We know,
You probably have a water heater in your RV and hope you’re always trying hard to keep the heater as clean as possible by maintaining a routine.
But have you ever followed a proper guide on how to clean RV water heater and apply it to your task?
If not, stick around!
Cleaning your RV water heater will not only help the heater work more efficiently but will greatly prolong the life of your heater, so just imagine how important cleaning the heater is!
In this widespread article, we’re going to cover a post on how you should clean and flush an RV water heater, the tools you should need to use during cleaning the heater, and more!
See also: How Does A Heat Pump Water Heater Work?
How To Clean Rv Water Heater?
Cleaning an RV water heater is not as complicated as your imagination and as we’re promising you with this entire guide, you can easily clean your heater following 10 easy steps!
One more important thing is that most RVs have two different kinds of hot water heaters, suburban and Atwood, so probably you’re using either an Atwood or a suburban water heater.
But in this post, we’re going to give you a guide on how to clean an Atwood heater instead of a suburban heater.
Before you go into the main guide of cleaning the heater, you’ll be required to use some tools. These are the necessary tools we’ll need for this cleaning project:
- White vinegar (Try to keep the amount of vinegar at least two gallons ).
- A pipe wrench (9/16).
- A pair of channel locks.
- A hose attachment flushing wand
- A roll of Teflon tape
- A funnel with an attached piece of hose
Well, assuming you have all the necessary tools and are ready to move on.
Step #1: The first thing you’ll need to do is turn off the water at the source and come to the heater and change the volume from normal to tank fill and again back to normal.
Note; It will help your heater to relieve the pressure off of the lines coach
Step #2: Make sure that there is no hot water remaining in the heater and the heater is also turned off.
Step #3: Now take the open end 9/16 wrench and loose and remove the plug to
drain the hot water heater. to make it drain faster, come up and lift up the pressure valve.
Step #4: Put the plug back in snug with the wrench.
Step #5: Take the pipe wrench and put it on the valve and Loosen it. You can also use the channel locks to complete the task for this part and remove it by hand.
Step #6: Now it’s time to take the hose and the funnel, stick that down in the valve, put in two or three gallons of white vinegar. Remove the tube and the funnel as well.
Note: you can soak the high-pressure valve in the white vinegar and clean it. It is also recommended to tape Teflon tape onto the valve to make sure the valve will not be coming back off.
Step #7: Screw the valve back and tighten it up with the help of your pipe wrench.
Step #8: Now turn on the water source and fill it up with water in the heater, at the same time, turn on the water heater and let the heat up and cook for the rest of the day. Tomorrow morning, you’ll have to pull the plug again and drain that out.
You’ll see the calcium and magnesium chips and then you’ll have to clean the line. So wait for the next morning.
Step #9: Next morning, turn off the waterline and come back to the valve, push the button normal to tank fill and again tank fill to normal after waiting a few seconds to release the pressure.
Step #10: Now remove the plug and drain the vinegar water that’s been sitting in there and the water will all come out once you remove the plug. You can also release some of that pressure by opening up the high-pressure valve.
Wait until the vinegar-mixed water comes out of the tank!
Step #11: Now that we have drained the water and need to flush out the water heater. Turn the water back on the source which will bring water trickling from the top that water comes in from the top of the heater.
Step #12: Take a wand and put it up in the waterline and try to move the stick back and forth. This way will be shooting water up into those cavities. Keep doing this and then turn the water off.
Step #13: Now the water heater has been flushed and cleaned. You can reapply new Teflon tape around your brass plug and reinstall the plug now.
Note: Don’t over tighten the brass plug, meaning, tighten it in such a way that it is less likely to be loose and does not leak.
Finally, close the cover and enjoy!
FAQ:
- How much vinegar do I need to clean my RV water heater?
Some people suggest using at least two gallons of white vinegar when cleaning the water heater, while some recommended three gallons. But you keep at least 2 -gallons that would be better.
- What kind of vinegar do you use to clean a water heater?
White vinegar is suitable for cleaning not for a water heater but a wide range of things because it comprises about10% of acetic and 90-95% of water which helps clean well.
- Do I need to flush my RV water heater?
Yes, you should flush your heater once a year because it will help your heater to get rid of all the built-up calcium and scale. not only that but it can also clean the heating ingredient to make the heater work better
Conclusion:
Although some tools are required to complete the process, it is assumed that cleaning the water heater in an RV is not a difficult job as there is no technical skill required.
So we hope you have got the answer to your question of how to clean an RV water heater. You can clean and flush your heater once a year or twice to keep the heater clean and organized.
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