Do-it-yourself cleaning of an indirect heating boiler from scale: complete instructions

A water heater must be installed in those houses where there is no central heating. It is responsible for supplying hot water. As a result of the constant interaction of bacteria and deposits in the liquid and high temperature, scale forms on the elements of the device. If you don’t clean it and don’t periodically do preventive maintenance, you can quickly lose your equipment.

When flushing an indirect heating boiler, such dirty slurry pours out

It is not necessary to contact a maintenance company to clean your boiler. By following the tips that will be presented below, you can cope with everything yourself.

Evaluation of indirect water heaters

In the modern world it is very difficult to do without hot water, so most people use boilers.
In stores you can find different types of water heating devices. They come in the following types:

• electric boilers;
• boilers; indirect water heaters;
• gas boilers;
• those that are heated by solar heat.

In this video you will learn how to make a boiler with your own hands:

To heat water in an indirect water heater, you do not need to use gas, electricity or solid fuel. The basis of the manufacture of a hand-made water heater is the use of thermal energy, which is produced by third-party sources. Due to transition heat transfer fluids, heat transport is necessary. Such substances can be antifreeze or water. By using a boiler, you can save a lot of energy resources.

Unfortunately, a water heater has a significant disadvantage: it is not possible to use it at the end of the heating season. Using a boiler during the hottest periods of the year only to obtain hot water is considered an economically unprofitable action. In this case, it is rational to make a combined water heater with your own hands, which, in addition to the heat exchanger, will also be equipped with a powerful heating component.

Completeness

In a dual-circuit system, everything is there.

As a rule, a double-circuit floor-standing gas heating boiler is already equipped with everything necessary: ​​a circulation pump, a safety valve, a membrane expansion tank and fittings. All that is needed to install such a mini-boiler room is to supply gas, water pipes and a pipe for removing combustion products.

In single-circuit - everything is separate.

Not only do you need to buy additional equipment, but you also need to install it in a boiler room, which requires a considerable area. Wall-mounted single-circuit boilers are more convenient in this sense - they already have some of the necessary components, all that remains is to connect a water heating boiler for the hot water system with protection elements.

Single-circuit.

You need space - both for the boiler itself and for the expansion tank, pump, safety valve. Considering not only the dimensions of the system, but also its unaesthetic appearance, it is better to place it away from the eyes. At the same time, the installation itself of both boilers will not be difficult for a good specialist.

Article Rating

How to descale heating elements in a boiler

In order to clean the heating element, you can call professional technicians. Most companies providing services of this kind offer a full package: installation, cleaning, repair.

Highly qualified specialists perform the work as carefully as possible and in the shortest possible time. The only negative is the high cost of services, so many people wonder how to clean the boiler from scale on their own.

Algorithm of actions:

• Disconnect power from the mains;
• Turn off the tap supplying cold water to the equipment;
• Drain the water.

To do this, you need to take a hose and attach it to the safety valve of the device. Place the hose into the toilet or bathtub and wait until the tank is completely empty.

The following steps are followed:

• Removing the decorative protective cover;
• Disconnecting the heating element fastenings;
• Removing the heating element.

The front panel can be easily removed with a screwdriver. Then you should disconnect the wiring and unplug the power cable. It is necessary to unscrew the screws securing the conductors (phase, neutral, grounding).

Next, the temperature relay and sensor are removed and the heating element is removed. All actions must be carried out as carefully as possible. You must first place a large basin under the water heater; residual water and sediment will fall out.

The devices of most water heaters are standard, but some manufacturers create original products, so before descaling the boiler you need to study the instructions, which describe the design of the equipment.

Assembly is carried out strictly in reverse order.

After removing the heating element, its condition should be assessed. In particularly advanced situations, the heating element is so damaged by scale that its further use is impossible. In this case, replacement with a new one is necessary.

Cleaning the heating element is done in two ways:

• Mechanical method;
• Use of chemicals.

Initially, scrape off the resulting upper wet layer with a metal brush. Next, create a solution of organic acid (citric or acetic) in a deep container at the rate of 1 glass of acetic essence (or 200 g of citric acid) per 1 liter of water.

The solution is heated and the heating element is lowered into it for a couple of hours.

Hard deposits will soften and can be easily removed using a regular sponge or rag. Rinse and let dry.

