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David Chater-Jack, of H2Onics, looks at the impact of limescale
Money is literally pouring down your drain, purely because of limescale build-up.
It may seem a bold claim, but limescale is a silent drain on running costs, whether a household or commercial enterprise, and one which can be easily addressed, by simple installation of appropriate treatment equipment.
Almost 60% of the UK suffers from hard water, with the equivalent of 200mg of calcium carbonate (limescale), the size of a standard dispersible aspirin tablet, in every litre of water, whether from a water board or private source, be it a borehole, stream or groundwater. Hard water also has a high mineral content, which can affect its colour and taste. For example, geology with a high peat content can make water taste musty and turns the water brown- adversely affecting the taste of hot and cold drinks, and not attractive to drink or wash in!
Limescale builds up on pipework, boilers, kettles etc, increasing the amount of energy equipment needs to operate, and affecting its performance, adding to fuel and maintenance costs. It builds up on glass and ceramic surfaces, taking longer to clean and achieve a shine, and making glassware look misty. It means soaps do not lather as well, so people use more, and spend longer in the shower trying to get clean.
Do you need a chemical free water softener?
The MWC5 is a magnetic water conditioner that is chemical-free, maintenance-free and simple to install. It produces the same benefits as water softener chemicals. Suitable for a large house, guest house or hotel.
Fits in seconds - Lasts a lifetime.
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Just 1mm of limescale buildup on equipment- which can occur in less than a year!- increases energy costs by 7.5%; a 6mm deposit in a boiler can add up to 40% to the cost of heating water. Consider the impact and costs of that on your bills, in energy, maintenance and replacement costs of boilers, dishwashers, washing machines, shower equipment. Yet a magnetic water conditioner, for example, could get rid of the problem and cost as little as £5 per year to operate!
Water conditioning or softening is just one solution to addressing water quality, the other main solutions being filtering, UV sterilization and reverse osmosis. Which you chose depends on the issues to be addressed, be it hard water, sediment or chemicals in the water, bacteria in the water or undrinkable water.
For hard water, the simplest solution is installation of a water conditioner or softener. Traditional water softeners required electrical connections and a supply of salt, but technology has evolved, with the development of magnetic/ electronic water conditioners, which are easily fitted to inlet pipework. As the water passes through the magnetic field in the conditioner, limescale chemicals in the water change to remain suspended in the water rather than detached to surfaces. Some magnetic water conditioners require an electrical connection, so can cost around £5 per year to run; others use their own magnetic energy to function so don’t even incur running costs, being a true ‘fit and forget’ solution. These also require no maintenance.
For sediment and bad odour or taste, a water filter is the most appropriate option. Filters can be connected to the pipework, and use one or more cartridges to remove impurities and absorb/ trap organic contaminants. Filter cartridges have to be replaced regularly- every six months on average.
Do you need a chemical free water softener?
The Ecopure Eco-15 is a chemical-free, active ceramic water conditioner. It produces the same benefits as water softener chemicals. Suitable for a large house, guest house or hotel.
| Flow rate: |
60 litres/minute. |
| Life span: |
5 years. |
| Litrerage: |
750 000 litres (with normal water quality and usage) |
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Ultra violet (UV) systems are a more advanced version, supplied with a pre- filter to remove any water-borne particulates before the water is passed through the UV system with its integral chamber of UV light which kills bacteria, viruses and micro-organisms in the water; these therefore improve taste and smell, but cannot be relied on to remove all mineral impurities. (Extra filtration is required for specific contaminates). They require no maintenance however, apart from replacement of the UV lamp.
The ultimate in water treatment is reverse osmosis (R.O.), with models claiming to remove 99% of bacteria and reject up to 98% of contaminants. The concept passes the water through a series of filters, culminating in a semi-permeable membrane, which remove salts, minerals and bacteria, delivering the most pure water. However, the high quantity of water rejected by the system- up to 75%- means it is most suitable for those with a private water supply, such as a rainwater collection system, bore hole or well, or where a person’s health is a major consideration. And in terms of ongoing maintenance, inevitably, filters and membranes have to be replaced (on average every six months for the filters, every four years for the membrane), and the storage unit for the treated water must be regularly disinfected.
Even if you have never complained about the taste of water, or soap being difficult to lather, the maths affecting investment in some form of water treatment are simple, a balance of the cost of capital equipment which uses water, how much energy bills are, against the cost of even a basic water conditioner to address limescale. And pro-rata, the cost of improving taste and/or odour is a nominal increase, which is proven to prompt positive comments from users.
For further information:
David Chater-Jack – IEng.FIET.
H2Onics
Tel: 08453454054
Email: david@h2onics.co.uk
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