Loads of scale in Hot Water tank.

DutchmenSport wrote:

The danger of NOT draining the water heater and removing the lime build-up is because, if that lime builds up, and up, and up, and then it touches the electric heating element, it will burn out the heating element... even in your house.

The only difference in your house, the bottom (electric) heating element is usually 10-12 inches from the bottom of the tank. But it does happen that the lime builds up that high. Other than a leak, that is the reason why water heaters need to be replaced. Now if you have a gas water heater in your house, the burner has to transfer the heat through all that lime build up before the heat reaches the water.

That's why it's important to flush your house water heater once a year too, or at best, ever couple years. It helps flush out some of the build up, enabling your water heater to last longer. If you don't flush them out, the lime build up can add an extra 50 to 100 pounds of weight to the water heater. When trying to remove it for a new one, they are VERY heavy! (I know... been there ... done that!)

In an RV, the distance from the bottom of the tank to that heating element is not very far! Flush it out often! Once is builds up and sticks, it's near impossible to break free.

I'm not saying you are wrong but I don't understand how mineral deposits would burn out the heating element.

$7.95 at Walmart. It's a good tool!

There are two types of flushing; one is to take out the plug and let the heater drain. The better one is after the first one take something like a Tank Saver wand (CW used to have them) and really flush out the crud. Walmart has them by Camco called Tank Rinser

Mineral buildup can be prevented by using soft water from your sticks and bricks. I fill up before I leave for a trip, and seldom use hard water of any sort in my fresh system.

Lwiddis wrote:
"I dare you to look in the water heater at your house."

Shows my priorities, Beemer. RV is checked and double checked. The house...who cares?

The danger of NOT draining the water heater and removing the lime build-up is because, if that lime builds up, and up, and up, and then it touches the electric heating element, it will burn out the heating element... even in your house.

The only difference in your house, the bottom (electric) heating element is usually 10-12 inches from the bottom of the tank. But it does happen that the lime builds up that high. Other than a leak, that is the reason why water heaters need to be replaced. Now if you have a gas water heater in your house, the burner has to transfer the heat through all that lime build up before the heat reaches the water.

That's why it's important to flush your house water heater once a year too, or at best, ever couple years. It helps flush out some of the build up, enabling your water heater to last longer. If you don't flush them out, the lime build up can add an extra 50 to 100 pounds of weight to the water heater. When trying to remove it for a new one, they are VERY heavy! (I know... been there ... done that!)

In an RV, the distance from the bottom of the tank to that heating element is not very far! Flush it out often! Once is builds up and sticks, it's near impossible to break free.

"I dare you to look in the water heater at your house."

Shows my priorities, Beemer. RV is checked and double checked. The house...who cares?

Only issue you might have is at the faucets and shower head. Be prepared to clean them out a couple times. Not usually a bit issue but a nuisance.

The white scale is mineral deposits, flush, don't flush, the only real difference is the water might heat a little slower when full of scale. I dare you to look in the water heater at your house.

Scale is formed by the water, it has nothing to do with the tank. The previous owner did not tend to the tank. It's just that simple. Rinse it out and you're good. I would advise rinsing more than once a year though. I drain my tank after every campout, and flush the water heater when I wash the camper. I've just gotten into a habit of flushing the tank whenever the camper gets washed. Easy to remember to do it that way.

Lots of RVers don't flush out...nothing!