Details on how to clean a boiler at home:

What are the consequences of not having a safety valve?

won't work normally anymore

Also, in the absence of a valve, the water pressure of the water supply may drop sharply, this often happens at night when the cold water is turned off during repairs. Thus, draining water from the water heater can cause the heating element to burn out.

It is worth saying that a huge mistake in this situation is installing a check valve, because the water heater can break or fail at any time. And if the material from which it is made is not too strong, then when you normally open a water tap, the tank pressure will drop, the boiling point of water will be set at one hundred degrees, and this will provoke a flow of steam, which can lead not only to damage to the water heater tank, but and to the big bang.

Therefore, if you are going to install a safety valve, consider the following:

• when discharging residual water during heating, the parameters of its normal pressure zone should be maintained;
• try to prevent liquid from flowing back from the boiler;
• Be sure to smooth out water hammer and pressure surges in the water supply system.

How often should boilers be flushed?

Manufacturers always leave operating instructions in the instruction manual. In particular, there is always a point explaining all the nuances of cleaning procedures. The BKN must be cleaned on average once a year if there are no serious breakdowns that affect the proper operation of the equipment. There may be a stench reminiscent of rotten eggs when using warm or hot water. Also a sign may be a decrease in temperature for heating water and the appearance of rust. If you find any of these signs, then you urgently need to stop further operation of the equipment and carry out maintenance. The frequency of cleaning procedures is influenced by the following circumstances: Output quality.

When should you clean?

Before you start cleaning a water heating unit of any brand - Atlantic, Oasis or another - you should analyze the operation of the product, listen to the noise and check the quality of water heating.

The main “bells” signaling that it’s time to clean the product are the following factors:

• the water takes a very long time to heat up;
• its temperature changed - it became too hot, or vice versa;
• the amount of electricity consumed by the boiler has increased, and the meter began to rewind kilowatts many times faster after the device was started;
• overheating of the storage tank;
• in case of frequent switching on and off of the device;
• if you hear hissing from the boiler while heating the water.

How to clean a boiler with your own hands

You can descale the heater at home with your own hands or invite a service representative. The designs of different boiler models are different, but the technology has the same algorithm.

There are two common cleaning methods:

1. Chemical, not requiring disassembly of the device, using industrial liquid. Many craftsmen clean the boiler with their own hands, using homemade cleaning products with citric acid.
2. Mechanical method. Before cleaning the Ariston boiler at home using this method, you will need to disassemble it. Clean the heater and tank at the same time. This is a complex, labor-intensive method and is advisable to use if chemistry does not give the desired effect.

Before descaling the boiler, perform the following preparatory operations:

Turn off the voltage to the boiler and close the water supply tap. Remove the panel and power terminals. Disconnect the grounding and electrical wire. First, take a photo of the electrical circuit in order to assemble it correctly in the future. Before cleaning the Ariston water heater, drain the water, having previously prepared vessels and hoses to drain the water into the sewer system, with the least amount of spillage in the room. After the cranes empty the storage tank, disconnect the fastenings and dismantle it. If there is no drain valve, drainage is performed through a safety valve. Considering its small cross-section. The process will be lengthy. Before cleaning the heating element, unscrew the bolts and remove the flange with the heating element.

For wall-mounted models, the housing is removed from the mounts and carefully placed on a clean surface with the taps facing up. Loosen the clamping clamp and take out the electric heater.

Chemical method

This is the simplest method and can be done without disassembling the unit. Such preventative cleaning of the boiler prevents the deposition of difficult-to-remove scale. The method is based on the use of a descaling agent, for example, an aqueous solution of vinegar or citric acid.

Do-it-yourself cleaning of water heaters from odor inside

Many owners of water heaters notice over time that the heated water begins to smell terribly. This unbearable smell may have several reasons:

1. Dirty water is supplied to the boiler. If there are a lot of foreign impurities in the water, especially hydrogen sulfide, it emits an unpleasant odor.
2. There are specific bacteria and fungi in the tank. Such living creatures are born in the limescale deposits on the walls of the container. As long as there are not many microorganisms, the smell of the water does not change. But over time, their number increases, and the water begins to stink.
3. Cheap or damaged water supply. Low-quality tubular plastic transfers its chemical smell to water. And old metal water pipes are ideal for the life of bacteria and fungi.

