If you’ve ever wondered what’s inside a water heater, TikToker The Plumber’s Plunger (@theplumbersplunger) will oblige you. The influencer has posted several clips of him sawing open the appliances and showing what’s lurking on the inside.
In a recent video that’s accrued over 455,000 views, he opened up another heater that resulted in a lot of grossed-over folks on the app. However, his insight didn’t just make people want to barf. It also highlighted the importance of proper heater maintenance.
Slice and dice
“Let’s cut open another water heater tank and find out what’s on the inside,” he says before laying the tank on its side and slicing through in sections. “This water heater was on soft water, meaning that the customer had a water softener. So there shouldn’t be a lot of calcium buildup in here.”
He continues, “But it has never been flushed so we’ll see what we find. The anode rod had also never been replaced so we’ll be able to check that out and see what it looks like.”
He explains why he doesn’t cut the tank in half, like some of his viewers had suggested.
@theplumbersplunger Cutting open another water heater tank to find out what has built up on the inside. Remember, you should be having these tanks flushed once a year. #plumbing #unboxing #fyp ♬ original sound – The Plumbers Plunger
“That would probably work well on an electric water heater, but these gas water heaters do have a fluid that’s running through the middle of them,” he says. “So you’d also have to somehow cut that in half as well.”
What’s inside?
As he continues to work through cutting the water heater, he finally gets to the center. “So for these gas water heaters, I’m just gonna stick to cutting a square into them like this,” he shares. “And then peeling it open.”
Once it’s opened, he stands it upright and starts recording its interior. “A lot of the build-up stuck to the back of the tank when I laid it down,” he says, showing the substance. “You can also see that thin wire that used to be the anode rod.”
Then, while wearing gloves, he begins clearing out some of the gunk that’s collected on the bottom of the tank. “Let’s get a handful of it and squeeze it,” he says as he does so.
“I feel like these videos are similar to unboxing videos, cause you never know what you’re gonna find inside these tanks,” he says. “Remember that almost all water heater manufacturers recommend that you flush these tanks. At least once a year.”
So what about the tank’s condition? At the end of the clip, the Plumber gives his assessment. “This isn’t the worst tank that I’ve seen, but it’s still pretty nasty,” he concludes.
Why scale build-up is bad
There are several measures you can take to prevent scale build-up. First, why is it important? According to Water Technology Online, several long-term problems can accumulate. The first is reduced efficiency: the more build-up there is, the longer it can take to heat up your water. That means your heater will use more energy to get your water warm. If gone uncleaned/treated for a long time, your water heater can fail long before it’s supposed to. Why spend money on a new heater if you can have your current one for years, or, indefinitely with proper maintenance?
Furthermore, scale build-up might culminate in tank damage. It drops to the bottom of the tank, weighing down on it. Over time, this might harm the lower portion of your water heater, leading to corrosion and leakage. Clogged pipes are another problem—narrower pipes mean restricted water flow. This culminates in less hot water flowing per second and mitigated efficiency. Lastly, bacteria can grow inside a water heater due to scaling.
Avoiding scale build-up
According to the company Angel Water, performing regular water heater service can improve heater performance. This includes flushing your water heater once a year to remove calcium deposit build-up. Pick a date and stick to it annually. The company recommends the following steps, and all you need is a garden hose, and a container to drain it out into.
- Turn the heat valve all the way down so that it’s off.
- Shut off the water supply valve to relieve the pressure on the system.
- Connect a garden hose to the pressure relief valve at the bottom of the tank and put the other end of the hose in a bucket, floor drain or sump pump.
- Open the pressure relief valve and let the water drain.
- Remove the hose and close the pressure relief valve once the water heater is completely drained.
- Observe the water to see if it contains white flakes. The presence of white flakes is a sign of excess calcium build-up.
There’s also a descaling solution, which the business says you can purchase anywhere. However, the site also states that both vinegar and lye work well as low-cost and effective descaling compounds. The business recommends the following methodology: “Pour the descaling solution into your water heater and let it sit for a few hours (or however long the manufacturer recommends). Then flush your tank again before turning the water heater back on for reuse.”
TikTokers were shocked
TikTok viewers were stunned to learn about water heater scaling. One wrote, “Just now finding out that a water heater tank needs to be flushed.”
Another said, “I would’ve been very happy to never have learned this.”
Someone else joked, “Forbidden oatmeal.”
The Daily Dot has reached out to The Plumber’s Plunger via Instagram DM for further comment.
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