Water Softener For Dishwasher

[DIYorBust]

Descale a WH? Not sure. I added some phosphoric acid to try to delime some. But I have no measure of how successful that was. I did get some colors to rinse out.

I have wondered if you could put a pressure washer wand in thru an open nipple or full port valve into the bottom of the WH, and knock some stuff out mechanically.

Also, I think you could drain the WH into a tub continuously and recirculate, with a utility pump, a solution into the top-- possibly via the T&P valve hole.

I was thinking with the heating element at the bottom I could pour in vinegar or citric acid, I guess phosphoric acid would work better, but for things like removing mill scale, I usually go with vinegar overnight rather than handling a more powerful acid when I have the option. I'm skeptical it could dissolve a decade of lime scale though.

 

[Bannerman]

Softening the cold water supplied to the water heater, will gradually dissolve hardness scale buildup from within the WH, increasing hot water hardness somewhat until there is no scale remaining.

Oil fired WHs are typically configured similar to gas WHs with the burner located directly below the water tank. The bottom of the water tank then functions as a heat exchanger with a vent flue passing through the center of the tank to a chimney or exhaust vent connector at the top.

Hardness scale will accumulate mainly on the hottest components, including the tank bottom and around the flue pipe. The scale will act as an insulator, lowering heating efficiency and increasing the burner run time and fuel expense.