What can you insert in your water to help your boiler
What can you insert in your water to help your boiler
There are many optional products that are available to add to your 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. Regardless, a gas central heating systems that’s given proper care will work for you smoothly. We have all heard the advice from the Government and environmental agents telling us to turn off our lights, turn off TVs and not leaving them on standby, and reducing our washing machine temperature and room thermostats. These energy saving tips are not only good for the environment, but also great for keeping your costs down at times of high energy costs. 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 sludge 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.
Living in the UK means that depending on whereabouts you are in the country, your water can range from hard to soft. Living in a hard water area means that you are prone to limescale your kettle probably being the first place that you will notice limescale deposits as well as on your showerhead and taps. Any collection of limescale will make your system run less economically and therefore increase your heating bill. A tiny layer of scale inside the cylinder of your hot water can augment your fuel cost by up to forty percent. These are basically calcium deposits solidifying from the water. These problems are not seen in areas that get soft water, however in case of any doubt one should always seek advice.
Water treatment products act by modifying the water borne salts and preventing harmful reactions. Some methods change one structure into another; a few others, remove the interfering structure; and the remaining, prevent the formation of limescale.
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.
First, you must ensure that your system has been installed by a competent person just knowing that you must never directly connect aluminium to copper or brass because simply by connecting different metals can start a reaction which causes corrosion. The gas connections should be made only by a trades person, who is Gas Safe registered (with CORGI).
Always plan before getting the new system installed; for instance, you should know what water treatment method should be used. If you are updating your existing system you would be looking at flushing the whole system before adding any water treatment solutions.
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 will not have any effect on how efficiently your system works, but they will make detergents and soaps lather up more easily.
Limescale formation, acidic corrosion and bio-chemical sludge are the main causes of heating system damage.
Corrosion will begin as soon as the tank is filled with water. Corrosion produces gunk and this prevents free circulation, this can eventually lead to formation of cold spots on radiators. If left as such, it can lead to the formation of pinholes in the radiator, and it will also make the boiler noisy.
In hard water areas the calcium and magnesium in the water causes limescale. 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. A vibrating and wheezing heating system can be a real nuisance.
Biological growth inside the system is another hazard that must be prevented. This tends to get into the system by open tanks. It establishes itself in the system and then produces sludge and slime. This material can really make your system under perform by clogging up the pipework.
Various forums and websites provide useful information on water treatment. It would be wise to take time to go through some of this information. We recommend starting with the manufacturers themselves. You can see below a list of some of the most popular products and their manufacturers. Forums and Blogs are another good source of free advice and wholesome information; you can also use these to directly get in touch with the suppliers.
So wish you all the best for your water treatment, make sure you chose the one that is effective and at the same time reduces your household costs by helping you maintain an efficient gas central heating system.