What is the white tube under my tankless water heater?
That white cylinder on the drain line under a high efficiency tankless water heater is a condensate neutralizer. The water dripping out of the heater is acidic, and this takes the bite out of it before it goes down your drain.
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From one of our jobs
A condensate neutralizer on the drain line
Right now: Look at the tube under the tankless. If the chips inside are mostly gone or it’s full of sludge, it’s due.
High efficiency heaters pull so much heat out of the exhaust that it condenses into water, and that water is acidic enough to eat at drains, cast iron pipe and concrete over time. The neutralizer is packed with stone chips that dissolve slowly and bring the water back to neutral.
The chips get used up. Once they’re gone, the tube is just a pipe. We look at it every time we descale a tankless, and refill or replace it when it’s spent.
Quick answers
What people ask about condensate neutralizers
What is a condensate neutralizer?
A tube of stone chips on the condensate drain of a high efficiency water heater, furnace or boiler. It neutralizes acidic water before it reaches your drain.
Why does a tankless water heater need a neutralizer?
The condensate it makes is acidic. Over the years it can eat through drain pipe, a cast iron stack or the concrete floor where it drains.
How often should a neutralizer be replaced?
Check it every year when the heater is descaled. Most need new media every year or two, sooner on a heater that runs a lot.
What happens if the neutralizer is clogged?
Condensate backs up into the heater, and it can shut down with an error code. A clogged drain is one of the reasons a tankless stops lighting.
Who services tankless water heaters in Northern Virginia?
Call SwiftPro at (703) 997-9757. Our plumbers descale, repair and install tankless water heaters, neutralizers included.
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SwiftPro Heating, Cooling & Plumbing
4230 Lafayette Center Dr N, Chantilly, VA 20151
44679 Endicott Dr, Suite 211, Ashburn, VA 20147
SwiftPro Plumber & Water Heaters
4200 Lafayette Center Dr, Suite N, Chantilly, VA 20151
Virginia Class A contractor license #2705192276