The water that we use in our homes and businesses comes from a variety of sources. As rainwater permeates through bedrock before extraction and use, it picks up calcium and magnesium mineral salts. The higher the concentration of these minerals, the harder your water is.

Hard water is more prevalent in areas with a sedimentary bedrock, typically in the Southeast of England, as shown in the map.

Hard water can be problematic, causing the build-up of hard calcium and magnesium mineral deposits on appliances, known as scaling. Common issues resulting from scale build-up include:

• Restrictions in flow, reducing the effectiveness of systems
• Scale insulates heating elements and reduces efficiency
• An environment where bacteria, including legionella, can thrive
• Higher maintenance costs and increased breakdowns
• Scale deposits on showers, taps and other water assets lead to increased cleaning costs and bacterial risk.

What is a water softener and how does it work?

A softener is a water treatment system that is designed to alter certain minerals, namely carbonates and hydrogen carbonates of calcium and magnesium, that are found in hard water.

Incoming mains water is fed through a resin bed which replaces the calcium and magnesium from the carbonates and hydrogen carbonates with sodium. The sodium versions of these minerals remain soluble in the water and don’t deposit as scale.

When the resin becomes saturated with calcium / magnesium, the system automatically regenerates by flushing itself with brine. This removes the calcium and recharges the resin with sodium. At the end of the process, softened water is transported to the cold-water distribution system.

Water softeners are an effective way to manage the effects of hard water on your appliances. Softened water reduces the risk of damage and inefficiency caused by the build-up of scale deposits in your water system. Softeners are sized to the application and can be small enough to fit in a kitchen cupboard or fill a room of its own. Whilst a softener uses salt in its process, it doesn’t add it to the water used in your home or business. Softeners require maintenance and regular operators checks, including the top up of salt, however, the cost of maintaining a softener can easily be offset by the reduction in cleaning, detergents and equipment repairs.

Water softeners, of all sizes, are widely available but it is recommended to utilise professional services to ensure they fit the application correctly.

To find out if a water softener could benefit your business, please get in touch via the form below.