Are you damaging the central heating system with an inappropriate water
Are you damaging the central heating system with an inappropriate water
You can find a number of products that can be added to your heating system to help it run smoother as well as some products that can take care of themselves. Either way, a well looked after heating system will run more efficiently for you. It is now well known, thanks to advice given by governments and environmental organisations, that we should save energy wherever possible by turning off lights, washing clothes at lower temperatures, switching TVs off and turning down thermostats. All of these are effective ways of saving energy which will not only help environmentally but also reduce many household energy bills. What is the best way to get your central heating system to work more economically? With the accumulation of the likes of limescale and gunk in your system will make it less efficient.
You should be thinking about water treatment to stop this accumulation of gunk and limescale, especially if you live in a hard water area.
The term ‘water treatment’ is one that is used to describe various methods of taking care of your system. A wide range of water treatment products including scale reducers and inhibitors, magnetic and electronic lime fighters, sludge 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 spot limescale formation inside your kettle or bath taps, there is probably hard water running in your taps. Limescale not only reduces the efficiency of your system, but also increases your heating bills. A tiny layer of scale inside the cylinder of your hot water can augment your fuel cost by up to 40%. Limescale is simply calcium deposits in your system. Although those living in soft water areas will not have to take as many provisions, if you are unsure you should still get professional advice.
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. Water treatment works in different ways, it can change the structure or prevent the formation of solid or remove the offending particle altogether.
There are chemical test kits which will measure the ph and chloride levels and also the iron and copper levels so that you can measure the probable corrosion potential and rate.
To begin with, you should make certain that your system has been assembled by a qualified individual, for example it’s important to have the simple knowledge that connecting aluminum and copper or brass triggers a corrosive reaction because that’s what happens when different metals are joined. Every gas connection should be carried out by a CORGI, Gas Safe, registered professional.
You should decide about the water treatment well in advance, especially when you are installing a new heating system. It would be a good idea to completely flush your whole system before adding any water treatments.
The central heating system will take water from the main pipeline, and in this line, even if a functional water treatment method is already there to tackle the problem of hard water this method will be of no use for your heating system. You will be able to make lather with detergents and soaps more easily but your heating system will still have problems with efficiency.
With regards to heating systems, you have to prevent three important things viz,limescale, corrosion 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 develop in the radiators which can make the boiler noisy when heating up.
Limescale results from the presence of calcium and magnesium in water, hard water regions have these elements more than the rest of the country. Heat causes these minerals to precipitate and bit by bit encrust the inner lining of pipes, leading to blockage. Limescale can again make the gas central heating system noisy.
You should also be wary of biological growth. Minute organisms can enter through the vents and storage tanks of the boiler. It establishes itself in the system and then produces gunk and slime. This gunk stagnates in the plumbing and slows down the flow of hot water.
You can learn more about these problems on the internet. Take out time to go through a few pages of free advice. It is recommended that you begin with the producers of the various systems. This site contains a list of manufacturers, and the products that they produce and sell to help maintain your central heating. You can also find a lot of really useful information and tips through forums as well as speaking to suppliers directly with any specific questions that you may have.
All the best with your treatment and let’s hope you can get your central heating systems working as efficiently as possible to save you some cash.