Cleaning a household water heater

My SOL was having hot water problems. Plumber wanted $70 just to look at it. When we drained the tank and tried to remove the bottom element it made a terrible scraping sound. Turns out the bottom 8 inches of tank was full of calcium chips. I got the hot water heater vacuum attachment and used SOLs shop vac. We vacuumed out 5 gallons of chips. We also replaced the elements with the longer scale resistant variety. Seems to me the entire cost for 2 elements and the attachement was under $50.

Three years later the water heater is still going strong.

Email me if you want me to try and track down more info on the attachment.

HTH

Cliff (VA)

I use a cleaning method simular to jCarrol but remove the drain valve from the tank as the drain valve is the lowest point on the tank.

After the DV is removed, I use a 1/8" SS filler rod very gently, in and out motion, while the water is turned on. Be very careful on glass lined tanks as not to crack the glass as you use the rod. Repeat this motion until the water is running fairly clean of calcuim (white in color). This allows for alot of the calcuim deposts to be removed from the tank.

After cleaning with the rod, I reinstall the DV then add a cup of bleach to the tank, then fill the tank and water pipes with water until the faucets (all of them) smell of chorline then let this mix sit over night then drain the tank then run the faucets until no chorline smell. I keep the wife out of the room while running each faucet as then she can smell if chlorine is still present at the tap. Since I'm waiting for the line to clear, my smeller gets accustomed to the smell of high chlorine content and I can't tell when the tap runs totaly clear of chlorine.

This is also a good time to replace the T&P safety valve if it has been weeping.

I do not use a Aluminum anode rod in my HW tanks, nor cook with AL pans or drink water from AL, as AL is known to cause altimers(sp?) disease. If you clean the water system twice a year, once in the spring and fall, then you will always have good tasting water with no rotten egg smell.

T_Bone

I once flushed the sludgy, rusty deposit from the bottom of a water heater by emptying it, then running water into it and out a hose connected to the drain until it ran clear. I had the advantage of being able to do it in the back yard because I was moving the water heater, so I had the benefit of some mechanical action in addition to the force of the running water.

If you try flushing it out, be advised that water enters the appliance through a dip tube which extends to a short distance from the bottom of the tank. This will prevent all or most of any benefit from spraying action. If there are flexible leads at the top of the tank, you could remove the hot/out lead, remove the nipple, and spray in a directed stream with a nozzle. If I hadn't done a fair amount of work with water heaters, and someone suggested the process I've just described, I'd probably pass. But it's actually a simple procedure, and water heaters differ from most other plumbing in that they can be taken apart and put back together without new leaks appearing.

All the best, Stan

P.S. I was stationed at Ft. Bliss for a few months in 1969 and liked El Paso so much that for years afterwards I considered moving there.
When I got back for a visit in 1981, I didn't like it enough to want to live there.

With the lower element removed, attach a drain hose to the outlet fitting.

Turn on the water A LITTLE BIT

Run a wire coat hanger in the hole for the element, bent down, and stir up the stuff. Stop after you don't get any more stuff draining out

remove power or whatever heats the water, which in my case is hot water from the boiler

Isolate the unit from supplying water to your taps.

drain the unit then close drain

remove the P&T relief valve

refill the unit so water is covering the element and then dump in a quart of commercial ice maker cleaning solution or diluted phosphouric acid

reheat to normal temp and let sit for half an hour, although the pros have a portable pump to circulate the mixture which aids the cleaning.

Drain and flush twice and, close drain and reinstall the P&T valve

check the valve lineup
and return the HWT to service