Treating your regions water supply to help the heating boiler
Treating your regions water supply to help the heating boiler
There are many optional products that are available to add to your central heating system to keep it running on a regular basis, and there are others that you can install and let them do the work for you day by day. In either case, your system will be well-prepared to work efficiently if you take the time to maintain it. You must have heard those environmental and government agents asking us to switch off our TV, lights etc when not in use, the room thermostats and washing machine temperatures should also be turned down to cut energy use and carbon dioxide production. These environmentally conscious steps not only save the greenery on our planet, but also save the pound notes in our wallet. So how to make your central heating system run efficiently and reduce carbon dioxide? Your gas central heating’s efficacy decreases when limescale deposits and sludge accumulate in it.
To prevent a mass of gunk and limescale from building up in your system, especially where the water is hard, you must try water treatment.
The term water treatment encompasses many different remedies for the protection of your system. A wide range of water treatment products including scale reducers and inhibitors, magnetic and electronic lime fighters, gunk removers, noise reducers and anti-freeze are available.
If you are living in UK, you should first ascertain the hardness of the water you are getting. If you are living in hard water region, then you will be more susceptible to limescale attacks; you can notice deposits in your kettle, tap and shower head. Limescale deposits inside boiler parts, pipework and radiators increases energy consumption and can lead to banging and bumping in the pipework. You may be surprised to hear that you bills can increase by as much as 40% with just a thin layer of limescale in your hot water cylinder. Limescale is nothing, but calcium deposits in your central heating system. Soft water area residents should not worry too much, but it doesn’t hurt to ask for help if you are not so sure.
The way that most water treatments work is by changing the molecular structure of the water’s particles which, in turn alters the way it behaves. It can do this in different ways for example, by changing one structure for another, by taking away a structure or by inhibiting the structure from becoming solid.
There are different types of chemical test kits available that can help you to ascertain the corrosion potential of water by measuring the pH, chloride, iron and copper levels.
The first thing that you need to do is to determine whether your system has been installed by a competent person or not; if different metals like aluminum and copper or brass are connected together, corrosion will set in immediately. Every gas connection should be carried out by a CORGI, Gas Safe, registered professional.
Don’t rush in to making a decision, always carefully consider what type of water treatment you need with your particular system. If you are revamping the old system, you should rinse out the whole system before adding the water treatment method.
It is worth noting that mains water supplies heating systems, but that any system you use to soften water will not help with any central heating problems that you may be having. These water softening chemicals can produce better lather and are good for your skin, but they cannot reverse the choking and pitting inside the heating system.
Limescale formation, acidic corrosion and bio-chemical sludge are the main causes of heating system damage.
Right from the time the system is installed and commissioned, internal conditions can cause corrosion to set in. Corrosion produces sludge and this prevents free circulation, this can eventually lead to formation of cold spots on radiators. Pinholes can also appear in the radiator and if the problem is not sorted out in good time your boiler could start to make noises.
Hard water has a higher concentration of calcium and magnesium salts which cause limescale deposits within the system. The deposits thicken when the water is heated, this leads to formation of a hard crust over a period of time which eventually blocks pipes etc. This can also make the system noisy and inefficient, you will be paying for gas that does not heat your home.
Biological growth in the system is another one to avoid. Minute organisms can enter through the vents and storage tanks of the boiler. The biological growth advances rapidly in the form of a slimy lining. If the growth occurs in pipework, it can decrease the efficacy of the entire system.
Plenty of free help is available on the internet. Please spare some time and go through this or read the other informative articles in this site. Lets first have a look at the manufacturers. This site contains a list of manufacturers, and the products that they produce and sell to help maintain your central heating. You can also gain additional information and seek advice through different blogs or forums, some may be run by the manufacturers.
Good luck with your water treatment heres to energy efficient central heating and hot water with lower household bills of course.