Annoying Limescale

[freshy]

Hi,

How do I stop limescale forming?

I have limescale build up everywhere in my house from shower heads, taps, sinks, toilets, kettles, irons and so on...

It's such a pain cleaning it all the time and I am looking and a way to stop this from occurring or dramatically reduce it.

Do these limescale eliminators actually work, does anyone have one?

http://www.emwc.uk.com/Details.asp?ProductID=86

http://www.scalemanager.co.uk/?c=glimescale

Or can anyone recommend something that does work?

Thanks

Freshy

 

[JohnD]

The ones that claim to work my magic, or by magnetism, or by electric currents, don't work.

The ones that have a synthetic resin to absorb the calcium, and have to be regenerated every week or so using salt granules (this is automatic) do work.

 

[Agile]

Dont be taken in by their "facts" ! The only proven fact is that they want your money.

I have never seen any real evidence which shows that type works! Its power consumption is so minute its difficult to see how 30 mA could have any effect at all through the coil.

The only way to remove hardness from water is an ion exchange softener. That might be about £600 to have installed and cost £120 per year for salt and servicing.

The device you linked to is a water conditioner except that in my opinion that type does not work.

There is another type of conditioner with a permanent magnet. There is considerable evidence that that type does work to an extent!

There is also a type using polyphosphates which certainly works but is not always advised as it involves regularly toping up with the chemical. It has a byproduct of depositing lime in the drains.

So you takes your pick. The only one I would use at home is the magnetic one but as explained it is NOT a softener only a conditioner.

Tony

 

[freshy]

Thanks for the quick replies...

It seems like the Kinetico 2020c is the model to go for.

Can anyone recommend a supplier & fitter in east Berkshire?

Cheers

Freshy

 

[bathjobby]

I bought and installed this one
http://www.emwc.uk.com/Details.asp?ProductID=87

about 18 months ago and it is superb. I have reported in other posts here to the benefits but in brief; top of the range (no electrical supply needed, double filter with cleaning one at a time so no loss of water during filter flushing, flushes based on usage not timer, so no unnecessary flushing when not in use). Benefits include, virtually eliminates limescale, less detergents, soaps, less cleaning, no salt required in dishwasher, etc, etc. Will take any form of salt - granule, block, tablet. Costs about £1 per week in salt (4 bed house, top up with salt approx once per 4 or 5 weeks), much less than it saves on d/w salt, soaps, detergents etc. And I got good after sales support (via e-mail) on a few fitting questions I had.
If you go for it I would also recommend their 15mm domestic connection kit as the pipes in it are true full bore 15mm unlike the diy sheds washing machine type pipes which have 15mm connectors but a lessor bore on the actual pipe.
N.B. And it actually fits into a standard kithchen cabinet, some others that claim to do so require you to cut a hole in the base of the cabinet the get them in.

 

[NickStone]

Freshy, just to add my twopenceworth, the units that use salt certainly do work. I've had two, a Prismertec and a Permutit and both were brilliant. I didn't realise quite how brilliant until I moved house in a hard water area. My hair started to feel harsh, my skin got dry, and I found myself having to deal with orangey stains on the bathroom tiles.

 

[JohnD]

me too

except for the stains.

 

[NickStone]

Well, it's more the grout really. Probably rubbish grout to begin with but it takes some scrubbing - which I'm not used to