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So, what is limescale? And why it is a problem?
We see many people asking us these questions when they enquire about our products. So in this article, we’re giving a brief idea about what limescale is and why you should take it seriously.

Limescale : What is limescale?

When water falls to the Earth as rain, it is what we call soft water. Soft water means that it is pure water, uncontaminated by any other trace minerals or debris. In an ideal world, all of our water needs would be met by soft water, from the water we drink, to the water we use to clean and the water we use in our heating systems. Unfortunately, there’s no way for us to go straight from rain water to tap water and meet the demands as well as ensure that the water is clean. So most of the water that we get through our taps and through the central water system is what’s called groundwater. Groundwater is water that is collected after it falls to the ground. Unfortunately, groundwater is not soft water. By the time it has fallen to the ground, it will absorb certain trace minerals and other chemicals.

Now these chemicals are not often dangerous in that they pose any meaningful threat to our health in the short term, but they are less than ideal for a number of reasons. At the forefront of these reasons is the build-up of limescale.  Limescale is the accumulation of debris, most commonly calcium carbonate, which is leftover material from when hard water passes through your systems. In simple words, limescale is the white build-up you see on the heating elements of appliances or materials which are in constant contact of hard water. Let it be your kettle, pipes, bathroom or glasses; it can be anywhere.

Limescale: Why is it a problem?

Once again, limescale is not really a health risk per se, so there are no serious health issues related to it. However, the build-up of limescale over time means that everything that accumulates it will be less effective. Simply put, this means that your hot water tank/boiler won’t work as well in terms of your heating system and can take up to 30% longer to heat depending on the volume of limescale in your water. All your taps will eventually lose water pressure, because the limescale will have built up to an extent where the water simply can’t get through as quickly. It might mean that your kettle takes longer to boil, because the electric heater inside it is caked with calcium carbonate. Shower heads become clogged and shower time becomes a frustration rather than a joy. Or it might mean that your washing machine simply doesn’t clean your clothes as effectively as it should do.
If your home has similar problems to those mentioned above you should consider addressing them as not only will you save money but also the hassle of having to replace these appliances over the years. Limescale can increase your hot water heating bills by up to 30%. If your water pressure is not at optimum, eventually your pipes will block.Water softening and filtration systems from EWT can help you get rid of limescale problem once and for all. Simply contact us on http://www.ewtechnologies.co.uk to get started by asking about our Gold Series Package Offer and make your home limescale free once and for all!

 

The quality of water in our home is hugely important and very few of us consider the health effects and cost of have poor quality water. We often take for granted the fact that the water we get from the tap is clean, and undiluted by other materials. Whilst in Ireland we generally do have clean drinking water, which is almost perfectly safe to drink, very few of us know exactly what is in the water that we get out of the tap. Unfortunately, many of us live in areas with hard water. Hard water is water that is contains trace elements of minerals such as calcium and magnesium. Rainwater is soft or pure water, but as soon as the water hits the atmosphere it can collect gases and other impurities in the air. Most water in our systems is collected from groundwater hence it is obvious that the water we get in our homes is hard. Whilst these minerals are almost never harmful, they can have costly effects to our family and homes. It can be quite marked, especially among people who are vulnerable or still physically developing.

Benefits of soft water for children

You can rectify the problem of having hard water in your home by buying water filtering system, or water softening system. This has many benefits, but most of all it has benefits for children and adults alike. Children are at a crucial stage in the development, and they will grow more as a child than they ever do as an adult. That’s why it’s crucial that they get the right amount of minerals and vitamins, and they don’t get it from sources they shouldn’t. It is important that children get enough calcium, because it helps their bones, teeth, and general skeleton and muscular structure to develop.

You water can contain other minerals and chemicals such as fluoride and chlorine which can damage healthy teeth and bones. Hard water may also irritate the soft skin of children and adults and may cause serious skin and hair issues with prolonged exposure. That’s why having soft water at your home is important.  Mains water/Council water that is softened does not contain any minerals and is less irritable on children’s sensitive skin

Benefits of soft water for people with sensitive skin

If you have sensitive skin, then you know that it is very easy for you to get outbreaks of either dry skin, or inflamed skin, or whatever malady that you suffer from. It may also be difficult to understand where some of these outbreaks come from- Is it from the detergent you use. Is it something you eat? Or is it something to do with the quality of your water?

If you’re tried changing your daily products or any other methods suggested by your doctors, the cause may be hard water. Hard water may dry out your skin dry or leave rashes or other issues with prolonged use. That’s why it may be worth investing in a water softening solution if you have sensitive skin.

If you’re tried changing your daily products or any other methods suggested by your doctors, the cause may be hard water. Hard water may dry out your skin dry or leave rashes or other issues with prolonged use. That’s why it may be worth investing in a water softening solution if you have sensitive skin.
Water softeners also have many other benefits such as saving in costs, clean bathrooms and floor, increasing the lifetime of appliances and up to a 25% reduction in heating costs. Soft water can also break down existing lime scale within your home bringing your appliances and hot water tank back to normal within weeks.

