How to clean Ariston water heater by yourself en

To clean the boiler, you need to get rid of the water inside. This can be done in many ways, depending on the design of the unit.

Sooner or later, any owner of water heating equipment faces the need for its cleaning. This rule doesn’t exclude Ariston boilers. However, it must be said that, all else being equal, the Ariston water heater will require cleaning after a longer period than equipment from less reliable manufacturers. You can buy Ariston equipment in the Vencon online store, where all popular models of this brand are represented.

Why is cleaning the Ariston water heater necessary?

Of course, cleaning is necessary not only for boilers from this manufacturer — absolutely any water heaters need it. During boiler use, a lot of water passes through it from the water supply. On its way through the pipes, it dissolves a large amount of salts and minerals, bringing them into the unit. They slowly accumulate on the walls of the boiler and on the heating element — the heater. When there is a lot of scale, it begins to act as a heat insulator, reducing the performance of the boiler.

How to drain the water correctly?

To clean the water heater, you will need to use the following tools:

• screwdriver;
• adjustable wrench;
• container for collecting liquid or a tube for draining it into the sewage;
• cleaning agent (home or specialized solution);
• unwanted rags.

If you follow all the recommendations, the cleaning will take very little time, and the risk of damaging the boiler will be minimal. There are several draining options that differ depending on the design of the water heater.

Liquid drainage through the cold water inlet

Sequence of actions:

1. shut off the water supply risers;
2. open the “red” tap — a little water will come out;
3. remove the inlet hose from the valve, and then remove the valve itself, placing a bucket to collect the water.

If you gradually fill the tank with air, you can drain all the water in a quarter of an hour. In cases where the tap is far from the boiler, the scheme may not work, as the air pressure may not be enough.

Using a boiler tee

Many Ariston models have a tee mounted between the non-return valve and the body. This allows you to quickly drain water:

• shut off the water supply risers;
• connect a tube to the tee to drain water;
• open the tap on the tee;
• open the “hot tap” to allow air to enter the tank, replacing the liquid.

Unscrewing hoses 

In case of a large distance between the water intake point and the boiler, there is a problem with starting air into the tank. First, you will need to disconnect the hot water outlet and then, by installing a plug or closing the hole with something, remove the supplying pipe.

By slightly opening and closing the water outlet hole, you will be able to control the speed of water draining from the tank. This is very convenient, as the tank can empty very quickly, splashing water all around. Take care of surrounding items — cover them with something.

With the lever-trigger

Many models of water heaters are equipped with a non-return valve. It allows excess water to be diverted from the tank during heating. Its mechanism also provides protection against water draining back into the cold riser. This valve is equipped with a handle, with which you can open it for water to exit. Turn this handle and then open the tap to allow air into the tank. This is one of the longest water draining options, as it can take up to 2 hours.

With dismantling the non-return valve

You can also completely remove the non-return valve. In this case, the drainage speed will increase. You will be able to control it with the same hot water tap.

How to remove scale?

After draining the water, you need to remove the boiler from the wall, place it in the bathtub upside down, and extract the heating element. The heater can be cleaned chemically or mechanically. If there is little scale, you can take a sponge and carefully, with wiping movements, remove the scale layer. However, if there are many salts, it is better to prepare a citric acid solution and soak the heater in it to soften deposits. After soaking, they can be easily removed manually.

Summing up

First of all, you need to understand which method of draining water suits you. After emptying the boiler, it remains to extract the heater, clean it mechanically or chemically, reinstall it, and refill the boiler with water. If you doubt your abilities or have never cleaned a boiler before, it makes sense to call a technician and pay for cleaning.