Category: Uncategorized

A commonly asked question when speaking to someone about their water softener installation is “How will I know if my water softener is working?”

 

Depending on the water feeds in the house, most people notice that their water softener is working from the minute they have their first soft water bath or shower, usually, using a lot less shampoos and soaps but to make sure this is no placebo effect we have Water Hardness Test Kits.

 

There are many test kits available on the market for testing water hardness. These water hardness test kits are used by putting tablets into the water, each tablet representing an increase in water hardness before the water changes colour. There are also liquid tests where counting the amount of drops placed into the water will give an accurate water hardness rating, these usually prove most cost efficient as 1 hardness test kit can do as much as 80 tests.

 

We encourage our existing customers, who've installed EWT water softeners in their homes, to test the hardness of their water supply, regularly and at different days and times of the week, just for peace of mind to say: "everything is running smoothly!"

 

If you have any questions or wish to purchase a Hardness Test Kit then, please leave a comment in the box below or contact our EWT office 02033 84 02 04.

 

It’s that time of year again! Christmas is upon us and so is this year’s ‘BIG FREEZE’. The purpose of this blog is to offer you a few tips on how to protect your home during these chilly months!

 

During December and January, temperatures usually fall to around -6 or -7ºC, at worst but, back in 2009 when it was particularly colder than usual; at that time,  winter temperatures dropped to as low as -14ºC across most of England. This caused a giant headache for the insurance industry, which had to deal with £40 million worth of claims in the first six weeks of 2009 (figures given by AA Home insurance).

A large proportion of these claims were in relation to houses being flooded through pipes bursting due to frost damage. So here are a few tips to avoid this happening to you!

 

Top Tips from EWT to Protect Your Homes this Winter   Locate Your Mains Stop Valve

The water mains is the first place you will need to find in case of emergency. From here, you can shut off all water to your home.

 

Get Your Pipe Work Insulated

Ensure that all pipe work, which may be vulnerable to frost, gets insulated. This simply adds another barrier for the cold to get through before freezing can take place. Insulating your water pipes will help prevent frost damage but isn’t going to stop it completely. There are electric heated cables available to wrap around vulnerable pipes, which heat and thaw water pipes when the temperature goes below 0, be sure to follow all instructions carefully. However, if the cables crossover another, it can become a fire risk.

If you are going away for a period of time, leaving the heating on and opening your loft hatch will keep your house and loft pipework at a safer temperature. This ensures that warmer air circulates around the house and in the loft.

 

Prevent Your Pipe Work from Freezing

If you have an outside tap, this can create a higher risk. Follow these simple steps to prevent your pipe work from freezing:

   1. Turn off the isolation valve for the tap inside
   2. Open the outside tap up to drain any water away

This will prevent the water being held inside the tap and prevent your pipe work from freezing and splitting, thus, causing no leaks and no flooding inside.

 

Handling Pipe Bursts

If you experience a burst pipe, we recommend you to contact a plumber. However, if you pipe has not burst and is just frozen you can try to thaw it out by using the following steps:

  1. Wrap a towel around the frozen pipe
  2. Drench the frozen pipe with hot water
  3. Open-up the closest tap so there is a way for the water to easily flow away when it has thawed.

For UK homes with water softeners or water filters in areas vulnerable to frost such as unheated garages, outhouses or conservatories, we recommend an insulated boxing to be built around the water softener to protect it from frost damage.

• Have you ever thrown out a cup of tea because there was a funny chemical taste or grey film on the top of the cup?

• • Have you ever seen residue on the bottom of your tea cup which turned your stomach?

If you've answered 'yes' to the above then, you are one of the thousands of people across the UK who live in a hard water area.

Limescale Deposits in Hard Water Cause Scum
Water Softeners Remove Limescale

Hard water is water which is high in limescale deposits. When hard water is heated, the calcium and magnesium minerals stick to the hottest surface (heating element in your water kettle). Heating hard water results in a crud or scale forming in the bottom of your kettle or the residue you can sometimes see on your tea cups. But, there is a very simple solution to making that perfect cup of tea – without scum on top!

  Install Water Softeners, Remove Limescale & Get that Perfect Cup of Tea!