Water with hydrogen sulfide is impossible to smell

There is a way to determine which of these cases occurs:

1. Run cold tap water for 5 minutes. Then place a clean bottle under the stream and close it after filling. After half an hour, you need to open the bottle and check the smell of the water. If it smells bad, there is a problem with the pipes or water.
2. If cold water from a bottle smells normal, you need to look for the reason in the boiler itself. To do this, you again need to fill the plastic container, but only from the hot tap closest to the water heater. We wait 30 minutes and smell. If you can’t breathe from the bottle, it means there are harmful microorganisms in the tank.

In order to eliminate the unpleasant odor due to bad water or rusty pipes, you can do the following:

1. Install a filter that removes bad-smelling gases from the water.
2. Complain to the SES about the poor quality of tap water.

In the first case, you don’t have to wait for someone to come and fix the problem. Therefore, if you can’t stand the smelly water, it’s easier and faster to install a filter.

Problems with microorganisms in the boiler are solved differently:

1. Sterilization of the tank. The water in the boiler is brought to a boil and remains in this state for a long time.
2. Removing scale from a water heater (see above). This will destroy the favorable environment for the proliferation of microbes and bacteria.

To prevent smelly water from coming out of the boiler again, you need to follow simple preventive measures:

Do not leave water in the water heater when it is not in use for a long time. Periodically descale the tank. It is advisable to install a filter

Pay attention to water quality. If necessary, contact the sanitary and epidemiological station

Expert advice

Sometimes the cause of the smell may be a poor-quality heating element or anode. If the smell or taste in the water reappears after cleaning, this may be the problem.

To avoid problems with scale, perform maintenance on your boiler once a year.

If you have dirty water from a water supply system, a well, or a borehole, place a filter in front of the boiler entrance and periodically change or clean it.

Do not heat the water below +55 degrees. At a lower temperature, microorganisms will multiply in it, especially the dangerous Legionella.

If your water heater tank is made of stainless steel, paint the welds with enamel. This is the weakest point of such boilers.

Install a back pressure valve. It will bleed water if the pressure in the system is too strong or a water hammer occurs. This way you will protect yourself from surprises.

Cleaning the boiler from scale

The cleaning process is not very difficult. Despite the fact that boilers from different manufacturers have their own design features. All devices of this type have the same cleaning procedure algorithm. To work, you will need a screwdriver, a wrench, a screwdriver and a special cleaning agent.

The whole process involves the following steps:

1. Disconnecting the device from the power supply.
2. Shutting off the cold water supply.
3. Removing the boiler cover and then disconnecting the wires.
4. Removing the thermostat.
5. Draining.

removing the boiler cover

In order to drain the water, a tube or thin hose of short length is used, which is installed at the collection outlet, not far from the place where the safety valve is located. In order for air to enter the check valve, you need to open any hot water tap. The water is drained through the tube into the sink or toilet. If the safety valve is damaged or does not function, its subsequent replacement is required. In this case, first turn off the cold water supply and disconnect the supply hose. After this, connect the tube to the ball valve. Then drain the water from the boiler. To unscrew the nuts holding the flange plate, you must first place a basin so that the remaining water does not spill out onto the floor. Then push the flange up. After which it is turned over and taken out. It is necessary to remember the original location of the flange so that during reassembly you do not put it “upside down” and do not confuse the location of the terminals.

removing the heating element

For cleaning, you can use vinegar and special cleaning fluids. By the way, you can even clean your washing machine with citric acid and vinegar - a kind of universal remedy, not a food additive. In this case, you need to act carefully so as not to scratch the surface of the heater. You should not chip away scale from the walls of the tank using a knife, scissors or other sharp objects, as this can damage the protective layer.

After the heating element has been disconnected, you need to clean the inside of the tank from accumulated dirt with a rag. If it is covered with enamel, then there may be little scale on the walls. It is better to remove scale from the bottom of the tank with your hands (you can wear rubber gloves). After removing dirt, the tank is washed with a stream of water and wiped dry.

The entire disassembly and cleaning process is presented below in the video:

Preparing and draining water

Before cleaning the device, it is necessary to drain all liquid from it in advance.
This is one of the most important rules that must be followed before carrying out the main work. First, turn off the electric heater from the network. Then you need cold water to flow, unscrew the tap. The warm valve must be left open, because the liquid needs to drain somewhere. You are lucky if the boiler is located under the bathtub; in this case, you don’t have to wait for the water to drain, but immediately begin removing the heating element. But if you are not satisfied with this option, then you need to connect the hose to the fitting, and then lower it into a tank, say, a sink. This option can significantly reduce the amount of splashes. But even if this option does not suit you, the last option is the safety valve. Draining water using this method is a rather tedious process, so we advise you to wait until the water cools down.

