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Old 05-24-2022, 08:59 AM   #1
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Lots of calcium buildup in hot water heater

The last couple of trips we noticed that the water would slow or stop from some faucets. I took the aerator off, and they were clogged with the particulate that looked like calcium from hard water. After cleaning all the faucets, and draining the water tank, I thought, problem solved. Well the next trip same thing happened. So I took off the sacrificial anode from the water heater, and about 1 inch of calcium particulate in the bottom of the heater. I blew it out, and am hoping that will fix the issue.

What would cause such a large buildup after only 2 years of ownership/use?

And no, I wasn't thinking, and didn't use the hot water drain in the water bay, need to completely flush the entire system next time I have it. But the anode looks quite covered in the white calcium deposit, so probably will replace that as well.
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Old 05-24-2022, 10:09 AM   #2
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It sounds like par for the course for the relatively hard water found in many water taps. In South Bend, we have relatively soft water, but even still, the sacrificial anodes don't last too long.
I would recommend this flushing tool and a fresh Magnesium anode. Do not use an Aluminum anode, as it is not a safe metal to ingest.
I would also recommend using a water hose inline water filter and replacing it every three months, no matter how little you have used it during that period.
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Old 05-24-2022, 10:22 AM   #3
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Eagle5 View Post
It sounds like par for the course for the relatively hard water found in many water taps. In South Bend, we have relatively soft water, but even still, the sacrificial anodes don't last too long.
I would recommend this flushing tool and a fresh Magnesium anode. Do not use an Aluminum anode, as it is not a safe metal to ingest.
I would also recommend using a water hose inline water filter and replacing it every three months, no matter how little you have used it during that period.
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Thanks. We have a whole RV filter system installed by Winnebago. I don't think that it filters calcium however. I'll have to check the filter type that we use and see if we can get a better one for the housing.
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Old 05-24-2022, 12:00 PM   #4
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If you live in the cental part of the country, we are all setting on a great big former lake bed and limestone is under almost all of us, so calcium and magnesium are heavy loads in our water. Filters are not a big help for the part that is in the water, so when we heat that water, it winds up on the metal around it.
Water softeners are the common soution but not practical for RV. About the only real "cure" is rinsing the water heater tank more often.

Understanding the anode is meant to degrade as it is called a sacrificial anode may help as it is NOT meant as a cure for hard water but meant to save the tank from damage as the water is heated. It's meant to look bad and only needs changed when it gets down close to being so eaten up it may break off! It takes the beating instead of the tank metal.
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Old 06-01-2022, 04:23 PM   #5
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You need to get a water heater cleaning wand. Remove both drain and upper blowout valve. Spray inside until it comes out clean. Do annually
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Old 06-01-2022, 04:57 PM   #6
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Get a portable water softener that you connect up when you set up your water hook ups. We had an issue similar to yours and that solved the issue.
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Old 06-01-2022, 07:48 PM   #7
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What Eagle5 said above, and, fill your water heater with vinegar, let sit overnight, flush... This will rid additional calcium buildup and also get rid of any sulfur odor you may have in your water....
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