For more information on how water softeners can benefit your home and family contact EWT now on   http://www.ewtechnologies.co.uk/water-softeners-range or call 0202 384 0204 and ask about our half price GOLD SERIES package offer.

Why focus on expensive options such as double-glazing or solar panels when there are easier and cheaper choices? One of that is cutting limescale – calcium carbonate deposits that form when water is heated – in water systems.

Plumbers and engineers have long known about the damage and costs caused by limescale, but water suppliers, house builders and homeowners are only now waking up to the savings.

Limescale levels vary by region. Only Cornwall, western areas of Wales and parts of Scotland are classified as 'soft or moderately soft' water areas. Majority of the households in the east area between Leeds and Southampton have 'hard to very hard' water with high amount of calcium. In these areas, homeowners will regularly need to clean deposits from showerheads, kettles, dishwashers and other appliances.

But the more serious damage is harder to see and remove. Average household consumes around 23,000 KWh of energy per year which costing £1,250.The Government estimates that 84 per cent of this amount goes on heating. Much of this involves heating water to use directly and to fill central heating systems. Limescale on boiler elements and in pipes drastically reduces the efficiency of a heating system or even wrecks pumps and other equipment.

The Carbon Trust – independent experts on carbon reduction – calculates that every millimeter of limescale on a boiler's element increases energy consumption by 7 per cent. Limescale builds in hard water conditions at about 1mm a year.
Research by the University of Plymouth found that a boiler with no limescale took 90 minutes a day to supply the average home's hot water, while a boiler with 5mm of scale took more than 4 hours. With 1Omm of scale, this rose to more than 6 hours, adding hundreds of pounds to a household's annual gas bill.

In 2006, the Government required new homes in hard water regions to have water softeners installed. Several local authorities are now putting them in during council property refits.

EW Technologies introduces new GOLD series water softeners just for £674 which will remove limescale from your water and will save you up to £600 per year. Please contact us on 020 3199 4158 or check our website www.ewtechnologies.co.uk

Kieran Fitzgearld of EW Technologies joins the Water Quality Association (WQA) and the National Groundwater Association (NWGA) in encouraging the citizens of (state or city or county) to protect public health and the health of the environment by protecting groundwater beginning on Protect Your Groundwater Day, September 10.

“It is crucial for well owners to test their water regularly to ensure its quality,” said Kieran Fitzgearld .

Nationally, almost 45 percent of the population regularly depends on groundwater for its drinking supply. 1000s of irish residents are served by privately owned individual wells.

For household water well owners, how they manage their well systems and property can make a difference in their water quality. People who do not use household wells also can make a difference in groundwater quality, for instance, by how they store, use, and dispose of hazardous household substances, or how well they maintain their septic systems.

WQA offers certification for trained professionals to help give consumers confidence about the knowledge of local dealers, through “Find A Water Professional” at wqa.org.

Additionally, the Gold Seal on a product means it has been tested and certified for effectiveness. WQA uses independent standards established by NSF International/American National Standards Institute

(NSF/ANSI). Products that have passed testing can be found at wqa.org.

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WQA is a partner in Protect Your Groundwater Day, which is sponsored by the National Ground Water Association (NGWA).

 

The reason why high and low PH values are important in water supplies is due the corrosive effect an extreme of either can cause to you hot water tanks, bathroom fixtures and hot water appliances.

You may notice this as a green staining on bathroom fixtures, corrosion of copper pipes, brass fittings and fixtures in your home and workplace. Very high PH can cause pitting of aluminium fittings.

The best way of determining whether or not your water supply is corrosive is to test your water for PH levels. You can then determine if your water is aggressive or acid in nature, resulting in the corrosion problems above.
Neutral water is water with a PH of 7 while acidic water has a PH reading of below 7 and alkaline water has a PH read of above  7.

What causes my water to become corrosive/acidic?

The main reason for low PH in water supplies is the presence of Carbon dioxide.  Well water supplies pick carbon dioxide from decaying vegetation. Mains or town water supplies like lakes and streams pick up carbon dioxide from the atmosphere.
When the carbon dioxide mixes with water it creates a weak acid called Carbonic Acid which in turn reacts with the copper, brass and aluminium causing these materials to corrode over time.

When Iron pyrite is oxidised in water sulphuric acid is formed which can be another reason for low PH levels in your water.

How do I treat low pH water?

EW Technologies recommend firstly that you test your water for PH levels before deciding on what method of treatment to install in your home or office. There are two common methods for removing low ph:

1.       By adding a chemical solution
2.       By passing the water through a filter bed.

EW Technologies recommend the installation of a CALCITE MEDIA VESSEL.  This media does not over correct the PH value of your water and will raise it evenly to a level of approximately 7.2 PH under proper operating conditions when temperatures and pressure flow rates are sufficient.

For more information on water quality like our facebook page or visit our website 

In this blog post, we aim to answer all the questions you've asked us about water coolers and limescale in the UK and will continue to provide you with information about water softeners in our upcoming series of blog posts; so stay tuned! Do read on to know more…

 

What is referred to as – upstream in a water filter?

