions around.
This means that when one or both of them fail, there is a bigger problem with the boiler itself. And this is pretty common with Navien models released before the year 2011. You can easily spot the symptoms too. You will notice that your unit will repeatedly turn on and off.
You can simply fix this by unplugging the unit, wait for a little while and connect it again. If this will not fix the issue, the control board possibly needs a replacement. Keep in touch with your installer for assistance.
Flow Sensor Corrosion
The flow sensor is one of the most important parts of the heater. It works by sensing the incoming flow of water and then activating the unit. This is why the flow sensor corrosion has been one of the most frustrating issues with the earlier Navient Tankless Water Heater. Unfortunately, they were made using materials that were prone to corrosion.
Since the flow sensors of the water heater have prematurely corroded, the units tend to shut down. There has already been a build-up of corrosion inside and this triggers an impaired operation. What’s worse is that it can lead to other problems.
There’s only one easy and quick way to fix this, however, this will only be temporary. You will need to turn off the unit, find the flow sensor and pull it out gently and then blow on it. Return it into the unit and turn the power on.
Luckily, Navien has now fixed the issue. They have improved the material used for the flow sensor. Navien is now using stainless steel that is resistant to corrosion and rust. So if you have an older model, you might need to replace the part with a new one.
Cracking Heat Exchanger
Though this issue is not as common as the ones I’ve mentioned above, this is something you need to be aware of.
When the heat exchanging starts cracking, this means there is now a breach and harmful gasses might be exhausted straight to your home. Unfortunately, there is no quick way to fix this and an immediate replacement is needed. You will need to contact Navier as the heat exchanger should be under warranty.
Display of Error Codes
Navien will show you error codes that are handy enough to figure out the problem. Here are some of the most common ones.
Error Code E003
This means your tankless water heater is experiencing ignition failure. Check out if the main gas supply valve is open.
Error Code E004
This is code is for false flame detection, check out if the electrical cord is properly grounded.
Error Code E016
Your heat exchanger might be overheating. Turn off the water heater for at least 30 minutes and restart.
So there you have it, simple solutions to your simple Navien Tankless Water Heater problems. I hope this article has been helpful enough to complete simple fixes on your own, but if you encounter more complicated problems, I suggest you contact a professional plumber who is familiar with Navien models. You can also go directly to the manufacturer for support.