You central heating may want you to live somewhere else
You central heating may want you to live somewhere else
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. 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. All the above enlisted ways effectively save energy, protect the environment and bring down the electricity bill. But what about getting your gas central heating system to work more efficiently? The build up of gunk and limescale deposits in your central heating system will cause it to run less efficiently.
Whether your water is hard or soft can play a crucial role in the life of your central heating system and water treatment can help here - to extend the healthy working of your system with products such as Fernox.
Water treatment is a term used to cover many different ways of looking after your system. Various products of water treatment are available like electronic line and magnetic filters, noise reducers, sludge removers, anti-freeze and scale reducers and inhibitors.
Living in the UK means that depending on whereabouts you are in the country, your water can range from hard to soft. 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 reduces efficiency and adds to heating bills. Your fuel bills can increase by 40% even with small deposits of limescale in your cylinder. Basically, limescale is just the build up of calcium deposits. These problems are not seen in areas that get soft water, however in case of any doubt one should always seek 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. 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.
Your system must be installed by a professional, never connect brass or copper to aluminum as this can lead to corrosion through the interaction of these metals. You must get your gas connections done by a person registered with CORGI as the law requires this.
Don’t rush in to making a decision, always carefully consider what type of water treatment you need with your particular 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. They will not have any effect on how efficiently your system works, but they will make detergents and soaps lather up more easily.
With regards to heating systems, you have to prevent three important things viz,limescale, corrosion and biological growth.
From the very instant your heating system is in place corrosion can begin. Corrosion causes gunk in the system which can restrict the circulation causing cold spots on your radiators. Pinholes can appear in the radiators and if untreated the boiler can start making noises.
Limescale is caused by calcium and magnesium which is present in the water hard water areas having far more of these minerals than other parts of the country. The high temperature of the water causes these elements to become hard and crusty, leaving deposits behind that clog pipes etc. Limescale can again make the gas central heating system noisy.
Fungal and bacterial growth is another menace to vented heating systems. This is usually introduced into the system through open tanks. The biological growth advances rapidly in the form of a slimy lining. This sludge stagnates in the plumbing and slows down the flow of hot water.
Various forums and websites provide useful information on water treatment. Take a look at this for a few minutes to improve your awareness. Lets first have a look at the manufacturers. Below is a list of manufacturers and some of the popular products they have available. Besides inquiring for information with company sources, you should also read opinions on specialised blogs.
All the best with your water treatment, let energy conserving heating and hot water with lower household bills rule.