Of course, to carry out the cleansing you will need the following tools:

• wrench;
• screwdriver;
• sandpaper;
• Phillips and straight screwdrivers;
• special cleaning agent.

Once you are sure that there is no more liquid inside the boiler, it’s time to start disassembling it. First make a drawing or photographs of the boiler design diagram, because devices from different manufacturers have different assembly options. Let's begin.

Remove the decorative cover, the bolts securing it, and disconnect the fasteners. Usually the fasteners are held on by screws. Some models have a panel behind the cover that can be removed simply by prying it with a straight screwdriver.

When you get to the fasteners and contacts, the first thing to do is remove the temperature sensors. Unscrew the grounding. Next, unscrew all the bolts and wires holding the flange on which the heating element sits. We remove the thermal relay so that the wires do not interfere with the process of removing the electric heating element.

Boiler models differ from each other; in some heating elements it is enough to push the flange up, turn it, and start pulling it out. If you carried out the cleansing procedure not long ago, it will be easy to do, but if not, try to knock out the scale from the inside, over time you will be able to pull it out. If it doesn't work, read the instructions, you may need to do it a little differently.

Selecting a heating element

When replacing a heating element, the question may arise: “dry” or “wet”.

First, let's look at what they are.

• Wet - this is a regular heating element, which is found in many people; it is called wet because it is located directly in the water.
• Dry - an oblong version with ceramic inserts, inside there is a metal tube in which the so-called heating element is located.

Their difference is that a wet heating element has the same temperature as water, while for a dry heating element it is always higher, and accordingly, heating occurs faster. But the main difference is that a regular one always corrodes much faster, which means it needs to be cleaned often. And it also spends much more energy, unlike dry, which needs to be cleaned quite rarely, because it does not have direct contact with water. True, the dry option is expensive and does not fit all models, but the service life is up to 15 years. Buy to the best of your ability, both options have negative qualities, if you are ready for regular cleaning, buy wet, most importantly, carry out regular technical inspections.

Signs of scale in a water heater

• Noise appears during boiler operation. Typically, this electrical equipment operates almost silently, but scale can lead to unusual sounds and humming when heating water;
• The process of heating the water to the set temperature begins to take longer. Electricity is consumed, but the heating elements cannot heat the water properly due to the layer of solid deposits;
• The boiler begins 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 to do is not just unplug the plug from the socket, but also turn off the machine and disconnect the wires from the thermostat.
2. It is advisable to wait until the water in the tank cools down a little, it will be safer to work this way.
3. The water supply valve to the boiler should be turned off to prevent the boiler from filling.
4. The water from the tank must be drained, following the instructions for the boiler or the water supply diagram through the boiler.

1. So, the boiler is empty, the water has been drained. Now you need to get to the heating element. To do this, first of all, the decorative cover of the tank is removed; it is usually secured with several screws. You will need a screwdriver. Let us 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 its mounts. However, for example, if you have a flat model mounted horizontally, it will be inconvenient to work with. In this case, after draining the water, it is advisable to remove the tank and move it to a place where you will be comfortable working with it;
2. For some models, the thermostat is removed together with the heating element, for others it is pulled out of the housing;
3. There are models in which the entire stand with heating element is held on by just 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.

1. For ease of operation, the heating element removed from the water heating tank should be unscrewed from the lid on which it is installed. First of all, we wash the heating element under cold water to wash off the top layer of scale, possibly rust;
2. The remaining plaque will have to be removed differently. The simplest chemical method is to soak the heating element in water with dissolved citric acid. Remember that citric acid is recommended as a folk remedy for preventing the appearance of scale in a washing machine. She copes well with the raid. To clean the heating element, citric acid should be diluted with water in a proportion of 10 grams (one sachet) per liter of water. The heating element is simply soaked in this solution for a while; check its condition periodically. To increase the effect, the citric acid solution should be heated;
3. It is not recommended to clean hard, petrified deposits 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 a mechanical method, you can use sandpaper, but you should also act carefully;
4. Instead of citric acid or vinegar, as folk remedies, heating elements can be cleaned with special anti-scale chemicals;

