|
DON TN
12-16-2004 14:16:02
|
|
Re: OT...Sediment build-up in hot water tank in reply to Steve/TN, 12-16-2004 12:43:43
|
|
|
As you have correctly stated, the problem is large amounts of calcium dissolved in your water, which is commonly referred to as hard water. What happens in a hot water heater is that the amount of dissolved calcium that water can hold actually decreases as the water is heated, forcing the calcium to precipitate, or come out of the water. While the calcium is dissolved in the water, it is normally in the form of calcium bicarbonate, which is readily dissolved into water. When the calcium precipitates, or comes out of the water, it normally does so in the form of calcium carbonate, which is a form that will not readily re-dissolve back into the water, thus resulting in the scale on the elements and the sludge in the bottom of the tank. A water softener that is properly sized and continually maintained will eliminate the scale and sludge problem, but it will not clean up what is already in your tank. Note that the softener will add sodium to the water that is treated. This is because the normal softener works by exchanging the calcium in the water for sodium (or potassium) that is in salt which you have to add to the softener to cause it to work.
My well water, in Southern-Middle Tennessee is very hard, 70 grains per gallon. When I used a softener, I would use a little over 2,000 pounds (one ton) of salt per year. That is not good for your health, the septic tank, or any streams that the waste water may get into. I now use a reverse osmosis system to treat my water and am much more satisfied. The initial cost is more, but in the long run it probably cost close to the same as a maintained softener.
In the meantime, as far as your hot water heater goes, drain and clean it out. Pull your element and clean it off too. Buy a metal ball valve that will fit in place of the existing �useless� valve that is at the bottom of your tank (usually � or � inch pipe thread). Also, get the suitable size pipe-thread-to-hose fitting for your new valve and install them in place of the existing valve. Get a large diameter garden hose that will reach from the tank to the outside, preferably without having to go any higher that the bottom of the tank. Once a month, connect the hose, run it outside, and rapidly open the ball valve wide open for 10 to 20 seconds. Close it and repeat again several times until there is no more debris coming out of your hose. Before I got my reverse osmosis system, I would flush my tank every month, which kept the tank bottom clean and stopped the elements from burning out every six months. If your water is not as hard as mine, you can probably get by with less frequent flushes
|
|
|
