| Limescale forms inside pipes, radiators, cylinders, pumps and boilers. Just 1,6mm build-up of scale can cause a 12% loss in heating efficiency from the heating system – that’s a massive waste and it has a massive cost implication too. Scale will also form around the heating coil and eventually fill a hot-water cylinder.
Many areas in the UK have a water supply that is naturally 'hard'. Hard water is formed when calcium and magnesium are dissolved by rainwater as it filters through natural layers of chalk and limestone.
In order to avoid the effects of hard water the calcium and magnesium need to be removed from your water, to produce so called 'softened ' water. You can tell that you have hard water when your kettle 'furs up', you can't get a lather with your shampoo and you see white scale around taps and bathroom fittings.
Water softening is most effectively carried out by using an ion-exchange water softener. This equipment replaces the calcium and magnesium with sodium (from salt). Such water softeners need to be topped up with salt from time to time to maintain their efficiency.
In the UK, the main areas of 'hard ' water are in the south and east of the country but there are no set boundaries so if in doubt you should check the hardness of your water with your local water company. |