1. The tank itself should also be washed. If you removed it from the wall, you will have to fill it in and then pour it out manually. If it still hangs in its place and it’s convenient for you to work, then simply turn on the water supply, but do not close the hole from where you pulled out the heating elements so that the dirt pours out immediately. You should walk along the walls of the tank with a rag to remove deposits. The inside walls of the boiler are enameled, there is no scale on them, but dirt may remain;
2. Abrasive substances should not be used when cleaning the tank so as not to damage the walls;
3. 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 tighten the connecting screws and nuts, install the thermostat, use a pipe wrap, connect the wires;
4. Then we turn on the water, fill the boiler and connect it to the network to check how it will now work. Published by econet.ru If you have any questions on this topic, ask them to the specialists and readers of our project here.

Cleaning the heating element and tank

All waste from flange and tank cleaning should be thrown into the trash or flushed down the toilet. Do not flush them down the sink because the drain pipes may become clogged. If you are rinsing the elements above the bathtub, you should place a protective mesh over the opening of the sink and, after draining the water, throw the pieces of scale into the trash.

First, the spiral is cleaned mechanically. After removing the heating element, you should rinse it and remove large pieces of scale from it using a knife or metal mesh (read this article in full for how to rinse an electric boiler). This is done carefully so as not to scratch the copper tubes.

The second and more reliable cleaning method is chemical. The spiral is placed in a solution of hot water with citric acid or vinegar. Dilute 50 grams of citric acid or 100 ml of vinegar per 2 liters of water. You can also use products sold in household chemical stores for this.

Cleaning is slow and gentle. If there is a lot of scale, it will dissolve within 24 hours. To speed up this process, you can pour the acidic solution into a metal ladle and place it together with the spiral on low heat. Then the reaction will take place many times faster. At the end, the spiral is washed.

First, large pieces of scale are pulled out of the tank by hand. Then you can connect the cold water supply pipe and turn it on slowly, after placing a bucket under the hole. Water will wash away accumulated dirt and salt. If necessary, the tank is removed and washed additionally - water is poured into it, and the tank is shaken manually.

How to choose an indirect heating boiler

Making the right choice of the appropriate indirect heating boiler model is a difficult task for a beginner. However, there is nothing overwhelming here, you just need to take into account a few important nuances:

When choosing an indirectly heated water heater for an apartment or private house, the first step is to determine the optimal volume of the storage tank. To ensure that there is enough hot water for all family members, it is calculated taking into account the approximate consumption of 100 liters per day by one person. An indirect water heating boiler is economically beneficial for a family of four or more people

With this number of people, the approximate DHW consumption is 1.5 l/min. Paying attention to the volume of the tank, take into account the heating time. A larger container will take longer to heat up. It may be worth giving preference to a model with two heat exchangers or a tank-in-tank system. The composition of the thermal insulation determines how long the water will remain hot after the boiler is turned off.

Cheap water heaters come with foam rubber. The porous material retains heat poorly and quickly decomposes. The optimal thermal insulation is mineral wool or polyethylene foam. To make the right choice, you need to compare the power of the indirect water heater and the heating boiler. If the latter is characterized by weak parameters, the boiler will become an unbearable load. When buying any model, be sure to pay attention to the presence of a thermostat, valve and other safety elements.

It may be worth giving preference to a model with two heat exchangers or a tank-in-tank system. The composition of the thermal insulation determines how long the water will remain hot after the boiler is turned off. Cheap water heaters come with foam rubber. The porous material retains heat poorly and quickly decomposes. The optimal thermal insulation is mineral wool or polyethylene foam. To make the right choice, you need to compare the power of the indirect water heater and the heating boiler

If the latter is characterized by weak parameters, the boiler will become an unbearable load. When buying any model, be sure to pay attention to the presence of a thermostat, valve and other safety elements.

When all the important nuances have been resolved, you can pay attention to the form, design, manufacturer and other details

Calculation of storage tank volume

To make an approximate calculation of the volume of the storage tank, you can use a simple reading of the water meter. When the same number of people constantly arrive in a house, the daily consumption will have the same data.

A more accurate calculation of volume is based on counting water points, taking into account their purpose and the number of living family members. In order not to go into complex formulas, hot water consumption is taken from the table.

Connection diagrams to the heating system

When choosing a connection diagram for an indirect boiler for heating water, take into account the location of the device in the house, as well as the wiring features of the heating system.

