Descale/Delime??

George_5

My water heater is making a lot of hissing and whining (no popping). Would I shut off the gas and lines in and out of the tank, attach a hose to the bottom of the tank and run it out the door. Turn on the cold water supply and let it run through the tank until clear?

mixer440

Delime/Descale??

I've got a boiler that sounds like a tea kettle warming up with a lot of hissing and whining (no popping). I'm wondering about using a deliming or descaling solution isolated to just the boiler. Any opinions on the use or results of this procedure? Strength ? Recommendations on flushing the stuff and particles out afterward?

Weil McLain CG5 iron

Steamhead

First thing I'd do

is flush it out well. This sounds like what happens to many water heaters over the years- dirt builds up in them, and steam forms between the dirt and the metal. Many times this will solve the problem.

Also make sure the boiler is not over-fired, and the flame is not impinging on (touching) the boiler's metal.

The next step depends on whether the system is steam or hot water. But whatever you do, don't use any chemicals of any kind without checking with Weil-McLain first. This boiler probably has gaskets between the sections and the wrong chemicals can damage them.

To Learn More About This Contractor, Click Here to Visit Their Ad in "Find A Contractor"

hr

look for a cause also

generally a hot water system is sealed. Really should not be a way for the boiler to lime up UNLESS a small leak somewhere has caused it to continually take on fill water.

Usually the inital fill water will not lime up a boiler.

Determine what the deposit is. Dirt and sludge can be flushed or disolved with hydronic system cleaners (soap based products)

Hard water lime and calicum build up may take a stronger acid based cleaner. Hercules makes a few, approved for this and DHW descaling. Stewart-Hall (Rectorseal) has a good one with a neutralize kit to be used after the "bath"

Steamhead offer good advise, check with the manufacture. Also consider a pro if you go with acid flushes. It needs to be dealt with carefully, and completly flushed.

hot rod

To Learn More About This Contractor, Click Here to Visit Their Ad in "Find A Contractor"

Steamhead

Flush it out

thru the bottom drain, with the cold water supply turned on. Turn the gas control to "Pilot" so the main burner won't light, this will save some gas. Let it run until clear, then place it back into normal operation.

To Learn More About This Contractor, Click Here to Visit Their Ad in "Find A Contractor"

hr

How old is it??

Once you start to get big chunks of sediment in the bottom of tank type water heaters is is all but impossible to flush out through the drain. Usually all you end up doing is plugging the drain cock.

I have used a muck vac to clean them out. Time consuming, however, sometimes cheaper to replace the heater if it's over 6 years old. 5 year warranty tanks seem to last about 6 years, these days Sometimes the sediment is all that is keeping them from leaking

It all comes down to the type of water you have (grains of hardness) and how many gallons you run through 'er a month.

If your water is over 12 grains or so a water softner would help both the tanks efficiency and life. Also better for your plumbing fixtures, and soap useage. Consider sofetning just the supply to the HW tank.

Here's a couple excellent books on water heaters. No plumber should be without them. Check the Books & More section, at this site, for them.

hot rod

To Learn More About This Contractor, Click Here to Visit Their Ad in "Find A Contractor"