Water softeners remove 100% of limescale from your water leaving you with the perfect cup of tea every time. Not only that, by having a water softener installed you will also be showering and bathing in soft water which is great for your skin and can breath life back into your hair again.

For more information on the benefits of water softeners in your home, call EW Technologies now on 0203 384 0204, or visit our website www.ewtechnologies.co.uk

This blog is based on the current journey which most of us, as consumers, make whilst buying a new product and a buying a water softener is no different. This may be useful to see what stages you are at, and with our help (please ask any questions at the form on the bottom) and decide whether this is the solution to your problem.

1. Do I have hard water?

That is a good place to start, there are a few ways you can check this:

• •  Check your local water authority’s website – by entering your postcode and seeing what the water is like in your area.

• •  Send in your water in a bottle – with your name and address to EWT – we will conduct a free water analysis

• •  Hardness Test Kits – are readily available in tablet form, strips or liquid drops.

 

2. Starting to Notice

During this stage you begin to notice how this hard water is affecting your home. Noticing visual effects usually starts with when you spend extra money on that nice kettle or expensive iron and see it gradually clog up and become less efficient. Symptoms such as drastic changes of temperature or pressure in the shower and boiler, appliance breakdowns can all be a by-product of hard water.

 

3. The Expense

This is when, on your weekly shopping, you see that the money which you're spending on limescale cleaning products keeps recurring over and over again. Similarly, a costly repair to a boiler, appliance, tap or shower head can sometimes drive home the damage which hard water is causing.

Independent research (mentioned in "environment" blog) shows that hard water can increase spending on heating bills by 30%. Use our online cost savings calculator and find out how much a water softener can save you!

 

4. The Norm

Often, when a person is new to living in a hard water area, they notice the difference in water quality very quickly and realise that this problem needs to be sorted out. However, if you have never known any difference and think water always creates those marks on your shower doors and its normal for a kettle to be full of scale, then often a holiday is when the benefits of soft water gets noticed.

Many of our customers arrive back from their holiday with one thing on their mind, "Get the water softener sorted!!" Often children and adults who suffer with skin problems such as eczema and psoriasis realise the benefits of soft water after a 'Soft Water Holiday' and notice that their skin condition calms down and their skin feels a lot better.

 

5. Hearing about the solution

There are thousands of EWT customers across the UK, Ireland and the rest of Europe who have all found the solution to their hard water problems, however there are many more people who have never even heard of a water softener! Once you realise that there is a solution to this problem, we are then here to help!

 

6. The Call

When you have seen the advertisements in the paper, online, TV or Radio we then get to speak to you. It is our job then, to explain how an EWT Water Softener is guaranteed to remove 100% of limescale from your home, where it will go and how it will work.

 

7. The Installation

One of our engineers will arrive at your property in any of our morning, afternoon, evening and weekend time slots and install the water softener for you. The installation usually takes around 2-3 hours and our engineers are more than happy to answer any questions you may have.

 

8. Problem Solved!

Instantly after a water softener is installed, the benefits will be noticeable. Once a kettle is cleaned, it stays clean, same with showers, bathrooms and everywhere else. White chalky marks around the home will begin to disappear and clothes will start to feel softer after washing!

 

9. Start Saving Now!

When you own a EWT Water Softener, your weekly spend will reduce. Please remember to use our cost savings calculator to see where you start to save! We have lots of Happy Customers who say their unit has paid from itself within months, and others who are treating themselves to a holiday due to simply putting aside the money they used to spend on 'hard water problems'.

 

10. Now You're Realising the Benefits..Tell your Friends!

Well, why not tell your friends about EWT Water Softeners! Many of our customers have referred many of their friends to get softeners from EWT. And after all, word of mouth is the best way to hear and trust something new which is going to work.

 

 

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!

by Darragh Durkan

Phillip and Margret P Young decided enough was enough, Philip a retired chemistry teacher could not believe the damage which limescale build-up was causing his appliances and the effect which was happening to a recently refurbished bathroom.

English Chemist Gets Limescale-Free Home

Limescale was a BIG problem all around the house!

 

"The shower head, shower door, even the taps had a disgusting layer of scum on them from the continuous build up".

