tool to remove lime from water heater

[Geo-TH,In]

Has anyone used this tool? Opinion?
Google this on Amazon. Comes with a video.

Turbo Tank Cleaner - Water Heater Cleaning Tool, Improves Hot Water Supply, Removes Hard Water Sediment, Flushes Gas & Electric Tanks, Pro-Grade DIY...

 

[Tgrasher]

When I was on a hard water well and had an electric water heater, I had to clean it once a year. Made a scraper out of a aluminum 1/2" bar shaped like a short legged L and used it through the lower element hole to pull out the lime. Usually got over a gallon of white lime scale. Your tool looks to only shoot at the center and I can say from experience, there is as much or more at the sides. Reminds me of the turbo car wash wand, only as good as your water pressure.

 

[Dusty MI]

Is there any reason some places can't have a water softener? I like to have at least one cold faucet with cold hard water.

 

[DoubleO7]

Has anyone used this tool? Opinion?
Google this on Amazon. Comes with a video.View attachment 66585
Turbo Tank Cleaner - Water Heater Cleaning Tool, Improves Hot Water Supply, Removes Hard Water Sediment, Flushes Gas & Electric Tanks, Pro-Grade DIY...

So is it like a sewer snake that goes in and a crank on the outside to turn causing the end in the tank to flip flop around?

 

[Janicholson]

Has anyone used this tool? Opinion?
Google this on Amazon. Comes with a video.View attachment 66585
Turbo Tank Cleaner - Water Heater Cleaning Tool, Improves Hot Water Supply, Removes Hard Water Sediment, Flushes Gas & Electric Tanks, Pro-Grade DIY...

I have used a small sink snake to do it through the drain fitting threads. Into a often replaced pan it worked well enough to keep the heater operating. We are on Mississippi sourced water (and it tests very good) I will not tell you how old the heater is to avoid a jinx. I think it is good. Jim

 

[Frankmn]

Has anyone used this tool? Opinion?
Google this on Amazon. Comes with a video.View attachment 66585
Turbo Tank Cleaner - Water Heater Cleaning Tool, Improves Hot Water Supply, Removes Hard Water Sediment, Flushes Gas & Electric Tanks, Pro-Grade DIY...

Has anyone used this tool? Opinion?
Google this on Amazon. Comes with a video.View attachment 66585
Turbo Tank Cleaner - Water Heater Cleaning Tool, Improves Hot Water Supply, Removes Hard Water Sediment, Flushes Gas & Electric Tanks, Pro-Grade DIY...

I use a 3/4 inch copper pipe taped into a shop vac hose. Takes a while but you can dig around in there. 1 inch is better because the lime doesn't plug it as easily, but the tight fit limits the side movement in the element hole.

 

[Mule Meat]

So is it like a sewer snake that goes in and a crank on the outside to turn causing the end in the tank to flip flop around?

You shut off the power or burner to the heater. Drain the tank. Remove the drain plug. Screw in the tool. Shove the snake into the tank all the way. Attach a drill to the snake. Attach a drain hose to the tool. Open the water supply line about half way and then use the drill to slowly rotate the snake inside of the water heater. As the snake breaks up the calcium and lime. The water carries the gunk out through the drain hose. When the water runs clear. Shut off the supply. Reinstall the drain plug. Open the water supply. Fill the tank. Turn the power or burner back on... . And you are done.. Well not really. You still have a big mess to clean up.

 

[buickanddeere]

Never been a problem while using a water softener .

 

[BarnyardEngineering]

Is there any reason some places can't have a water softener? I like to have at least one cold faucet with cold hard water.

My parents purchased a very expensive water softener for the house, spending thousands of dollars they did not necessarily have. It lasted a few months, then stopped working. The company they bought it from wouldn't stand behind it. It was so long ago I don't remember the exact reason, but I think they came up with some lame excuse to void the warranty, like, hard water voids the warranty on the water softener.

Expecting similar treatment from other water softener manufacturers and not wanting to throw good money after bad, that was their one and only foray into water softeners. It's cheaper to replace things once they get too crudded up than fight with the crooked water softener companies.

 

[SARG]

Couple observations:
That do-dad would probably destroy the tank coating / inner liner in a hurry i.e. a very bad idea. ( JUST WATCHED THEIR VIDEO --- THAT'S A REALLY BAD IDEA )
The ½ inch factory drains will not pass sediment of any size .... much more effective to remove the bottom element and use a wet vac with flexible heater hose to clean out the sediment.
We replace the factory drain with a ¾ inch ball valve ....... primarily to reduce the drain time by 2/3rds.

 

[Geo-TH,In]

So is it like a sewer snake that goes in and a crank on the outside to turn causing the end in the tank to flip flop around?

007
I think you have a good idea.
I'll buy a new sewer snake, cut off about 1.5 ft and attach it to a drill.

 

[sotxbill]

Has anyone used this tool? Opinion?
Google this on Amazon. Comes with a video.View attachment 66585
Turbo Tank Cleaner - Water Heater Cleaning Tool, Improves Hot Water Supply, Removes Hard Water Sediment, Flushes Gas & Electric Tanks, Pro-Grade DIY...

Careful.... you will be breaking the glass lining on the tank and then you will be buying a new water heater very soon. Shooting lime rocks around the tank is NOT a good ideal.

 

[Mike(NEOhio)]

My parents purchased a very expensive water softener for the house, spending thousands of dollars they did not necessarily have. It lasted a few months, then stopped working. The company they bought it from wouldn't stand behind it. It was so long ago I don't remember the exact reason, but I think they came up with some lame excuse to void the warranty, like, hard water voids the warranty on the water softener.

Expecting similar treatment from other water softener manufacturers and not wanting to throw good money after bad, that was their one and only foray into water softeners. It's cheaper to replace things once they get too crudded up than fight with the crooked water softener companies.

I thought the whole point of a water softener was hard water.

 

[NoDakInMN]

I thought the whole point of a water softener was hard water.

You would be correct. Softeners reduce hardness and aid in iron removal. One bad experience with one company should not be reason to condemn them all as crooked. You also have to set up and maintain them properly, keep them full of salt and set appropriate regeneration times. Not to say this is the case here, but I have seen customers neglect to do basic maintenance and then try to blame the equipment/company when the unit fails to work. Often, I have seen customers neglect to change air filters only remove them when the furnace quits working and then don't replace them. Then complain because the neither the furnace or the AC will work because both are plugged solid with dust and lint.

 

[Russ from MN]

My parents purchased a very expensive water softener for the house, spending thousands of dollars they did not necessarily have. It lasted a few months, then stopped working. The company they bought it from wouldn't stand behind it. It was so long ago I don't remember the exact reason, but I think they came up with some lame excuse to void the warranty, like, hard water voids the warranty on the water softener.

Expecting similar treatment from other water softener manufacturers and not wanting to throw good money after bad, that was their one and only foray into water softeners. It's cheaper to replace things once they get too crudded up than fight with the crooked water softener companies.

We have had water softeners at every house we owned, for 47 years now, and have only had minor problems that I have fixed myself. And they were all inexpensive softeners <$400. Your parents must have had abnormally bad water or a very bad softener company, very unfortunate for them.