“Is there a way to clean sediment from a water heater?” Is a question not enough of us are asking. We go about our day, fully expecting the water coming from our faucets and showers to be clean, and warm on demand. What would you do if your water was no longer either? Too many plumbing companies know that we will do just about anything to get our water warm again and they take advantage of that fact. They begin by offering to flush your water heater. During the flush they reveal that your tank is full of sediment buildup causing the water to be dirty and no longer heat efficiently. They then recommend every time that you replace your water heater! This step is not only expensive, but completely unnecessary! Taking the time to clean out the sediment from your water heater can produce the same lasting results at a much lower cost!
The Age Of Disposability For Water Heaters
Honestly, It shocked me to learn just how disposable water heaters have become. I’ve always thought of them as more of a fixture of the home than an appliance. But when we compare the life of a water heater to that of a simple faucet. The water heater’s expected lifespan hovers at 8 years. And yet the faucet’s average lifespan ranges anywhere from 15 to 20 years. That means that in most homes the kitchen faucet outlives the water heater by 2-3 TIMES ON AVERAGE.
Some of you may argue that the comparison of a water heater to a faucet is unfair in that the water heater is really another appliance like a fridge, not a fixture. So I decided to see how it would match up against the other most common appliances. As you can see, the water heater has the shortest life expectancy when lined up against refrigerators, dishwashers, washers, and dryers.
What Causes Such Premature Failure In Water Heaters?
The single most common cause of water heater failure is sediment buildup. As water flows through the pressurized tank the sediment carried with the water is deposited at the bottom of the tank. As the sediment builds up it’s insulative properties increase, preventing the burners or elements in your water heater from functioning as they should. Often sediment buildup can cause the lower element in electric water heaters to burn out completely, Drastically reducing it’s heating capacity.
How Can We Remove The Sediment?
The removal of the sediment in the bottom of the water heater has proven to be quite the challenging task. This is due to the fact that the system is pressurized and lacks easy access to the interior of the tank. All that has changed recently with the invention of a new tool however. This tool is known as the Turbo Tank Cleaner. It uses the power of a handheld drill to stir up, and flush out hardened sediment from your water heater. It uses the pressure in the tank to its advantage, cleaning out water heaters quickly and effectively. This tool has added years to the life expectancy of all water heaters it’s used on. We finally have a way to perform preventative maintenance on water heaters to keep them from failing prematurely.
The Turbo Tank Cleaner can currently be found on it’s own website, as well as available for sale on amazon!