Where you stay can touch upon your central heating system
Where you stay can touch upon your central heating system
There are several products that serve as auxiliary items for your central heating system so that it functions normally, and then there are those that work independently to give you the service you want. Irregardless of which you choose, you should take proper care of your heating system, only then can it perform efficiently. You must have heard those environmental and government agents asking us to switch off our Television, 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 these habits will result in lower household bills in addition to protecting the environment through energy saving. But, how will you make sure that your central heating system works efficiently? As the layers of gunk and limescale starts piling up, the efficiency of the system starts dwindling increasing your energy costs.
If you live in a region where hard water is being supplied, then you should look for water treatment methods to prevent gunk and limescale from damaging your central heating system.
The lifeblood of your heating system is the water that runs through it – Water Treatment maintains that water at an optimal quality to prevent damage and breakdown of the heating system. gunk extractors, limescale inhibitors, electronic and magnetic lime reducers, anti-freeze compounds and noise reducing agents are some of the extensive water treatment products sold in the market today.
In the UK, depending on where you live, your water could range between hard and soft. Limescale deposits are common in areas that get hard water, and these deposits are first seen on kettles, taps and shower heads. Limescale not only reduces the efficiency of your system, but also increases your 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.
Most water treatments act by altering the molecular structure of the water and the particles therein and changing the way it behaves. One way of modification is to convert a structure completely to another, another is to take out the mischievous component, and yet another way is to prevent the structure from becoming solid, thus leaving its normal process unrealized.
You can find out the ph and chloride, iron and copper levels with chemical test kits, which will allow you to measure the likely corrosion rate in your system.
First, you must ensure that your system has been installed by a competent person just knowing that you must never directly connect aluminium to copper or brass because simply by connecting different metals can start a reaction which causes corrosion. You must get your gas connections done by a person registered with CORGI as the law requires this.
If you anticipate hard water problems, you can fit out your new central heating system with a suitable water treatment attachment. 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. These water softening chemicals can produce better lather and are good for your skin, but they cannot reverse the choking and pitting inside the heating system.
With regards to heating systems, you have to prevent three important things viz,limescale, corrosion and biological growth.
Corrosion can start from the moment the system is set up and filled with water from the mains supply. Corrosion causes sludge 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.
In hard water areas the calcium and magnesium in the water causes limescale. Deposits of these minerals leave hard crusts in the system when the water is heated. This can also make the system noisy and uneconomical, you will be paying for gas that does not heat your home.
The next problem to deal with is the biological growth. They gets into the heating system through open tanks. Once in the system it breeds producing slime and gunk. It can also cover the inside of the pipework resulting in clogs and negatively affecting the operation of the whole system.
Various forums and websites provide useful information on water treatment. These resources cover product details as well as user feedback. We recommend starting with the manufacturers themselves. You can find a list manufacturers and the popular items they carry in this site. Blogs also offer ample source of free help and information or you can contact the companies with any questions.
So wish you all the best for your water treatment, make sure you chose the one that is effective and at the same time cuts your household bills by helping you maintain an efficient gas central heating system.