You heating boiler may like you to live someplace else
You heating boiler may like you to live someplace else
There are several products that serve as auxiliary items for your central heating system so that it operates normally, and then there are those that work independently to give you the service you want. Either way, a well looked after heating system will run more efficiently for you. The Government and environmental agencies repeatedly tell us about the ways to conserve energy like switching off the lights and appliances when not in use, re-adjusting the temperature of the room and washing machine according to the needs, and not leaving any electrical device in the standby mode. All these habits will result in lower household bills in addition to protecting the environment through energy saving. What is the best way to get your central heating system to work more economically? With the accumulation of the likes of limescale and sludge in your system will make it less efficient.
To stop the build up of limescale and gunk in your system particularly in hard water areas, then you need to take a look at water treatment.
Water treatment is a term used to cover many different ways of looking after 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.
Your location in the UK caninfluence the extent of your water’s hardness or softness. If you find a build up of limescale in your kettle and on your shower head you probable live in a hard water area. Limescale not only reduces the efficiency of your system, but also increases your heating bills. You may be surprised to hear that you bills can increase by as much as forty percent with just a thin layer of limescale in your hot water cylinder. Basically, limescale is just the build up of calcium deposits. Soft water which contains less calcium salts is less prone to this scale formation, however it is advisable to test the water and take precautions.
The water treatment options work by changing water’s molecular structure, it changes the way water behaves. Some methods change one structure into another; a few others, remove the interfering structure; and the remaining, prevent the formation of limescale.
The outlook for possible corrosion can be determined by monitoring pH and salt levels as well as ionic conditions, using standard chemical testing kits.
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. By law, only CORGI registered tradespeople can deal with gas connections, this scheme is now known as Gas Safe.
Always plan before getting the new system installed; for instance, you should know what water treatment method should be used. If you are upgrading your current system, you must cleanse your whole system before any water treatment chemicals are added.
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. They do not alter the efficiency of your system, they only allow soaps and detergents to produce more lather when washing clothes.
The three main things that you need to prevent are corrosion, limescale and biological growth.
Right from the time the system is installed and commissioned, internal conditions can cause corrosion to set in. Corrosion produces gunk 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.
In hard water areas the calcium and magnesium in the water causes limescale. Heat causes these minerals to precipitate and step by step encrust the inner lining of pipes, leading to blockage. A vibrating and wheezing heating system can be a real nuisance.
Biological growth is another thing that should be avoided at all costs. This problem occurs when tanks are open as they are in certain types of central heating system. It establishes itself in the system and then produces sludge and slime. In addition to the tank, they grow into the pipes and block them; thereby the efficiency of the system is further reduced.
You can learn more about these problems on the internet. It would be wise to take time to go through some of this information. Kick-start with the manufacturers and their web sites. You can see below a list of some of the most popular products and their manufacturers. Besides inquiring for information with company sources, you should also read opinions on specialised blogs.
Good luck with your water treatment heres to energy efficient central heating and hot water with lower household bills of course.