Lime deposits are quite common in the Dumont, NJ area, and if you are a homeowner chances are you’ve had to deal with them in some form or another. They’re actually hard water deposits — water containing high amounts of minerals like calcium — and you’ve likely cleaned their crusty white build-up off of a faucet or shower head. It’s harmless enough if swallowed, though it does give drinking water an odd metallic smell, and cleaning it off of your fixtures can be a pain. When it gets into your water heater, though, it can become a real problem. You need ot watch for the signs of it and get it addressed as quickly as possible.
BUILD-UP
Water heaters need to be flushed out every now and again or else lime deposits and similar sediment will coalesce at the bottom of your tank. That’s problematic because it forms an insulating barrier between the burners and the water it needs to heat. It forces the water heater to use more fuel to do its job, and raises your monthly bills accordingly. Even worse, all that wasted heat is absorbed by the bottom of the tank, increasing the strain on it and shortening the time when fissures or other problems will appear.
HOW TO SPOT IT
Build-up and lime deposits in your tank can be detected by watching for unexpected rises in your monthly bill. A more reliable method, however, is to listen for odd noises such as bubbles and gurgles coming through your tank. That’s the sound of water passing through the sediment. It can be cleaned out by scheduling a maintenance session with your local plumber. When applied annually or semi-annually, such maintenance can prevent lime deposits from forming in the first place.
For high-quality water heater servicing, call BZ Dependable today!
