Cleaning the boiler yourself: advice of professionals

The boiler must be cleaned every few years. In the event that you intensively use the water heater, and the quality of water leaves much to be desired, you should wash the product more often. Of course, it's easier to turn to plumbers for help, but if you want to save money, you can clean yourself.

Why clean the boiler?

Regular maintenance of the boiler - a pledge of its long and high-quality work. In hard water, cleansers dissolve poorly, and it also has the property of forming scales that conduct heat poorly. The heater, located in the storage tank, eventually becomes covered with a thin layer of lime. It starts to work worse, electricity consumption increases. If this does not clean the element, scale will settle on its surface and penetrate into all available places. Such a plaque is not only difficult to remove - it seals the heater and leads to significant interruptions in operation. Heat transfer may not be at all.

The protection relay trips, the appliance switches off. The cases that have been triggered can end up in the fact that the boilers must be repaired. To prevent this from happening, it is necessary to conduct timely cleaning.

When should I clean?

The boiler must be cleaned approximately every two years. Start the process if you notice the following interruptions in work:

• The appliance has started heating water for too long or is often switched off;
• The boiler emits a loud hiss at work;
• From it pours a yellow liquid with the smell of hydrogen sulfide.

If you use a water heater at maximum temperatures, you will have to clean it more often (scale and build-up on the tank are formed more quickly). To prolong the life of the device, heat the water to 60-70 degrees Celsius.

Another practical advice - in order to reduce the number of breakdowns, do not buy water heaters with TENs made of black and galvanized metals. Such details are less resistant to rust and do poorly with heating water.

Give preference to magnetic thermostats.

Drain the water

Before cleaning the boiler, it is necessary to get rid of all the liquid inside it. In the event that the water heater is located directly above the bathroom, it is possible to put a large capacity under it and drain the water during the removal of the heater. Examine the boiler unit: if the electric heater is screwed into the tank - perform two procedures at the same time. If in order to remove the heater, it is necessary to unscrew a few nuts - it is better to drain the water in advance. With proper connection to the water pipe, there should be no problems with cleaning.

1. Be sure to unplug the appliance and close the common water tap.
2. Close the cold water, open the hot mixer on the nearest mixer and wait for it to drain.
3. Connect the tube to the drain connection, direct it into the sewer, open the tap and drain the water.

There is another option - if there are no taps and drainage pipes, empty the tank with a safety valve. Cleaning the boiler yourself with this method is a long process, so it is better to wait until the water cools. If there is no choke, disconnect the hot water pipe and replace the bucket. Gradually, unscrew the safety valve until liquid is spilled from it.

Preparation for cleaning

Cleaning the water heater is not a very difficult process, and it can be done on your own. After all the water has been drained, disassemble and remove the heater. To do this, remove the decorative cover (most often it is attached to the screws). In some boiler models, the parts we need are covered with a plastic panel. It stays on the locks - just ply the bar with a screwdriver.

Take a picture of the connection scheme to return everything back after the procedure. Disconnect the wires to open the thermostat. Pull it out.

Scum - the enemy of boilers number one. If you do not periodically clean the heater, it can permanently fail. Timely cleaning of the heating element will save you from unnecessary waste of money and significantly extend the life of the device. Carefully remove the heating element. Next to him you will see annon, which protects the interior of the tank from corrosion. See if he is intact. If not, replace the part with a new one.

Cleaning TEN

Clean the boiler should be done immediately - the wet scum is much easier to remove than hardened. The bulk will be located just at the TEN. There are several ways to clean the element.

1. Remove dirt manually. With a knife surface or a stiff brush, remove the upper thick layer of scale. Be careful not to damage the surface of the element with sharp and careless movements. After you can handle the heater with sandpaper - the cleaner it is, the better it will work.
2. In the store you can buy a huge amount of descaler. It is better to buy a cleaner for cleaning electric kettles - the principle of its operation is the same as that of a boiler. Take any enameled container, add liquid (read the proportions on the package beforehand). Leave it for a while.
3. Instead of ready funds, you can use the following. Fill a small container with a solution of citric or acetic acid. Place the item in the bottle and leave for a day. To increase the efficiency of cleaning, put a container with a TEN on a weak fire (30 minutes).

Cleaning the heating tank

Washing the boilers from the inside is as important as cleaning the heater. Substitute a bucket, open the cold water tap and wait for it to wash off the scum remnants from the water heater. For convenience, you can remove the device from the wall.

If the contamination is particularly severe, remove the scale by hand. Do not use abrasive or solid objects - this is not allowed for the enamel surface. Do not touch the magnesium rod, if anything happens to it, you will have to buy a new part. If scaling is not obtained, it is necessary to disassemble the device and clean it with chemical means.

After cleaning, assemble and connect the water heater. Remember: all parts must be dry.

Auxiliary means

Remove the copper heat exchanger from the indirect heating device is not so simple, and conventional large-capacity models can be disassembled and collected all day. In this case, the cleaning of the boiler by chemical means, without dismantling and removal of the apparatus, will help.

Visit the store and buy a tool designed specifically for such purposes. Alternatively, you can prepare a concentrated solution of citric acid (half a kilogram of acid per 2 liters of water). What exactly you pick, it does not matter.

To pour the preparation inside, through the hot water tap, empty the container by one-third. Connect the hose to the drain fitting and pour the solution through it, lifting the end of the pipe above the boiler. Leave for a few hours. After drain the solution and rinse the tank several times draining the water and pouring it again. Connect the device, heat the water and drain it again. The water heater is ready for operation.

Important Tips

Cleaning the boiler is a simple process, but it is better not to conduct the procedure alone - water heaters are very heavy.

• If you use chemicals, make sure that they do not come into contact with rubber seals - they can lose elasticity, so the boiler will flow.
• Check twice for each operation you performed. The water heater will not work after the assembly, if you do something wrong.
• Connect and disconnect the power only when the tank is full of water.
• When you have finished rinsing, pour the boiler with water and wait for a while. If the flange does not leak - excellent, you can use the device.
• If you use chemicals, always wear a glove and a face mask.

Now you know how to clean the boiler without calling the master. This is a fairly simple and relatively fast process that any host can handle. The main thing is to carry out this operation in a timely manner, so that the device will serve you for a long time. Remember: professional boiler repair is a costly process.