Care for Your Environment – How to do Your Bit

There are various studies out there proving how a water softener will save you time and money yet, the environmental side to it rarely gets covered. An argument against water softeners would state that water is wasted by water softeners during the regeneration cycle. The regeneration cycle of a water softener uses water to create a brine solution to reverse the ion exchange then, some of this water goes to waste. However the energy saving benefits far outweighs any environmental impact this minimal water wastage may cause.

At EWT, we ensure that all of our water softeners are using the perfect amount of water per regeneration by checking this level on every installation

The main reasons why people decide to purchase an EWT water softener are usually,

• 1. the visible effects of hard water (limescale deposits) throughout their home

• 2. dry skin, eczema and skin-related disorders

• 3. visited a soft water area on holiday and noticed the water quality to feel better on skin/hair

• 4. Appliance breakdowns due to hard water and limescale

Rarely is the environmental benefit ever thought of as a factor worth considering, even though, as a nation we are continuously encouraged to recycle more and reduce emissions. During this blog I aim to highlight a few areas where a EWT water softener will directly reduce energy usage in your home and cut down on waste.

Limescale Deposits A study conducted in France showed that even with a 1mm scale thickness to an appliance this would reduce efficiency by up to 6%. Another study then followed how gas heaters and electric heaters would be affected by hard water. New Mexico State University found that when hard water was used in a gas heater it consumed 29% more energy, and when hard water was used in an electric heater used 21% more energy.
Soft Tap Water

The immediate reaction is to relate this to the extra money you pay out every month for heating bills, with the rising costs of energy the savings being made by switching to soft water can seem very appealing…but the purpose of this blog is to think how much wasted energy hard water created!

EWT Water Softener

Another area where an EWT water softener does it's bit for the environment is the reduction in household waste. Thousands of households in the UK have their shelves packed with “scale fighting” products, all designed to keep the limescale and hard water damage out of site. Once used these bottles end up in the bin, then usually onto landfill. Imagine never having to buy or more importantly throw away another one of these product bottles.

The chemicals used in these cleaning products are usually acid-based and also have a negative impact on the environment.

If you wish to ask a question or add a comment to this blog please do, and we will respond as soon as we can!