Margret is a busy charity worker for Cats Protection and found cleaning the limescale very tedious and realised quickly that something needed to change.

"We had problems regularly with appliances and heating pumps breaking down" said Margret.

 

Our plumber told us we would have the same problem next year

"we tried numerous things to try and stop the limescale build up in our home, we were forced to change hot water pumps regularly which weren't cheap not to mention the limescale cleaning products"

 

EWT Water Softeners Helps English Chemist Get a Limescale-Free Home
The Young Family – Happy EWT Water Softener Customers

"A few years ago, after doing a large extension to our home we decided to completely change the whole heating system and this made no change to the water quality, our kettles would scale up within a week and the shower tray and wash basin were dull no matter how many times we cleaned them, and realised this must be happening to our new heating system" "we then decided we had no other option than to try the EWT system and saw their brilliant offer in the local paper."

It even breaks down the old limescale build-up in our appliances!

"After one call all our questions were answered there and then and the half price deal was so good we decided to arrange an install date.

Within 3 days, Phillip and Margret had limescale-free water throughout their home. "We couldn't believe the difference. The Engineer was wonderful, he had the softener unit installed in less than 2 hours and he even cleaned up completely after himself, you wouldn't know he had visited," said Phillip.

Our EWT water softener even breaks down the old limescale build-up in our hot water system, shower and kettle making them perform as good as new within weeks, I really couldn't believe the difference in such a short time."

Now Our Shower is Completely Limescale Free

 

Limescale-Free Shower Doors

 

• •  Now our washing machine and shower are completely limefree. There is no more limescale scum on our taps or shower doors. We've noticed that soaps and showering products lather so much easier with the soft water and we are only using half the amounts now which is saving us money.

 

Shinier Basins

• •   "I used to clean the wash basin every Saturday and by Monday it was dull again, now I give it a quick wipe once a week and it stays shiney!" said Phillip

• •   "Even my hair is cleaner and softer. Perhaps the biggest benefit is knowing that our Boiler is not going to clog up with limescale and our appliances are being protected. I love the free drinking water system we received on the offer, it's nice to drink good quality drinking water straight from the tap"

 

 

 

The EWT Water Softener Just. Makes. Life. Easier.

"We had an alternative one installed before which we changed on installation and the quality of the water is far better now. As a chemist, I used to search for natural chemicals to clean my kettles, these were not easy to find and very expensive but now I have my EWT system I don't have to think about limescale anymore, its completely gone!"

"We instantly referred our next door neighbours, they too had the same problems we had and are now completely limefree and delighted they got the EWT system"

 

EWT Water Softeners Have a 30-Day Money-Back Guarantee

If, like the Young family, you live in a hard water area (if your kettle has scale in it and you're cleaning limescale from your taps and showers then, you live in a hard water area!) and would like to save money and time cleaning then, you should definitely contact EW Technologies or Request a Callback Online. You’ll be glad you made that call!

 

Not only do EW Technologies guarantee to remove 100% limescale in just 2 weeks and they’re so confident their customers will be happy that they even offer a 30 day no-quibble, money back guarantee.  

 

EWT Water Softener Specialists have hundreds of Happy water softener customers all over England. So, get in touch with them now! EWT can be contacted on 020 3384 0204 or have a look at our web site www.ewtechnologies.co.uk.

 

 

Water Softeners Save Time & Money Says Independent Research Study 

 

Recent research studies have shown that water softeners increase the efficiency of water heaters such as hot water cylinders, washing machines and shower units by up to 24%, equating to up to thousands every year.

 

water softeners can save households up to 70% on limescale cleaning products, shampoos and washing detergents (not to mention the time and hassle of doing all the cleaning!).

 

Water Quality Research Foundation Study (March 2011)

 

Want a Limescale-Free home? Call EWT on 020 3384 0204 and
SAVE TIME AND MONEY!

 

 

by Darragh Durkan

Cpt Gurung, his wife and teenage sons live in a lovely home in Ashford, Kent. Cpt Gurung has been a member of the British army for many years and has served abroad on many occasions.

Ashford Captain Fights Limescale And Succeeds

Free time isn't something a Captain gets in the armed forces!

