How to Eliminate Calcium Deposits in a Water Heater

Calcium deposits and other sediments, depending on the hardness of the water supply and other factors, precipitate out of hot water and collect at the bottom of a water heater or on electric heating elements. These sediments can cause a heater's bottom electric element to burn out, waste energy in gas heaters by acting as an insulator between the burner and the tank and can overheat and shorten the effective life of steel tanks. Calcium deposits can generally be removed from a tank by draining and flushing the tank.

Garden hose or bucket
Long, narrow brush, coiled wire or other suitable object

Instructions

- 1
  Turn off the source of power to the heater. For an electric heater, this may involve removing the fuse or turning off the circuit. For a gas-powered water heater, turn off the burner.
- 2
  Shut off the valve for the cold water source.
- 3
  Open all or several of the hot water faucets in fixtures attached to the heater.
- 4
  Attach a garden hose to the drain bib near the bottom of the tank or place a bucket under the drain. The hose should stretch to a drain below the level of the drain bib.
- 5
  Open the drain valve on the water heater. Shut it off and empty the bucket as needed. Return the bucket and continue draining the water heater tank until it is empty.
- 6
  Clean out any clogs, if the water refuses to drain or is draining slowly, by carefully probing the sediments built up around the drain with an object that fits through the drain hole like a narrow brush or piece of coiled wire.
- 7
  Restore the water flow to the tank. Let it flush through the heater until the draining water shows no discoloration or trace of sediment.
- 8
  Close the water heater's drain valve.
- 9
  Check to make sure that the cold water inflow valve is open and refill the tank. The open hot water faucets will produce water when the water heater is full.
- 10
  Shut off the hot water faucets. Restore power to the water heater.

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