How to descale a storage water heater or boiler

We wrote about how to install a storage water heater with our own hands. The duration of the normal operation of this important device for the electric heating of water depends a lot on the state of the heating elements, tubular electric heaters. Due to the hard water, scale builds up on these heaters over time..

The rate of scale formation depends on the quality of drinking water in your region – the harder it is, the more salts it contains, the faster the heating elements become unusable if you do not clean them. Experts advise cleaning the boiler heating elements from scale at least once a year, in regions with hard water – more often.

Signs of limescale in the water heater:

• Noise appears during boiler operation. Usually, this electrical equipment works almost silently, but scale can lead to unusual sounds, hum when the water is heated;
• The very process of heating the water to the set temperature begins to take longer. Electricity is consumed, but the heating elements, due to the layer of solid deposits, cannot normally heat the water;
• The boiler starts to turn off more often to prevent overheating.

Stages of descaling the boiler:

1. First of all, the electrical device is disconnected from the network. The safest thing is not just to remove the plug from the socket, but also to turn off the machine, disconnect the wires from the thermostat.
2. It is advisable to wait until the water in the tank cools down a little, so it will work safer.
3. The water supply valve to the boiler must be shut off to prevent the boiler from filling.
4. The water from the tank must be drained, following the instructions for the boiler or the scheme for supplying water through the boiler.

5. So, the boiler is empty, the water is discharged. Now you should get to the heating element. To do this, first of all, remove the decorative tank cover, it is usually fastened with several screws. You will need a screwdriver. Let’s clarify: for most standard vertical models of water heaters, you can remove the heating element directly on the wall without removing the boiler itself from the mounts. However, for example, if you have a flat model that is mounted horizontally, it will be inconvenient to work. In this case, after draining the water, it is advisable to remove the tank and move it to where it will be comfortable for you to work with it;
6. For some models, the thermostat is removed together with the heating element, for others it is pulled out of the case;
7. There are models in which the entire stand with the heating element is held by only one nut, so it will not be difficult to remove. Other models have more nuts – five or six, but in any case they must be unscrewed to get to the heating element.

8. The heating element pulled out of the water heating tank should be unscrewed from the cover on which it is installed for ease of operation. First of all, we rinse the heating element under cold water to wash off the top layer of scale, possibly rust;
9. The remaining plaque will have to be removed in a different way. The simplest chemical method is to soak the heating element in water with dissolved citric acid. Remember that it is citric acid that is recommended as a folk remedy for the prevention of limescale in the washing machine. She copes well with plaque. Dilute citric acid to clean the heating element with water in a proportion of 10 grams (one sachet) per liter of water. In this solution, the heating element is simply soaked for a while, periodically check its condition. To increase the effect, the citric acid solution should be heated;
10. It is not recommended to clean off the hard, petrified plaque from the heating element with a knife – there is a risk of damaging the top layer if you are too zealous. If you decide to use the mechanical method, you can take sandpaper, but you should also proceed carefully;
11. Instead of citric acid or vinegar, as folk remedies, heating elements can be cleaned with special chemical anti-scale agents;

12. The tank itself should also be rinsed. If you removed it from the wall, you will have to fill in the water and then pour it out by hand. If it still hangs in its place and it is convenient for you to work, then just turn on the water supply, but do not close the hole from where you pulled out the heating elements so that the dirt will immediately pour out. A rag should be walked along the walls of the tank to remove plaque. The walls of the boiler are enameled inside, there is no scale on them, but dirt may remain;
13. Abrasive substances should not be used when cleaning the tank, so as not to damage the walls;
14. After cleaning the heating element and the tank, you should assemble the boiler – everything happens in the reverse order. The main thing is to securely fasten the connecting screws and nuts, install the thermostat, use the pipe winding, connect the wires;
15. Then we start the water, fill the boiler and connect it to the network to check how it will work now.