A simple and frequently used circuit is based on connecting an indirect device through a three-way valve. As a result, two heating circuits are formed: heating and hot water. After the boiler, a circulation pump is installed in front of the valve.

If the need for hot water is small, a system with two pumps is suitable. The indirect water heating device and the heating boiler form two parallel heating circuits. Each line has its own pump. The scheme is suitable for country houses where hot water is rarely used.

The connection diagram becomes more complicated if a “warm floor” system is installed in the house along with radiators. To distribute pressure along all lines, and together with the indirect boiler there will be three of them, a hydraulic distributor is installed. The unit normalizes water circulation through the “warm floor”, water heater and radiators. Without a distributor, the pumping equipment will fail.

Indirect water heating devices with recirculation have three pipes coming out of the body. Traditionally, two outputs are used to connect to the heating system. A looped circuit leads from the third branch pipe.

If the indirect water heating device does not have a third pipe, and recirculation needs to be done, then the return line circuit is connected to the cold water pipe and an additional recirculation pump is installed.

Recirculation allows you to get hot water at the outlet of the tap even before the liquid in the boiler storage tank is completely heated.

Principle of operation

Gas single-circuit boilers with an indirect boiler operate according to two main connection schemes. The principle of operation of the first is as follows:

1. The three-way valve dominates here. A pump is installed directly into the outlet of the gas boiler, which provides circulation and creates pressure. The next step is to install a three-way valve, which is connected to the boiler thermostat. When heating tap water or other coolant, its flow is directed to the heating system, with priority for the hot fluid entering the boiler coil. This happens with the help of an additional, second pump. And it turns out that in this case the hot water supply and the heating system are connected in parallel, and they can form two circuits, precisely in this closed chain. And after the boiler, an additional pump is installed, which helps regulate the operation of the thermostat. The principle of starting and stopping the process is also regulated by a thermostat, namely, when the heating is strong, the fuel supply is forced to shut off, when the coolant cools down, the fuel is passed through again, and the burner is automatically ignited.
2. If there is no double circuit and priority is not given to heating hot water, the boiler is mounted in a common system, installed in a convenient location, and water is heated along with all radiators.

You might be interested >> The operating principle of a floor-standing gas boiler

Details

Cleaning the heating element of a water heater from scale without disassembling

It is not always possible to disassemble a water heater in order to carry out deep mechanical cleaning. This process is labor-intensive and complex. To disassemble a large boiler, you need the help of one more person. As a preventive treatment or first aid, you can use special products that can dissolve scale and clean the heating element from contaminants.

How to remove scale from a water heater using professional products

Water that flows through a rusty water pipe should be used with products containing phosphoric acid. According to the recommendations of experts, it is better to use the following means:

— Aipakon;

— Cillit ZN/I;

— Thermagent Active;

— AlphaPhos.

REFERENCE! Equipment that has been in use for more than 2-3 years should not be cleaned with products based on other acids.

The insides of the boiler can be cleaned using surfactant-based products. The most effective are Alumtex and Steeltex.

Before using the products, you must carefully study the instructions for descaling the boiler. The manufacturer usually indicates the exposure time on the packaging.

Usually the solution still needs to be prepared, that is, the product must be mixed with water in the required proportions. Then you need to open the cold water supply to the water heater and drain hot water by 60-70 percent. By connecting the boiler back, you need to pour the prepared solution inside the tank. Then you need to leave the product for 5-6 hours and drain it through a running hot water tap.

Cleaning a water heater from scale at home using folk remedies

If you were unable to buy a specialized product for some reason, you can try using improvised means. You can descale heating elements using vinegar or citric acid.

To prepare an active solution, you need to dissolve 0.5 kg of citric acid in two liters of water. Empty the tank 1/3, and pour acid inside. The tank should be left in this state overnight. During this time, lime deposits and rust should dissolve.

REFERENCE! The inside of the boiler is protected by thin enamel, which can be easily damaged by aggressive chemical compounds.

Disassembling the boiler and cleaning the heating element

Experts advise completely disassembling small units to clean them of scale. In this way, you can return them to their original efficiency indicators.

To clean the water heater from a layer of scale, it must first be disconnected from the power supply and shut off the flow of cold water. Then you need to wait 2-3 hours so that the water temperature decreases and the person does not get burns. Then you need to open the hot water tap and empty the tank.

