How your localised water system can tighten your energy economy and harm your central heating system
How your localised water system can tighten your energy economy and harm your central heating system
Manufacturers have made multiple products and services that you can add to your central heating system to help it to perform efficiently for a longer period of time. Any household system, be it a refrigerator or television set or electrical wiring, will function better and more economically if it is well serviced. 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. By doing all this, you not only cut down on the electricity account, but also protect the environment. 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.
It usually happens in areas where hard water is present, you can go for water treatment to avoid these deposits.
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.
The UK has water types ranging from hard to soft based on the region where you live. Limescale deposits are common in areas that get hard water, and these deposits are first seen on kettles, taps and shower heads. Limescale reduces efficiency and adds to heating bills. A thin layer of limescale can increase your fuel bills by 40 percent. 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.
Water treatment products act by modifying the water borne salts and preventing harmful reactions. 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.
The outlook for possible corrosion can be determined by monitoring pH and salt levels as well as ionic conditions, using standard chemical testing kits.
Remember that when two different metals are connected (for example- aluminium and brass), an anode and cathode polarity is created thus starting the process of corrosion; this is something that a competent technician should watch out for when installing your system. You must get your gas connections done by a person registered with CORGI as the law requires this.
It is a good idea to plan ahead, if you are having a new system installed, think which water treatment you will require as some can be fitted to your system. Before using a water treatment remedy on your present system, ensure that the entire heating system is completely flushed out.
The mains water supply provides water to the heating systems, one can fix various other systems with the mains supply in order to deal with the problem of hard water, however these systems that soften the water work only for your household, they don’t do much about the problems associated with the central 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.
Corrosion, limescale and biological growth are the three things that you should be looking to limit or stop from occurring.
Corrosion can begin immediately after the water starts to fill up the system from the main source after installation. The residue from corrosive action causes clogging of the water flow and reduces uniform heat transfer through the radiators. It can cause pinholes in the radiators and if left can cause the boiler to become noisy.
Hard water has a higher concentration of calcium and magnesium salts which cause limescale deposits within the system. When the water is heated, these minerals deposit, forming a hard crust that grows with time and blocks the pipes. A vibrating and wheezing heating system can be a real nuisance.
Biological growth in the system is another one to avoid. Minute organisms can enter through the vents and storage tanks of the boiler. Once in the system it breeds producing slime and sludge. This can also grow and cause blockages in the pipework thereby reducing the efficiency of the whole system.
Various forums and websites provide useful information on water treatment. Take a look at this for a few minutes to improve your awareness. Kick-start with the manufacturers and their web sites. Browse through some of the reputed water treatment companies and their acclaimed products on this page. 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.
In order to ensure that your gas central heating system works efficiently and your household bills are also decreased, find out the best water treatment method and apply the recommended treatments every year.