What does Hard Water do to my Water Heater Tank?

ALL TANKED UP:

Hot water is a luxury that most of us do not want to live without.  It has really become more of a necessity for daily comfort.  Yet it mostly sits in a tank in our garage or basement waiting for us to utilize it for bathing or the washing of clothes or dishes.

So what is happening inside that tank?  The reality may surprise you – especially if you have hard water.

BODY:

The heating up of water is a key factor that causes the minerals in the water to precipitate (fall out of suspension) and form calcium limescale.  It is easy to see this on your faucets and fixtures, but what about in areas that you cannot see?  What is happening inside your plumbing system?
Found this fantastic picture that shows what happens over time on Terry Love’s plumbing forum website:

Looks like a water heater graveyard behind that one!  That’s the result of 10 years of scale build up.  Ever wonder why the bottom of a water heater falls out?  Now you know!

What about before the system fails though?  I made a short video to show exactly what is happening and include some suggestions at the end as to what you can do to prevent damage to a heater like you see in the picture above: