Water Heater Making Loud Noises or Not Getting Enough Hot Water?

Is your hot water heater making loud popping or banging noises?  Are you getting less hot water than you used to? If you answered yes to the above questions then it may be time to delime your water heater. Most manufacturers now require you to perform routine maintenance on your hot water heater in order to keep it running at its peak and extend the life expectancy of the heater.

Why do I need to delime my water heater? With the advent of high input and larger storage tanks in both commercial and residential heaters, deliming has become a necessity of modern maintenance. Lime (CaCO3), is the most notable factor when discussing water hardness. Lime is present in every water system to some degree across the entire United States. Since lime is inversely soluble [the more you heat, the more lime comes out], higher usage, excessive hardness, and increased heating surface can lead to a high incidence of “limed-up” heaters. Lime scale deposits lead to noisy operation because the material buildup, which is porous during formation, traps and prevents the rapid circulation of hot water over the bottom head of the heater. Normally, as the water is heated it moves away from the heat source by convection currents (gravity circulation). Water pockets form in the porous residue. The trapped water is heated above the boiling point of the water in the tank or, a drop in tank pressure occurs causing audible rumbling and cracking sounds.

When to Clean? If rumbling and crackling sounds are made by the water heater Symptoms often include a popping of water trapped under lime deposits or the sizzling of water trapped next to burner, boiling it to steam. The noises are actually a series of small steam explosions between the layers of scale. Or if there never seems to be enough hot water This condition occurs when layers of sediment (caused primarily by hard water) buildup on the tank bottom and heating surfaces, producing a heat-retarding scale.

How often should I delime my water heater? The frequency of deliming is prompted by: The amount of hot water used. How hot the water is heated. Liming can be reduced by adjusting the water heater thermostat to the lowest setting which will provide adequate hot water service. The rate of lime scale formation at 180°F water temperature is seven times greater than at 140°F. The hardness of water supply. About 85% of this country’s area is served with water containing concentrations of dissolved minerals sufficient to form lime scale. Mag-Erad dissolves lime scale (calcium and magnesium) which is the cause of most water hardness. Silicates, sulfates, and aluminates cannot be dissolved and must be removed manually by scraping.

How to Clean water heater? The easiest way to delime a residential gas water heater is to use Mag-Erad. It is a newly patented food grade compound designed to dissolve and remove the hard water sediment through the heater drain.

Where can I buy Mag-Erad? Mag-Erad is readily available to ship from SDS Supply. Shop for Mag Erad

Can I use Mag-Erad on an Electric Water Heater? No, Mag-Erad should only be used on gas water heaters.

Why was Mag-Erad developed? Mag-Erad was developed as an effective customer applied* method of cleaning gasfired water heater tanks that results in: RESTORED HOT WATER POWER by dissolving lime scale deposits that insulate heat exchange surfaces. QUIET OPERATION. Mag-Erad stops knocking and pounding that frightens users. SHORTER HEATING CYCLES because of improved heat transfer. LOWER WATER HEATING COSTS because burner operation is decreased. EXTENDED UNIT LIFE due to lower surface temperatures.

What is Mag-Erad? Mag-Erad is a gas water heater tank cleaning compound manufactured under U.S. Patent No. 3,296,143. Mag-Erad is a food grad citric acid material devoid of residual taste and odor. Additional ingredients include an inhibitor for protecting tank surfaces and a material which aids in holding the lime scale in the solution for draining though the tank opening. When used as directed, Mag-Erad will also dissolve the magnesium salts deposited by overactive anode rods where encountered. Mag-Erad’s concentrated power is released when heat from the main burner is applied to the water diluted mixture . . . literally cooking baked-on deposits into a liquid. Mag-Erad, is internally and externally non-toxic to the human system.

How do I use Mag-Erad? View instruction sheet (pdf)