Local guide / Kennewick, WA
Kennewick Hard Water and Your Water Heater
Why Kennewick water heaters get noisy, lose hot water and wear out early, and what you can do about it.
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Photo: Columbia River, Kennewick, Washington by Ken Lund, CC BY-SA 2.0
How hard is Kennewick water?
The City of Kennewick's own water quality report puts the hardness of city water at 50 to 200 ppm, which is roughly 5 to 14 grains per gallon. On the scale the U.S. Geological Survey uses, that runs from moderately hard to very hard depending on the day and the source.
Hardness is mostly dissolved calcium and magnesium. It is not a health problem. The trouble starts when that water is heated, because heat makes the minerals come out of the water and settle as scale.
What scale does inside a tank water heater
In a tank heater the minerals settle on the bottom as a crusty layer of sediment. A few things follow from that.
- Popping or rumbling when the burner or element runs. That is water trapped under the sediment boiling.
- Less hot water than you used to get, because the sediment takes up room and insulates the water from the heat.
- Higher energy use for the same shower.
- A shorter tank life, since the bottom of the tank runs hotter than it was designed to.
None of this happens overnight. It builds up over years, which is why a heater that was fine when you moved in can start making noise later.
Water heater leaking or no hot water in Kennewick? Call to reach a local plumber.
Call (509) 286-1592Tankless heaters are not immune
Tankless units heat water as it passes through a small heat exchanger, and scale builds up inside it. Most manufacturers call for a periodic descaling flush in hard water areas, and many units show an error code when flow drops.
If your tankless heater has started to run lukewarm, cycle on and off, or show a scale or flow error, a descale is usually the first thing a plumber checks. Your owner's manual will list how often the maker wants it done.
Simple upkeep that helps
You do not need special equipment to slow scale down.
- Flush the tank. Draining some water from the valve at the bottom pulls out loose sediment. Many owners do it once a year; follow your manual.
- Check the anode rod every few years. It is a metal rod that corrodes so the tank does not. Hard water can wear it faster.
- Keep the temperature sensible. Hotter water drops more scale, and the U.S. Department of Energy suggests 120 degrees F for most homes.
- Think about a softener if you are replacing the heater anyway. Softened water slows scale on the heater and on fixtures.
If the drain valve is stuck, the tank is leaking from the bottom, or the heater is over ten years old and noisy, that is a job for a licensed plumber rather than a weekend project.
When to call
Call a plumber if you see water around the base of the tank, smell gas near a gas heater, have no hot water at all, or hear loud banging that keeps getting worse. A leak at the bottom of a tank usually means the tank itself has failed and cannot be patched.
Kennewick, Pasco and Richland all deal with the same hard water, so local plumbers see these problems every week.
Sources
Where these facts come from
Checked 2026-10-31. Rules and phone numbers change, so confirm with the source before you rely on them.
Services
Plumbing Help in Kennewick
Emergency Plumbing
Burst pipes, flooding, sewer backups and no water. Call any hour.
Get help →Plan aheadHydro Jetting
High-pressure water cleaning for grease, scale and roots in drains and sewer lines.
Get help →UrgentDrain Cleaning
Clogged sinks, tubs, showers and main drains cleared fast.
Get help →UrgentSewer Line Repair & Camera Inspection
Camera inspections, root problems, broken lines and sewer backups.
Get help →UrgentWater Heater Repair & Replacement
No hot water, leaking tanks, tankless issues and new installs.
Get help →EmergencyLeak Detection & Burst Pipe Repair
Hidden leaks, high water bills, wet walls and burst pipes.
Get help →EmergencyFrozen Pipe Repair
Thawing frozen lines and fixing pipes split by winter freezes.
Get help →Plan aheadToilet & Faucet Repair
Running or clogged toilets, leaky faucets and fixture installs.
Get help →More guides
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Water Heater Trouble in Kennewick?
Call any time to reach a local plumber who works on tank and tankless heaters.