Can you assist your central heating with softer water supply
Can you assist your central heating with softer water supply
Manufacturers have made multiple products and services that you can add to your gas central heating system to help it to perform efficiently for a longer period of time. Regardless, a central heating systems that’s given proper care will work for you smoothly. Our Government and environmental activists have been telling us to switch off lights, turn TVs completely off instead of leaving them on standby, and lower the temperature of our washing machines as well us the thermostats of our rooms. These energy saving hints are not only good for the environment, but also great for keeping your bills down at times of high energy costs. What is the best way to get your central heating system to work more economically? With the accumulation of the likes of limescale and sludge in your system will make it less efficient.
You should be thinking about water treatment to stop this accumulation of gunk and limescale, especially if you live in a hard water area.
Water treatment is a term used to cover many different ways of looking after your system. Magnetic/electronic lime fighters, scale reducers/inhibitors, gunk reducers, noise reducers and anti-freeze are examples of the type of water treatment products that are available to you.
The UK has water types ranging from hard to soft based on the region where you live. If you spot limescale formation inside your kettle or bath taps, there is probably hard water running in your taps. Limescale reduces efficiency and adds to heating bills. The energy cost in a boiler cylinder with limescale lining can be 40 percent more than a clean boiler leading to more expensive gas bills. Limescale is simply calcium deposits in your system. If you live in a soft water region, then you need not worry about limescale that much; however, if you are unsure about the water quality, then without any hesitation seek advice.
Most water treatments act by altering the molecular structure of the water and the particles therein and changing the way it behaves. One way of modification is to convert a structure completely to another, another is to take out the mischievous component, and yet another way is to prevent the structure from becoming solid, thus leaving its normal process unrealized.
There are chemical test kits which will measure the ph and chloride levels and also the iron and copper levels so that you can measure the probable corrosion potential and rate.
To begin with, you should make certain that your system has been assembled by a qualified individual, for example it’s important to have the simple knowledge that connecting aluminum and copper or brass triggers a corrosive reaction because that’s what happens when different metals are joined. All gas connections must be made by a CORGI registered tradesperson.
It is a good idea to plan ahead, if you are having a new system installed, think which water treatment you will require as some can be fitted to your system. If you are upgrading your current system, you must cleanse your whole system before any water treatment chemicals are added.
Products added to the mains supply can soften hard water and improve the quality of water for domestic use, but they do not prevent or remedy deterioration of the central heating system. You will be able to make lather with detergents and soaps more easily but your heating system will still have problems with efficiency.
You basically need to prevent your system from three things, limescale deposits, biological growth and corrosion.
The first problem that you may have to face is corrosion, it can start as soon as the system is installed and filled with water. Corrosion causes sludge in the system which can restrict the circulation causing cold spots on your radiators. Gradual pitting can perforate the metal piping, causing the boiler or radiators to rattle.
The calcium and magnesium present in hard water is responsible for limescale deposits. Once the water is heated it leaves deposits of these minerals which form a hard crust, building up over time and blocking pipes etc. A vibrating and wheezing heating system can be a real nuisance.
Fungal and bacterial growth is another menace to vented heating systems. The growth enters the system through open tanks in certain types of heating system. After managing to enter the system, it spreads by creating slime and sludge. This gunk stagnates in the plumbing and slows down the flow of hot water.
You can learn more about these problems on the internet. Take out time to go through a few pages of free advice. Kick-start with the manufacturers and their web sites. Browse through some of the reputed water treatment companies and their acclaimed products on this page. Forums and Blogs are another good source of free advice and wholesome information; you can also use these to directly get in touch with the suppliers.
All the best with your water treatment, let energy conserving central heating and hot water with lower home bills rule.