Anyone who has taken a shower in the dead of winter knows all too well that a water heater is essential in any home. However, silt in the water is just one of several factors that might damage your water heater.
It’s easy to blame anything besides your water supply when your water heater breaks out, yet sometimes that’s precisely the case. For instance, sediment might form in your water heater tank due to the presence of minerals and other particles in your water supply.
These substances can cause leaks, strange noises, and higher energy usage without proper removal halting the water heater’s expected lifespan.
Deal with any of these problems with your water heater should immediately. The repair or replacement costs will skyrocket otherwise, and the heater could cause severe injury or damage to your home.
This article will explain how to tell if your hot water heater is full of sediment, can damage or decrease the life of your water heater, and the methods available for permanently removing such contaminants.
If you take these precautions, your water heater should run more smoothly and last longer, ensuring that you only find yourself in a bind with hot water when needed most.
Where Does All That Sediment Come From, Anyway?
Sand, silt, clay, dirt, and other particles are all examples of sediment, rust, hard water minerals, and other dissolved or suspended materials. Erosion and the decay of plants and animals are the primary sources of these fragments.
These deposits can more easily enter your water supply and build up in your water heater because wind, water, and ice help move them to rivers, lakes, streams, and reservoirs that serve public and well water systems.
Sediment can accumulate in your water heater whether you get your water from the city or a private source. Despite filtering at the treatment plant, city water can gradually accumulate a thin layer of minerals and other deposits in the water mains over time.
Furthermore, sediment in the water might get to your home and water heater due to water main breaks and leaks in the public pipe network. If your home’s water supply comes from a well, sediment can enter your water heater just as quickly after traveling through the well system and pipes.
Many particles can enter a well’s water supply during the drilling procedure. There, they’ll settle on the bedrock floor until the well activates; at this point, they’ll agitate and get into your house.
Cracks in the well casing allow silt to leak into the water supply if your well system is damaged or is not maintained routinely. Furthermore, if the well screen breaks, dirt and other residues might be washed into the well system during a downpour or flood.
Sediment will likely leach into your water supply and wreak havoc on your water heater and other water-using appliances unless you have a device to restrict deposition from entering your water supply from these sources.
Warnings That Your Water Heater Has Sediment
Indicators of silt accumulation in your water heater include:
1. The Water Gets Warm but Never Hot
Is the water in your shower only lukewarm when the knob is set to the highest? Does it take a while for the tap to fill with hot water? Sediment could be to blame if you’re having any of these problems.
If your water heater does not produce enough hot water, sediment may have accumulated. The average capacity of a conventional water heater’s storage tank is between twenty and one hundred gallons. Minerals in the waterfall to the bottom of the water heater tank as the water heats.
Sediment settles to the bottom of the tank and acts as an insulator between the water and the heating element as it builds up over time. It causes the water in your showers and sinks to be more relaxed than usual and reduces the temperature of your tap water.
As silt accumulates, the tank’s heating element will have difficulty doing its job. The heater will leak or stop working at some point—a higher water cost from the leak or complete system failure.
2. Reduced Flow of Hot Water
You must finish the dishes immediately, but filling the sink or dishwasher takes forever. Compared to the pressure from the cold taps, only the hot water trickles.
If you notice a difference in water pressure in your shower or sink, it may be due to sediment buildup in the water heater tank. What you’ve read thus far about sediment in your hot water tank is correct.
This accumulation can cause hot water pressure issues in your home over time. If the pressure of your hot water seems unusually low, it could be due to sediment buildup.
3. Is the hot water cloudy, or Rusty
Sediment buildup in the water heater can cause murky water and a metallic aftertaste or odor. Not only can sediment cause water discoloration (cloudiness, orange/red tinge), but it can also corrode heater components.
The silt that builds up on the heating element of a water heater can lead to corrosion. Sediment buildup in the system reduces the heat transferred to the water and can erode the water heater’s inside.
The steel underneath might rust and degrade as the coating wears away. You may end up with rust particles in your shower, taps, and other water-using appliances because the water has carried them from the water heater tank.
4. Rumbling, Popping, or Hissing Sounds
Sediment buildup in water heater tanks is a common cause of noise from the appliance. Water heater noises like popping, cracking, hissing, or rumbling are attributed to a buildup of mineral deposits on the element’s surface.
When the heating element is on, the sediments at the bottom of the tank may catch fire, causing an eerie crackling sound. Additionally, when the heat turns on, air bubbles trapped behind the sediment layer in the water may begin to pop. Water under the heating components can produce a sizzling or hissing sound when it boils and turns to vapor.
5. Leaking or Faulty Pressure Relief Valve
Is there a leak in the T&P (temperature and pressure) relief valve on your water heater? When you check the valve, water may not come from the pipe. It may take more than just replacing the valve to fix the problem.
The element in a water heater may need to heat up more than usual if silt, salt, or corrosion has built up on it. When this occurs, the water inside the tank is subjected to pressure due to the tank’s expansion due to the heat.
The tank will rupture if the pressure within is too much. Furthermore, the tank may burst with excessive force.
Your water heater’s T&P relief valve prevents this problem by releasing some water to keep the pressure down. However, the valve’s failure to seal properly under the additional pressure is still possible. If that happens, the pressure inside the tank will continue rising until it explodes.
How to Remove the Accumulation of Debris
If you suspect sediment has built up in the tank, you should flush your water heater. At least once a year, you should rinse the tank to remove settled residue and get your water heater back to peak performance. You can prolong the life of the heater by using this system flush.
But suppose sediment is still present in the water source.
Will it not be an issue?
Installing a whole-house water system and sediment pre-filter can stop silt from clogging the heater before it starts.
Installing a whole-house water filter can effectively block toxic water contaminants from entering your home through the water supply. Chlorine, chloramines, lead, copper, and other metals are among the contaminants that are neutralized.
Since water is filtered at its source, whole-house systems save you the trouble of installing filters on your faucets. Everything that uses water, including the water heater, will be supplied with clean water.
But wait, there’s more! If your water contains sediment, you may protect your water heater, pipes, plumbing, health, and the rest of your home by installing a sediment pre-filter as part of your unique whole-house system.
How to Prevent Sediment Forming in Your Water Heater
Although knowing how to wash sediment from the water heater is helpful, prevention is always preferable. The good news is that you may get some great advice that will assist you in doing exactly that.
- Use a water softener. Hard water significantly increases the likelihood of sediment accumulation. If you soften your water, there won’t be as many minerals, and they’ll take longer to settle.
- Flush the water tank annually. You should still flush the tank even if you don’t think there’s enough sediment buildup for it to be necessary.
- Treat your water heater with an adequate cleaner after flushing. After you’ve flushed your water heater, please clean it well. Use this to keep your water heater in top shape and eliminate lingering sediment buildup.
- Check the condition of your plumbing regularly. Older copper or iron pipes can exacerbate minerals in the water supply. Changing to PVC pipes is a costly but effective way to keep your water from being more challenging than usual.
- Be on the lookout for any signs of sediment buildup. Preventing a condition from becoming severe makes treatment much more straightforward. The quicker you respond, the less complicated it will be.
