State Industries STC-080 manual Symptoms, Cause

RESIDENTIAL GAS, NON POWER VENTED, WATER HEATER

SERVICE HANDBOOK

TECHNICAL BULLETIN - 13

MINERAL BUILD-UP

SYMPTOMS	• Rumbling	• Crackling	• Popping
CAUSE	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.

Symptoms often include a popping of water trapped under lime deposits or the sizzling of water trapped next to elements, boiling it to steam.

THE FIX

Treatment of a “limed-up“ heater is relatively simple. Since CaCO3 is a base, the easiest way to dissolve it so it can be flushed from the heater is with an acid. The most commonly used is phosphoric acid at a food-grade level.

Two common treatments available from State are Mag-Erad® and Un-Lime®. Any well-stocked plumbing supply house should have a deliming solution available.

The directions on the product should be followed explicitly.

NOTES

For additional information and instructions in deliming water heaters and boilers, please refer to the following pamphlets available from State:

•Why? When & How: To Remove Water Scale from Tank Type Water Heaters

•The Mag-Erad® Method of Cleaning Gas Fired Water Heaters

•Up-N-Down™ Transfer Kit

•All About Deliming Coil Type Water Heaters

State Water Heater	26	Technical Training Department
© 2004		Ashland city, TN