How to Clean Lime Deposits in a Tankless Water Heater
As a tankless water heater is entirely self-contained, removing lime deposits requires a special procedure. You will need the correct hoses, connectors and support equipment. For those with do-it-yourself experience, the job is fairly straightforward. If you are a novice, though, you should seek professional help. Does this Spark an idea?
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Things You'll Need
- Pipe wrench 3 standard garden fitting water hoses Standard utility type water pump 2 gallons of vinegar 2 five-gallon buckets
Instructions
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1
Turn off all water valves to the unit.
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Set up the hoses. Disconnect the inlet water hose by using your wrench to turn the fitting counterclockwise. Attach one of your water hoses to the inlet, turning the wrench clockwise. Attach the other end of that hose to the outlet port of your pump. Disconnect the outlet hose on your water heater by turning the wrench counterclockwise. Connect one end of your second water hose to the outlet port and place the other end inside a bucket. Attach one end of your third hose to the inlet side of the pump and place the other end into the same bucket.
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3
Fill the second bucket with two gallons of vinegar. You should not dilute it.
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Turn on your pump. It will suck vinegar from the bucket and circulate it inside of the tankless water heater. The vinegar will then drain back into the bucket, from where it will be recirculated. Allow this circulation to go on for about 30 minutes. You'll notice that the vinegar becomes cloudier as more lime dissolves.
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Turn off the pump.
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Rinse out the tank. Remove the bucket of used vinegar and replace it with five gallons of clean water. Turn on the pump for another 30 minutes and let the water rinse out the inside of the heater.The old vinegar can be dumped down the drain. It's a natural acid and won't hurt the pipes or the environment.
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7
Turn off the pump.
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Reassemble your tankless water heater. Reattach all the original hoses and turn back on the valves.
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Run the hot water through the heater as a final rinse for about 15 minutes. Turn on the hot water in the shower or the sink to carry hot water through your system and push new hot water through the heater. Your system should be de-limed and working as well as when it was new.
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Tips & Warnings
You should not do this under drought conditions as you may be violating water ordinances.
