Calcium buildup in the ducts can be difficult to treat. These are calcium carbonate deposits that often form when hard water is heated. Fortunately, there are both temporary and permanent solutions to this problem!
If you choose the temporary calcium scale removal solution, you will only be left with clean pipes for a few weeks or months. Sooner or later, you will find yourself repeating this daunting process.
On the other hand, the permanent solution might be expensive at first, but it is definitely worth it in the long run. Let’s discuss all the options in this post so you can make an informed decision!
What causes calcium build-up in the pipes?
Hard water has a large amount of dissolved minerals, especially calcium and magnesium. Calcium carbonate deposits can form scale in your boilers and pipes when heated.
These solid deposits are called lime or calcium deposits and play a role in reducing the efficiency of your plumbing system or, if left unattended for a long period of time, clogging it.
Although there are some options that dissolve limescale, the only long-term solution is to soften the water or replace the plumbing with a material that does not allow these calcium carbonate deposits to attach.
What does calcium build up in the pipes look like?
One of the major signs of hard water is the need for more cleaning products, whether in the shower or while doing laundry. Your clean dishes right out of the dishwater might also have some annoying white spots.
In addition to this, the evidence that hard water is running through your plumbing system is the white scaly deposits on the inside of the pipes. Faucets and shower heads will also show a thin layer of white deposit.
What breaks down calcium deposits?
While years of limescale build-up might require professional intervention, mild moderate calcium deposits in the ducts can be taken care of on your own. Below are some options that break down calcium deposits.
1. Vinegar:
Vinegar is diluted acetic acid. The acid, when combined with the base, neutralizes into salt and water. Here, limestone or calcium carbonate is the base. When these two react, you can expect a neutralization reaction to appear, which ends up dissolving the solid deposits.
The reaction produces water and carbon dioxide gas, hence the eruptive action. Since vinegar is simply a mild acid, this method might take relatively longer.
Many also suggest using baking soda along with vinegar, claiming that the exfoliating action helps dissolve the scale better. Try it and let us know how it worked for you!
2. Lemon juice:
Lemon juice also contains mild citric acid. And according to the neutralization reaction, it can be a quite effective natural limescale remover.
However, in all honesty, pouring freshly squeezed lemon juice down the drain to unclog the pipe just isn’t practical. What you can do is use the lemon juice spray to clean the faucets, shower head or any deposits on the sink area.
The mechanism of citric acid is similar to acetic acid. The acid combines with carbonates to release water and carbon dioxide.
3. Chemical detergents:
Many chemical descalers are commercially available. These cleaners are usually acid-based. Calcium, lime and rust remover (CLR) is one such product that many vouch for.
Unfortunately, many commercial scale removers are not environmentally friendly. However, there are some eco-friendly options available if you want to minimize your carbon footprint.
While some DIY blogs suggest investing in a strong acid such as hydrochloric acid (HCL) and DIY making limescale remover, we’re totally against the idea.
These acids are intensely corrosive and even their vapors can damage nasal tissues. While handling these chemicals, do not allow yourself to have a minor accident. So our advice, stay away from such dangerous attempts.
Another powerful descaler, muriatic acid, a diluted version of hydrochloric acid, is used to dissolve limescale on larger surfaces, such as in a swimming pool.
You probably won’t be using muriatic acid remove calcium build-up from pipes. If you do this, wear protective clothing and equipment and take extra care when handling.
How to clean calcium build-up in water pipes?
1. Fill a few buckets with water to flush the pipes later:
Once you start the descaling process, you will turn off the water in your home. So start by filling a few buckets with water to flush the pipes later. A good approximation is one large pot of water for each sink, toilet or shower drain that needs treatment.
You also won’t be able to turn on the faucets for several hours, especially if you use the baking soda with vinegar method. So, be sure to set aside several buckets of water for household use.
2. Turn off the water supply:
The next important step is to turn off the water supply to your home. Also, turn off all faucets. You don’t want every faucet and hose to flood once you turn the water back on.
Moreover, it is imperative you turn off the breaker on your water heater. Remember to always do this step before actually turning off the water in your home. Otherwise, the heater will burn and be damaged.
3. Drain the remaining water:
Once the water is turned off, open the faucets to drain the remaining water. Flush the toilets and empty the water heater. Finally, you’re ready to use commercial or natural descalers for the next step.
4. Pour off the calcium build-up solvent:
Now is the time to put your choice of scale remover into practice. Pour the solvent down the drain.
If using a combination of vinegar and baking soda, add one cup of baking soda first, followed by the vinegar. You will notice that there is a lot of action going on. Feel free to use vinegar depending on the intensity of the build-up.
When using commercial synthetic cleaners, always wear protective clothing and gloves for your safety. An easier method of pouring these liquids is to use a funnel.
While commercial cleaners do their job in about 15 to 30 minutes, the vinegar cleaner needs to be left in the pipe for several hours for an ideal result.
5. Clean other bathroom and shower essentials:
While you wait for the calcium carbonate scaler to do its work, you can soak shower heads, faucets, and other bathroom and kitchen fixtures that need to be treated. While calcium carbonate deposit it may not be harmful or problematic in these articles, it is certainly unsightly.
6. Pour boiling water and flush the pipes:
Finally, it’s time to boil the water you set aside at the beginning. Hot water removes greasy residue as well as descaler. Pour hot water into the sinks and finally flush the pipes with clean water to remove all deposits and debris.
7. Repeat every few months to prevent clogging:
Be sure to descale your plumbing system, water heaters, coffee makers, or anywhere that might come into contact with hard hot water every few months.
For potable water tanks, pipes and heaters, do not use commercial cleaners as they may toxic to human health. In these cases, use natural or mechanical detergents or a cleaning product that guarantees the safety of human health.
How to prevent calcium build-up in pipes?
1. Invest in a hard water softening system:
A hard water softener is often a whole-house filtration system where hard water is turned into soft water through a process called ion exchange.
The detailed components and mechanism of a hard water softener system is a whole other post. In short, the negatively charged resin beads attract and trap the positively charged mineral deposits in the water, allowing the softened water to flow into the next room.
Water softening system is quite effective and used commercially and residentially all over the world. It will partially or completely remove the hardness, depending on how hard the water is. According to HomeGuide, expect to pay between $800 and $2,500 for a softener and its installation in 2022.
2. Replace piping with PEX:
Another solution may be to replace the metal pipes with PEX. Plastic pipes such as PVC and PEX are more resistant to calcium buildup. So, if the build-up problem is bothering you too much, you might as well replace the plumbing with PEX.
When to Call a Plumbing Specialist?
For severe clogs that don’t seem to dissolve with any natural or synthetic detergents, you may want to seek professional help.
The plumbing professional will likely use an electromechanical cleaner to clear the clog. After that, you can clean the pipe again with limescale remover to remove the remaining deposits.
summary
We hope this comprehensive guide on removing calcium build-up from your pipes has been helpful. As you can see, there are quite a few ways to get rid of backlogs. Temporary fixes can be tedious to repeat if buildup frequently clogs your drain.
On the other hand, a filtration system may be expensive initially, but it will protect you against the hardness of hard water.
In our opinion, if the hardness of the water flowing through your home is high, sooner or later a softening system is necessary. But if hardness isn’t too much of an issue, you can certainly get away with temporary softening solutions.
