Archive for the ‘Scalewatcher’ Category
Monday, January 18th, 2010
What’s the difference? A water softener filters out dissolved minerals, especially calcium and magnesium, while a water filter removes particulate matter and some pathogens. Water contaminants tend to be specific to certain areas; for more information, check out the Drinking Water Inspectorate’s database of regional water quality reports.
Hard Water
If you find that your water combines with soap to form a scummy grey film instead of suds, or if your water tends to leave “rings” in the tub, you may have “hard water” full of minerals. (more…)
Tags: Drinking water, Hard water, Water filter, Water softening
Posted in Appliances, Health, Scalewatcher, WATER | No Comments »
Friday, January 8th, 2010
Anybody that has grown up with and become accustomed to soft water in their home will most likely never choose to go without it. However, is it really necessary to have a water softener? Absolutely necessary? No. A great idea? Definitely. And here’s why:
Hard water contains a significant amount of dissolved minerals in it. That may not seem like anything worth giving much thought to. In reality though, these minerals can be the culprits of many common issues and problems with everything ranging from the cleanliness of your bathroom to the look and feel of your clothing (more…)
Tags: Hard water, WATER, Water softening
Posted in Appliances, Home, Interesting, Scalewatcher, WATER | No Comments »
Wednesday, December 9th, 2009
- Image by rbrwr via Flickr
Every house-owner at least once encountered a roof problem. Imagine this: it’s summertime, hot outside and you only wish for something to cool off. Yet, even in the sanctuary of your home it is not granted, as the sun shines upon your dark roof which absorbs all the heat… And the wisest thing to do would of course be to switch color to as light as possible. But then, after few months the winter comes and suddenly you’re glad that you didn’t go with the roof painting, as the same sun that bothered you during the summer now helps you lower your bills by increasing the temperature. Obviously, re-painting the roof every two seasons is not the best solution. And the problem remains. (more…)
Tags: Heat, heating, roof tiles, Sunlight, Temperature
Posted in Appliances, Cleaning Tips, Eco, Home, Interesting, Scalewatcher | 1 Comment »
Monday, September 21st, 2009
- Image via Wikipedia
The convenience of a dishwasher simplifies kitchen chores, while easily sanitising crockery, pans and utensils. However, a dishwasher can begin to show signs of fading in a household with hard water. Homeowners begin to notice that crockery comes out of the wash cycle with a white build up. Glasses, which used to come out of the dishwasher clear and sparkling, are now covered in a filmy layer. Stains begin to appear on the interior from the build up of hard water minerals. Although these minerals do not pose any real health risks, they do decrease the effectiveness of the appliance and increase costs of running it.
Calcium and magnesium, the two main minerals in hard water, do not only form their deposits on dishes and the inner walls of the dishwasher. These mineral deposits also build up within the water lines and the heating elements, which affects the service life of the appliance. The accumulation of lime scale is responsible for many appliance repairs and increased household bills. Hard water also affects the amount of dishwasher detergent used for each wash cycle, requiring more detergent for a thorough clean. (more…)
Tags: Calcium, Detergent, Dishwasher, Energy, Hard water, Magnesium, Mineral, WATER
Posted in Appliances, Home, Scalewatcher, WATER | No Comments »
Monday, August 31st, 2009
- Image via Wikipedia
Home-brewed coffee and tea, that morning cup or afternoon break, are simple pleasures of life. However, when brewed in hard water, these beverages can lose their taste and appeal. Consider the popularity of coffee and tea. In 2007 alone, the British Coffee Association estimates that £720 million was spent on coffee, with approximately 70 millions cups enjoyed each day. More than twice as much tea is consumed, 165 million cups daily, according to the UK Tea Council. It’s clear that people love these beverages. However, many don’t realize the affects of hard water. (more…)
Tags: Bottled water, Coffee, Drink, Food, Water treatment
Posted in Home, Scalewatcher, WATER | No Comments »
Friday, August 28th, 2009
- Image by Tym via Flickr
Doing the wash at home is a convenience that many people easily take for granted. However, even a generation ago, washing machines were not standard appliances in homes. The UK Statistics Authority showed that in 1981, only 78% homes in the UK had a washing machine. By 2008, this number increased to 96% . However, these washers prove less effective when a home has hard water. The minerals running through the laundry cycle leave deposits on clothing, while the scale can build up within appliances.