"Free time isn't something which a person, in my position, has enough to waste", says Cpt Gurung and also adds "It's not just the health of me and my family which I care about."

"Living in Ashford, I could not get over how much limescale was in our water! And this limescale seemed to cause problems everywhere!! – not to mention the effects it has on skin, it's just not healthy!

Our shower doors, taps and kitchen sinks are always covered in lime deposits and the kettle is full of scale", says Cpt Gurung.

Cleaning Limescale was Very Costly

"We were spending a lot on limescale-related cleaning products every month! We never thought that getting a water softener would be affordable as we contacted numerous companies but all of which wanted more than double to EWT's sale price – so there was no question who we would chose.

 

EWT Water Softeners Helped Capt Gurung Fight Limescale at Home
Cpt Gurung & Family – Happy EWT Water Softener Customers

After one call, a friendly, polite engineer arrived to install our softener unit within days and only spent 2.5 hours installing the softener unit. All I have to do now is top the salt up, once a month, and my softener unit does everything I want it to!

Not only do EWT Softeners come with a lifetime warranty (once it's serviced – once a year) but, they also offer a free drinking water tap and filter!"

After installing a Water Softener from EWT Water Softener Specialists, the situation has become is a lot better for Capt Gurung and his family.

ONE MONTH after installing the EWT system – the difference is amazing, our shower is spotless, our kettle isn't scaling up and my taps look so much cleaner!

 

Shinier Water Taps

 

• •  We are using 50% less in soaps and detergents and everything is looking much shinier!

• •  With the new soft water, my shower is greatly improved and I feel much cleaner and my skin feels less irritable.

 

Cleaner Hot Water Kettles

• •   I wish I had got a softener unit installed sooner, many of my neighbours were EWT customers too and all are extremely happy with the water softener system and the after sales care they have received!

 

 

 

EWT Water Softeners Have a 30-Day Money-Back Guarantee

 

If, like the Gurung family, you live in a hard water area (if your kettle has scale in it and you're cleaning limescale from your taps and showers then, you live in a hard water area!) and would like to save money and time cleaning then, you should definitely contact EW Technologies or Request a Callback Online. You’ll be glad you made that call!

 

 

 

Not only do EW Technologies guarantee to remove 100% limescale in just 2 weeks and they’re so confident their customers will be happy that they even offer a 30 day no-quibble, money back guarantee.

 

EWT Water Softener Specialists have hundreds of Happy water softener customers all over England. So, get in touch with them now! EWT can be contacted on 020 3384 0204 or have a look at our web site www.ewtechnologies.co.uk.

 

Water Softeners Save Time & Money Says Independent Research Study 

Recent research studies have shown that water softeners increase the efficiency of water heaters such as hot water cylinders, washing machines and shower units by up to 24%, equating to up to thousands every year.

water softeners can save households up to 70% on limescale cleaning products, shampoos and washing detergents (not to mention the time and hassle of doing all the cleaning!).

Water Quality Research Foundation Study (March 2011)

Want a Limescale-Free home? Call EWT on 020 3384 0204 and
SAVE TIME AND MONEY!

 

 

 

 

Like most people, when I go to buy a product, I generally would prefer to hear what an existing customer or owner of the product is experiencing rather than a list of technical information. That’s why we conduct regular case studies with our customers so you can take their word for it!

Read about how Capt Gurung & Family Won a Battle Against Limescale, in Ashford

If you are a new customer and would like EWT to record your customer journey with us we would love to do so. Please contact our office where you can arrange your installation, we will then take “before water softener” pictures and ask a few questions on the current water quality in your home. Within a couple of months we will be in contact to come over and take the “after pictures” and conduct a quick survey usually taking an hour in total.

If you are an existing EWT customer and wish to do a case study, please contact us on info@ewtechnologies.co.uk.

If you have any further questions please leave a comment below and we will answer asap!

Thanks,
Team EWT

We've received a tremendous response from our recent blog post on how water softeners work. We are going to answer all the questions you've asked us, in this blog, and will briefly answer a few of the most commonly asked questions regarding water softeners.

