How to properly clean a heat exchanger from scale
If maintenance work is carried out in a timely manner, geysers can work for a long, long time. They are most necessary for heat exchangers (radiators) of columns, which require careful regular cleaning. Such prevention is very important when significant deviations from the norm are detected in the operation of the device.
Contents of the article:
preventative maintenance is performed more professionally by accredited technicians, but with detailed guidelines, even new graduates can do it. Below are instructions for cleaning the geyser heat exchanger yourself. By contacting the LenGaz company you can buy a heat exchanger for a geyser in St. Petersburg and do not resort to repairs.
Causes of contamination of geysers
A distinctive feature of water heaters is the electrical network, which consists of three systems: water, gas and electricity. And it’s usually impossible to tell if there’s a problem with the electrical system, so to speak.
As a rule, in the water coming from the central water supply, all types of salts, especially calcium and magnesium, are dissolved in decent quantities. When the water temperature exceeds 65°C, these elements begin to precipitate and form deposits called scale.
To reduce the effects of this phenomenon, hot water should be avoided. For showers and baths, 40°C is sufficient for washing dishes, and 45°C for some proprietary treatments.
During the process of heating water, soot and soot grow on the outer surface of the heat exchanger, blown out by a stream of gas heated by a gas burner mixed with soot from combustion products. They receive the following education.
- Insufficient air supply;
- Excessive burner flame;
- Insufficient amount of exhaust gases;
- Impurities in gases;
- Dirty condensation flowing from the chimney.
Signs and consequences of pollution
At the first suspicion that the coolant is excessively clogged with scale or soot, appropriate measures must be taken. The most important of them is cleaning the heat exchanger of the geyser from scale. But how do you know when to do this?
Signs of heat exchanger contamination
Serious blockages in radiators may be accompanied by the following symptoms:
- After starting the column, the burner runs too fast again;
- The saga began to pour out from under the protective casing;
- Insufficient water heating;
- Weak hot water pressure;
- Thermal protection trips too often.
Since the listed factors only indirectly signal the appearance of deposits in the heat exchanger, it is recommended to check the serviceability of other components before starting cleaning.
Therefore, the cause of insufficient water pressure may be a malfunction of the tap in the pipe near the entrance to the column. Insufficient water heating due to low gas pressure, which can cause rapid shutdown of the burner if a gas valve or regulator is used. The device is not working properly. To check the serviceability of this unit, you should use the factory instructions for checking the functionality of device components, find the necessary information on the Internet, or call a service center specialist.
It is easy to contaminate external radiators – just open its protective casing. A heat exchanger is classified as dirty if it is covered by a third or more of a black substance.
It is strongly recommended to inspect heat exchangers at least once a year on a regular and scheduled basis, and not based on the appearance of the listed symptoms.
Consequences of heat exchanger contamination
Excessive pollution will inevitably lead to the following consequences:
- Overheating of the heat exchanger elements, threatening their damage;
- Efficient use of electricity;
- Reduced hot water performance;
- Equipment shutdown and clogging of water conditioning units;
- The appearance of soot and a burning smell in the rooms of the house.
Large deposits can sooner or later lead to device failure. It can be minor and even very serious. Some even destroy the entire device. The presence of a protection system does not guarantee 100% safe operation of the geyser, and the gas is dangerous.
External cleaning of the heat exchanger
To better clean the radiator from contaminants, it must be removed from the column.
IMPORTANT! Before cleaning, it is necessary to close the gas and water supply valves.
The sequence of actions is as follows
- Shut off the gas and water supplies;
- Remove the protective cover;
- Open the hot water tap located closest to the column;
- Place a container for draining water under the radiator inlet;
- Disconnect the supply pipe from the heat exchanger and drain the water;
- Loosen and remove the union nut on the radiator.
Other parts or column elements that cannot be removed from the heat exchanger may require further disassembly. Their number and purpose will depend on the design of the device. All actions must be remembered, and their disabling must be carried out carefully and consistently.
Place the removed heat exchanger in a container and treat the radiator fin with carbon remover or other effective cleaning agent.
Cleaning is done using a brush and a foam sponge. After this, rinse with a strong stream of water. Of course, you can treat the radiator with a mini pressure washer, if you have one, or get one from somewhere for a while. This type of washing can very quickly and effectively destroy the carbon layer.
Cleaning the heat exchanger from scale
Here are some tips on how to descale a geyser heat exchanger yourself
First you need to prepare a cleaning solution. The simplest recipe:
- Use a commercial descaling product;
- Dissolve citric acid in water at the rate of 200 g per liter;
- Dissolve 9% vinegar in water in a ratio of 1:5.
In general, there are many options published on the Internet for other methods of flushing gas tower heat exchangers.
Pour a narrow stream of the prepared solution into the radiator, either from or through a can of water. Pour slowly to avoid causing a chemical reaction that could push the descaling agent out. The liquid must remain in the heat exchanger for at least two hours. For solutions of citric or acetic acid – at least 4 hours.
Finally, rinse with running water. To enhance the cleaning effect when flushing the radiator, lightly tap it with a rubber mallet. Flushing should be continued until clean water without foreign impurities comes out of the heat exchanger.
As a reagent, you can also use a commercially available liquid for cleaning gas boiler heat exchangers, which is very affordable.
IMPORTANT!!! You can find recommendations online for using hydrochloric acid for cleaning. This is a mistake. It cannot be used. This causes a chemical reaction that oxidizes the radiator metal and causes leaks.
High-quality cleaning of water heater radiators is ensured by a special device for washing heat exchangers of gas boilers called a booster, used in specialized service centers. This device ensures autonomous circulation of flushing fluid through radiators.
The operating principle is simple. The booster creates pressure and circulates the reagent in one direction. After some time, the device automatically switches to recirculation in the opposite direction. Thus, the internal cavity of the radiator can be as free as possible from scale. It is not advisable to buy such a device (it is very expensive), but you can make it yourself. There are instructions on the Internet.
When installing the heat exchanger in place, perform all assembly operations in the reverse order of disassembly.
In conclusion
Cleaning and flushing the heat exchanger is not particularly difficult. The main thing is to remember how to properly disassemble the device and reassemble it. On our website there are many recommendations on how to clean radiators without removing them from the column.
They can be used only if the contamination has not reached a critical level, and cleaning is carried out as planned according to an established schedule, but at least once a year.
