08/13/2026
“They don’t make them like they used to.”
We hear this one a lot. But sometimes, the appliance isn’t the problem.
This tankless water heater had a clogged inlet water filter packed with debris. The restriction was cutting the water flow down so much that the heater couldn’t get the minimum GPM it needed to fire.
The customer joked that they don’t build appliances like they used to. 😄 The truth is, modern tankless water heaters are designed to be much more efficient, using tighter controls on water and gas consumption. That also means a restriction that might not have affected an older system can cause a modern tankless heater to shut down.
Regular maintenance matters—especially cleaning the inlet filter and checking for restrictions.
Sometimes the appliance isn't broken. It just needs to breathe. 🔧
FlowGeeks Plumbing — We Geek Out on Great Plumbing.