Upstream is the point where water flows into a water filter. The inlet side of the water filter is referred to as – Upstream.

 

What is referred to as – downstream in a water filter?

Downstream is the point where water flows out of a water filter. The outlet side of the water filter is referred to as – Downstream.

 

What is the boiling point of a substance?

The boiling point of a substance is the temperature at which the vapour pressure of the substance is equal to the atmospheric pressure.

 

What is meant by pre-filtration of water?

Pre-filtration is the water filtration method which involves the removal of coarse particles or large debris in water prior to secondary filtration processes for water purification.

 

What is meant by media filtration?

Media filtration is the water filtration method in which graded particles such as sand, gravel or other granular materials perform the filtration of water.

 

Do share your comments and questions about water coolers and water softeners in the form below; we'd love to hear from you!

In this blog post, we aim to answer all the questions you've asked us about water coolers and limescale in the UK and will continue to provide you with information about water softeners in our upcoming series of blog posts; so stay tuned! Do read on to know more…

 

What is meant by depth filtration?

Depth filtration is the process by which suspended solids in water are removed and collected by means of a filtration media.

 

What is meant by differential pressure?

Differential pressure is defined as the difference in pressure between inlet side and outlet side of the water filter.

 

What is meant by effective filtration area?

Effective filtration area refers to the total area of the filtration media which is exposed to water flow.

 

What is meant by screen filtration?

Screen filtration is a mechanical water filtration technique which uses a filtration screen to remove impurities out of water.

 

What is meant by vapour pressure?

Vapour pressure is the pressure at which water evaporates at a given temperature.

 

Do share your comments and questions about water coolers and water softeners in the form below; we'd love to hear from you!

In this blog post, we aim to answer all the questions you've asked us about water coolers and limescale in the UK and will continue to provide you with information about water softeners in our upcoming series of blog posts; so stay tuned! Do read on to know more…

 

What is meant by primary treatment of water?

The process of water filtration by using physical filters or through chemical means is known as pre-treatment or primary treatment of water.

 

What is meant by secondary treatment of water?

The removal of organic matter from waste water by making use of biological processes is known as secondary treatment of water. Sewage treatment plants implement secondary treatment of water for water purification.

 

What is meant by tertiary treatment of water?

The advanced cleaning of waste water which helps remove nutrients such as phosphorus, nitrogen and most suspended solids from water is known as tertiary treatment of water.

 

What is meant by desalination or desalination of water?

Desalination or desalination of water refers to the process of removal of some amount of salt and other minerals from saline water.

 

What is meant potable water?

Potable water is water which is fit for consumption by humans and animals. Potable water is also called drinking water.

 

Do share your comments and questions about water coolers and water softeners in the form below; we'd love to hear from you!

In this blog post, we aim to answer all the questions you've asked us about water coolers and limescale in the UK and will continue to provide you with information about water softeners in our upcoming series of blog posts; so stay tuned! Do read on to know more…

 

Can I get any special offers on water filters?

Yes, you can! EW Technologies – UK's leading water filter company launches special offers on the best-designed water filters in England.

 

Where is EWTechnologies located?

EW Technologies – England's leading water filtration and water softener company has offices in Kent, Essex.

 

What is a water filter?

A water filter is a household device which filters water contaminants from drinking water. Water filters are capable of converting raw, tap water into clean, drinking water.

 

What are the benefits of the reverse osmosis process of water purification?

Water purification systems which use the reverse osmosis purification process are cheaper and energy-efficient when compared to purification units which use the water distillation process.

 

How is water filtration performed?

Water filtration is performed by means of a water filtration media, over which raw water flows and becomes purified water.

The water filtration media blocks the passage of water contaminants through physical obstruction, chemical adsorption, or a combination of both processes and gives clean, filtered water as the end result.

 

Do share your comments and questions about water coolers and water softeners in the form below; we'd love to hear from you!

In this blog post, we aim to answer all the questions you've asked us about soft water and water uses in the UK and will continue to provide you with information about water softeners in our upcoming series of blog posts; so stay tuned! Do read on to know more…

 

Do I need soft water in my swimming pool?

Not really! Soft water is good for laundry and bathing because it produces lather much faster than hard water. It's not necessary to have water softened in a swimming pool.

 

What is meant by flow rate?

Flow rate is referred to the volume of water which passes through a water cooler, water softener or water filter per unit of time. The higher the flow rate, the more powerful the water treatment equipment.

 

Can I use soft water for cooking?

Once softened water is passed through a water filter it becomes filtered. The filtered water may be used for cooking purposes.

 

What is raw water?

Any form of untreated water is known as raw water. Tap water and surface water are examples of raw water.

 

What is the molecular composition of water?

Each molecule of water contains 2 atoms of Hydrogen and 1 atom of Oxygen. The molecular formula of water is H2O.

 

Do share your comments and questions about soft water and water softeners in the form below; we'd love to hear from you!