Some people might not realize that they have hard water, but laundry can show the signs. Coloured clothing dulls easily, while white clothing turns yellow or grey. Clothes feel dingy and stiff. Using liquid fabric softer might seem like an answer, but this is no substitute for water treatment. Even with a large amount of fabric softeners, the minerals in the water still run through the wash cycle, leaving deposits on clothes. (more…)
Tags: Basket, Clothing, Energy, Environment, Hard water, Laundry, laundry basket, WATER, Water treatment
Posted in Appliances, Bathroom, Home, Scalewatcher, WATER | No Comments »
Monday, August 24th, 2009
- Image via Wikipedia
No matter the economic climate, no one wants to lose money on household necessities. For homes with hard water, there are many added costs associated with this problem. Because of the mineral deposits contained in hard water, pipes fur up causing changes in a plumbing system. According to the Drinking Water Inspectorate, the scale left behind on heating systems and other appliances interfere with efficiency. The mineral deposits, such as calcium magnesium, affect more than just the water quality. They also affect your budget.
Without water treatment, repairs bills keep rolling in for appliances that use water. The lime scale that builds up in pipes restricts the flow of water and takes more energy to heat. (more…)
Tags: Drinking water, Energy, Environment, WATER, Water Resources, Water treatment
Posted in Eco, Scalewatcher, WATER | No Comments »
Thursday, August 20th, 2009
For those who enjoy a healthy, thriving garden, hard water with its overabundance of calcium and magnesium could be hurting your plants and flowers.
The deposits of salts from these minerals build up, decreasing the effectiveness of water heating systems and restricting water flow. In addition, without water treatment, this problem can wreak havoc in your yard. Life in the garden can certainly suffer from the ill effects of hard water.
According to University of Connecticut professor of horticulture George Elliot, hard water “can have a significant effect on plants, especially those growing in containers.” He explains that calcium and magnesium are two of the elements in limestone. (more…)
Tags: Environment, WATER, Water garden, Water Resources, Water treatment
Posted in Eco, Garden, Scalewatcher, WATER | No Comments »
Tuesday, August 18th, 2009
Most people understand water’s essential role in everyday life, but many don’t recognize the problems of hard water affecting their households. Over 50% of the United Kingdom is affected by hard water. Many people overlook this matter, even as the evidence flows from the tap. However, homeowners can significantly reduce energy loss and avoid the associated financial burdens by addressing any issues with hard water.
According to the Environmental Protections Agency, hard water contains a large amounts of minerals, usually calcium and magnesium. As it moves from aquifers to household pipes, hard water carries mineral deposits that build up, crystallizing in pipes, collecting within heating tanks and slowing heat transfer. (more…)
Tags: Dishwasher, Drinking water, electronic water conditioner, Equipment, Hard water, hard water problem, Scalewatcher, solution for hard water, WATER, Water heating, Water Resources, water softener
Posted in Appliances, Scalewatcher, WATER | No Comments »
Monday, June 22nd, 2009
Water filtration and conditioning systems are designed to remove the chemicals, minerals and other health-harmful impurities found in residential and commercial water systems. These impurities occur in municipal systems, rural systems and even in wells because of chemical runoff, farm effluence and natural minerals. A water conditioning system that removes these invaders may be a simple filtration device, it may be a apparatus that softens the water via chemical means, usually salt, or it may even be an electro-magnetic attachment to the water lines.
Filtration: A filtering device is placed either on the inbound water line that serves the whole house, or on the line to the particular area of the house where you need the contamination removal the most, like the kitchen. Filtration will remove most of the particulate matter down to a few microns in size, eliminating much of the chemical taste and minerals in your drinking, cooking and washing water. The filters need to be changed periodically to remain effective. (more…)
Tags: Bottled water, Filtration, Tap water, WATER, water conditioner, Water purification
Posted in Appliances, Scalewatcher, WATER | No Comments »
