Minerals that are removed from the water during the freezing cycle will eventually form a hard, scaly deposit in the water system. Cleaning the system regularly helps remove the mineral scale buildup.
How often to clean the system depends upon how hard your water is or how effective your filtration may be. With hard water of 15 to 20 grains/gal. (4 to 5 grains/ liter), you may need to clean the system as often as once every 6 months. If scaling occurs too frequently, a water softener may need to be installed on the water line.