Water heater cleaning

During operation of the boiler, a scum layer forms on its walls, as well as on the heating element. The speed of its formation depends on the rigidity and degree of water purification in the water supply, but there is only one result - the boiler's performance begins to gradually decrease, the heating rate decreases, and sooner or later it fails. Also, signs that it is time to remove the scum are a change in the temperature of the heated water up or down, a clearly increased energy consumption of the device, hissing during heating, and also turning the heater on and off too often. . You will not shorten how to do this during the cleaning process, but to extend the life of the heater will be discussed in the article.

The first thing to do before the cleaning process is to remove water from the heater. In the case of a location above a sink or bathtub, it is most likely not necessary to additionally substitute basins and buckets under the boiler. On some models, the heater is screwed into the tank, which greatly facilitates the task. On other structures it will be necessary to give a few nuts to get to the heater. To drain the water from the heater, operate according to the following algorithm:

• remove power from the heater by removing the plug from the outlet or by disconnecting the machine that supplies it;
• block the influx of tap water to the boiler and the outflow of hot water from it, having previously completely drained hot water from the tap;
• put the hose on the fitting for draining the water and drain it;
• in the absence of a fitting, you can slowly bleed the contents through the safety valve, or unscrew it and quickly drain the water.

Cleaning instructions

The process itself consists of two stages - cleaning the heater and the tank itself. In order to clean the heating element, you must first try to clean it mechanically, using a knife, sandpaper with large grain, or gently tap with a small hammer. Then rinse the heater. If the mechanical method does not help, then you should soak the heater in 9% vinegar or in a strong solution of citric acid. If this also does not help, it's time to replace the heating element.

Depending on how much the scum has grown on the inner surface of the tank, it is either thoroughly wiped with a sponge for dishes, or they resort to the chemical cleaning method described above. The tank is filled with a solution of acetic or citric acid and left overnight, and in the morning it is washed, removing residues of scale with a sponge.

REFERENCE. You can also use special descaling preparations sold on the market - the effect is approximately the same.

Putting it back

Before assembling the boiler, make sure that the existing rubber gasket does not become worthless, that there are no breaks or cracks on the seal. For reliability during assembly, all rubber elements are recommended to be treated with silicone sealant. The assembly is carried out in the reverse order of disassembly. After the heater is installed in its place, the thermostat is connected, and the contacts are connected in the order in which they were connected. The boiler is hung back, the flow of hot and hot water is opened, and then the device is checked for leaks. If everything is normal, power is supplied.

Preventive cleaning is recommended at least once a year. If the signs listed above appear, such as a power overrun, long heating, frequent switching on, and so on, do not delay cleaning and wait for the device to fail. To simplify your work, you should adhere to such recommendations:

• take pictures or draw the location of electrical contacts so as not to confuse anything during assembly;
• to reduce scale formation, you can install a filter on the water supply;
• after disassembling the heater, it is recommended to conduct a visual inspection of the parts for malfunctions, and if necessary, replace;
• before applying power, wait until the tank is full;
• when using branded cleaning products, it is strongly recommended that you read the instructions for their use;
• After assembly, it is worth making sure that there is no leakage of water from the boiler, if necessary, eliminate the leak.