Thread: Removal of water scale buildup from water heaters

Water heaters are prone to water scale buildup depending on the consistency of the water in your area.

There are two categories of buildup that affect water heaters:

1.Silt.
These are fine particles of soil or sand that are deposited in or suspended in the water.

2.Water Scale
Lime scale / Hard Water. Consists of Magnesium Carbonate and Calcium
Other Scale Particles. These are other elements such as Silicates, Sulphates and Aluminates


Silt can be removed by flushing the water heater. Ideally this should be done by a professional, but some there is some DIY info out there should you want to do this yourself.

How to Flush a Water Heater - wikiHow

Water Limescale buildup can be removed using a professional deliming kit. This site provides a very good walk through on the process

Water heater noise diagnosis: De-Scaling Water Heater Procedure: Guide to Hot Water Heater Noise Diagnosis, & Water Heater Tank Scale Removal

Other Scale Particles can be removed by scrapping the buildup off the water heater

Some signs you may have buildup issues in your water heater are;
1. Extended heating cycles
2. Higher utility bills
3. Not enough hot water
4. Water heater failure
5. Noisy operation. Gas water heaters are known to make pounding and rumbling sounds as water scale builds up.

You can extend the life of your water heater by draining it annually or semi annually depending on the water in your area. This simple maintenance step can keep your water heater operating sediment free.

Here is a good walk through of the process

How To Drain a Water Heater : How-To : DIY Network

There is also a good youtube video on how to drain a water heater.