De-scaling Ian’s water heater…

So the tankless water heater in Ian’s Cave went operational in late 2020 or early 2021, can’t remember which. Neighbor D, who’s been running one for a long time, said “You have to flush them with strong vinegar regularly or they’ll get clogged with crap and not work. I’ll show you how.” Then he started having all sorts of health problems and injuries and we never got around to having that meeting. I didn’t forget about it, exactly, but did what I always do when I’m supposed to do something I don’t know how to do – I procrastinated.

So years pass, right? And this is starting to prey on my mind. When – inevitably – something vital breaks in Ian’s complex and unbelievably expensive water system, leading to the loss of that wonderful shower, I really don’t want it to be my fault.

By coincidence, since this had been on my mind, I got an email from Big Brother saying, in effect, “Hey, you know that tankless water heater? You know you’re supposed to flush that from time to time, right?” And I metaphorically glared up at heaven and said, “Fine. I’ll get off my thumb.”

Turns out it’s really easy. The kit I bought for it would have been painfully expensive before I went on social security, but now it isn’t and it’s a one-time purchase.

A small amount of Youtube research showed me how it’s done, and I was happy to see that – to my surprise – the heater really does have the needed fittings. So this morning Tobie and I went to do the deed.

I hung around long enough to ensure that nothing would leak or fly around the room or burst into flame while the pump was running, and I intended to stay for the whole session. But Tobie has decided he really doesn’t like Ian’s Cave for some reason and becomes intrusively agitated when he sees me sitting down and making myself comfortable. So I took him home and came back a few minutes later, ensuring that – since the water heater had been in service for something like four years without flushing – it got the whole 45-minute treatment.

And to my surprise…

…nothing visible was flushed out of the heater. Wow. I mean I knew that little water softener is doing its job – if it weren’t, I’d need to clean or change the shower head several times annually. But I guess it’s really working.

So anyway, I have the kit and I’ll stock back up on strong cleaning vinegar, and flushing the water heater will henceforth become part of my annual Bidding Tearful Goodbye to the Shower for the Winter ritual.