Then you should remove the scale as follows:

1. The hot water supply hose must be disconnected and the corresponding tap on the mixers must be opened to allow the residue to drain out.
2. Disconnect the power cable from the thermostat and heating element, working carefully.
3. Gradually unscrew the flange to which the heating elements fit and allow the remaining water to drain. After which it must be completely removed.

REFERENCE! Now is the time to take a photo of the internal connection of the boiler, so as not to get confused in its electrical circuit later.

The heating element that has been successfully removed must be descaled. This must be done with a sharp object. A knife, chisel or other object with an abrasive surface will do.

Be careful not to damage the tube.

The storage tank must be cleaned of mucus and other contaminants using a brush or plastic scraper. In this case, you should not put pressure on the housing or rub it hard, as this can lead to a leak or damage to the walls.

After the descaling work has been carried out, you need to reassemble the boiler in the reverse order of disassembling it.

Before installing the boiler in place, it is recommended to clean the rubber parts of the boiler and treat them with sealant. Using this technique, you can avoid water leakage during operation of the water heater and reduce the risk of scale formation.

After installing the heating element in place, you need to do the following:

1. Hang the boiler in place.
2. Connect it to the pipeline.
3. Open the cold water supply and turn on the hot water tap.
4. Wait until the boiler is filled with water and check the tank for integrity.
5. Reinstall the thermostat and connect the wires.
6. Reinstall the safety valve.
7. Plug in the boiler.

REFERENCE! If the boiler is regularly cleaned of rust and scale, then this process will not take much time, due to which the service life of the device will be extended.

What is meant by flushing heat exchange equipment?

Chemical in-place flushing of the boiler involves pouring a cleaning composition into it, which destroys accumulated deposits. The basis of the process is circulation. It is necessary not only for the effective removal of crushed deposits, but also for reducing the washing time.

If you simply pour the flushing liquid into the circuit and leave it for some time, it will quickly go from acidic pH to neutral, since chemical reactions will take place inside between it and the deposits. Because of this, only part of the contaminants will be removed and time will be lost for repeated refilling of the product.

By connecting a pump that provides circulation, the operator, who monitors the pH, can always add concentrate on time without temporary downtime. The cleaning solution continuously moves through the flushing circuit and enhances the effectiveness of deposit removal due to the hydraulic cleaning effect. Thus, when choosing the right product, it takes about 4-8 hours to wash industrial units.

Assembly technology

We will describe step by step how to make an indirect heating boiler with your own hands - the whole complex of work will consist of the sequential assembly of different parts of the structure.

Water heater tank

The volume of the container into which water will flow for subsequent heating depends on the needs of the homeowner: the standard consumption is up to 70 liters per household per day, so for a family of 4 people 200 liters will be enough.

The material of the tank should be selected from an aluminum alloy, as well as other non-ferrous metals that are not subject to corrosion, if finances allow - stainless steel. A good alternative is a gas cylinder, but the inner walls must be treated with a special primer, otherwise the hot water will have an unpleasant rotten smell.

You need to cut at least 5 holes in the tank body with your own hands: two on either side - they are intended for inserting a coil, at the bottom there are also 2 - for water supply and a drain tap, at the top there is only one - hot water extraction.

Making a coil

This element, made of a copper pipe of small diameter but thick-walled, can necessarily have different dimensions - it depends on the volume and height of the container. Experts say that for every 10 liters. water requires 1.5 kW of coil thermal power.

To save money from your home budget, you can use pipes made of a different material, but always with excellent heat transfer. During manufacturing, it is necessary to carefully monitor the formation of turns:

• they do not touch under any circumstances - there must be a gap between the turns;
• do not make excessive efforts - this will make it very difficult to remove the finished product from a special mandrel;
• the number of turns is strictly calculated and depends on the dimensions of the tank.

For the mandrel, use a pipe of the required diameter or a round wooden log without knots. After manufacturing, the spiral is carefully coated with a protective heat-resistant varnish.

We insulate the structure

The outside of the tank must be covered with thermal insulation to reduce losses and increase the efficiency of the product - this can be special foam for installation or other material with excellent thermal insulation properties, for example, polystyrene foam.

It is secured with wire, special ties or glued on. Craftsmen recommend strengthening sheets of foil on top of the insulation or using insulation with one foil side. Some craftsmen insert the boiler into a larger container for insulation, and fill the space between it and the inner walls with insulation of any kind.