We will go into detail over the course of the next few blog posts, explaining each question with greater detail, so stay tuned! Do read on to know more…

 

Q: Can I drink Soft Water?

A: YES, You can drink soft water! Throughout most of the UK, softened water is perfectly safe to drink. Drinking water regulations for the UK state that drinking water must contain less than 200 mg/l of sodium. Most homes in the UK, fitted with water softeners, would safely comply with this drinking water regulation.

A small amount of areas in the UK have higher levels of hardness minerals in their water, therefore during the ion exchange process they will be replaced with a higher amount of sodium minerals.  It is advised for such areas to have a raw source of drinking water fitted particularly for making babies' bottles and for consumption to those on a medically-advised low-sodium diet.

 

Q: How much salt does a Water Softener use?

A: The amount of salt which a water softener uses is determined by water usage and the type of water softener used. The more water is used, the more times the water softener will need to regenerate (and use salt).

With our extremely efficient EWT Water Softeners, estimated salt usage levels for homes in the UK are as follows:

• • 1 bag of salt, every 2 months for water consumed by 2-3 people
• • 1 bag of salt, every 6 weeks (1 month) for water consumed by 4-5 people
• • 1 bag of salt, every 3 weeks for water consumed by 6-8 people

 

Q: Where can an EWT Water Softener be fitted?

A: Where a water softener can be fitted is determined by the existing plumbing in your home. The mains water supply is where we like to start, and from there we find the best and most convenient place for the water softener to be installed. Our trained engineers from EW Technologies UK have installed softener units under sinks, in kitchen cupboards, Airing cupboards, Lofts, outside and anywhere else you could imagine.

On a typical water softener installation, our installation engineer will discuss all possible places where the softener unit could be installed and together, with the you – the customer, a suitable location is decided upon.

 

Q: Is fitting a Water Softener a big job? Will there be any disruption?

A: Fitting a water softener is easy! Water Softeners can be installed within 2-3 hours and during this installation, the water will be turned off for a short period of time. When you get a water softener installed by EWT, our engineers will cut and re-fit any shelves to suit your new water softener installation along with leaving your house nice and tidy!

 

Q: What salt can I use in my EWT Water Softener?

A: EWT Water Softeners are compatible with any water softener salt, whether it is tablets, blocks or crystals. We offer free delivery on salt orders to all our customers.

 

On a daily basis, we speak to people who are interested in how a water softener works, as they undoubtedly have read, saw and heard lots of conflicting and different stories on how water softeners work.

The purpose of this blog article is to briefly cover the basics of the water softening process and explain, in simple terms, how limescale is removed from hard water.

Over the course of the next few blog posts, we will go into greater detail about EWT water softeners and the process of water softening. If you have any ideas/questions, on the subject of water softeners, hard water and soft water, that would be useful for us to blog about, please comment below and we will do so!.

The map on the right shows hard water areas in the UK. In these areas you will notice the visual damage that limescale causes to your kettle, shower screens, taps and more. In these areas, an EWT water softener will remove 100% of limescale from your water forever!

Hard Water Areas in the UK

Water Softeners Turn Hard Water into Soft Water

The job of the water softener is to remove the hardness-causing minerals from your water supply using a process which is called an ion exchange. Inside a water softener, there is a tank that is full of resin; this resin carries a negative charge (-) and has sodium minerals attached to it. In hard water, the hardness-causing minerals (calcium and magnesium) carry a positive charge (++).

As the hard water passes through the resin bed in the water softener, the resin exchanges the sodium ions it is carrying for the hardness ions found in the hard water. This exchange means that the water leaving the water softener will be completely free from limescale!

What happens to the resin in the water softener?

After time, the resin in the water softener will need to be cleaned of the hardness-causing minerals it has gathered so, a process called regeneration occurs. During regeneration, a brine solution (made from water and salt which is added into a water softener) is passed through the resin, when this happens the resin then exchanges the hardness minerals for sodium minerals leaving the resin ready to work again. This is all done automatically by our EWT Water Softeners, leaving you to enjoy the benefits of soft water!

As always, if there are any questions to be asked, please leave a comment below and we will answer all your queries, ASAP!

Water Softener Team, EW Technologies UK