The Effects of Water Hardness On Your Plumbing System and How To Resolve It

There aren’t many plumbing issues that cause a greater toll on central heating systems and boilers than hard water. Most parts of the UK, especially London and the South East, have hard water. While there are no health issues associated with using hard water for consumption and drinking, long-term exposure to the boiler and central heating system can have damaging effects. If you are new to this, you are probably scratching your head wondering what on earth is hard water.

Don’t worry, here is all you need to know!

What is hard water?

Water that contains a large number of minerals is known as hard water. It forms when water comes into contact with limestone or chalk where calcium and magnesium ions are absorbed into the water.

What are the effects of hard water?

You can easily find out if your water system has hard water by taking a look at your kettle. The heating element will be coated in limescale, a telltale sign of hard water. Moreover, hard water obstructs the soaping characteristics of soap and shampoo. In some cases, it leaves behind a fine film on surfaces like tile, the window or the wall. Before you freak out over any harmful benefits to your health, hard water has proven to be safe for consumption. On the contrary, it is actually beneficial to your health as calcium and magnesium are needed by our bodies.

However, the effects on the pipes are more profound. The calcium and magnesium can bond together to form limescale which can cling on to the insides of the pipe and build up over time. This causes a drop in the flow of water and pressure. Ultimately, you will need to replace the pipes. Not just the pipes, they can build-up on geysers and kettles causing damage to the appliances.

The worst issue is that the limescale takes the form of an insulator, meaning your appliances need more energy to heat water. The system starts to overheat and will fail sooner or later. Finally you will have choked pipes and no warm water. if it’s a pressurised structure, you can expect failed boilers and ruptured pipes.

How do I solve this?

It’s not all doom and gloom though. With the use of a water softener from a company like West London Gas, one can easily remove the hardness of the water and turn it into soft water. The water is run through a resin bed where the cations are transferred for anions, making the water softer.

The resin should be regenerated when it reaches its capacity. Salt is generally used for that. The end result is that your boilers and heating appliances will run more efficiently and work for longer.

Let us protect your investment today!

Finding high-quality water softeners can be difficult for consumers and it is something our experienced heating engineers and gas engineers can help you with. Not only will you be getting your money’s worth, you are also assured a completely professional and competent job. Give us a call on 020 8434 3644 or visit our website at www.westlondongas.com for more information on our services.