Water Softeners

I fit all sorts of water softeners, water filters and scale reducers. To keep homes free of limescale.

Water Hardness

Hard water is water supplied to your home which contains Calcium Carbonate, potasium and Magnesium at quantities over 120ppm or parts per million. Water supplied in the Newbury, Oxford and Swindon areas is classified as hard or very hard. This water is generally at around 200 to 300ppm. For information on your water hardness and other water quality issues you can visit the Thames water website: https://www.thameswater.co.uk/help/water-quality/check-your-water-quality#/search

You will find a report for the water quality in your area and if you look down on the page there is a figure for total hardness CaCo3 in Mg/l in my case 300Mg per litre or 300 parts per million. 300 or above is ‘very hard’ and needs treating

Water softeners, why bother?

You may be used to seeing scum rings on baths and deposits on taps and shower screens but the effects of hard water are not desirable and can’t easily be removed.

The life of garments can be extended by 50% through washing them in soft water
More than 50% less detergent is required when using soft water.
A Family of 4 can save £500.00 a year in detergent, energy, maintenance and other costs.
Showers, taps and kettles do not become scaled up
The life of your Boiler(heat exchanger), washing machine, dishwasher, hot water cylinder, pipe work and valves will be hugely extended.
Without scale your boiler and/or hot water cylinder will be more efficient.
The softened water will remove scale from your pipes.
Your skin and hair feels softer and cleaner when washed in soft water
With savings on plumbing and soap products a water softener will pay for itself in two to three years.

The softener can be easily moved if you decide to move home.

Ion Exchange Water Softeners

Water softeners use a chemical process called ion exchange to remove Calcium carbonate and other minerals from your water. The resin beads held inside the cylinder within your softener bind with sodium ions. When hard water is passed through the sodium ions are exchanged for Calcium ions. The calcium is removed from the water and replaced/exchanged with sodium ions. Once the beads charge gets depleted, salt is used to regenerate the beads so that they can go back into attracting the calcium ions again.

Electric and magnetic water conditioners

These products do not remove hardness from your water. They can be useful placed in line just before an electric shower or a boiler. They reduce scale by putting a charge in the water and altering the shape of hardness crystals.
These can be fitted for around £100.

However, the effect can be temporary and is lost when water flow stops for more than 30 minutes. Any stored water in cylinders and tanks will gradually return to the same condition as before.

Whole house water treatment with phosphate dosing

This uses phosphate balls which slowly dissolve into your water supply as it passes through the vessel. This is effective in reducing scale build up by changing the chemistry of your incoming water. It does not soften the water but it does reduce the problem. It is safe to drink the water. This can be fitted at much lower cost than a full water softener from around £200 and is often fitted with a combi boiler. The phosphate balls must be renewed every year

Demonstration

I have a small portable water softener and I will be happy to demonstrate the effects and benefits using your water in your home. The demonstration takes 20 minutes and there is no pressure to buy anything.

Buying a water softener

First, I will check the size of your incoming main water pipe and provide you with a quote.
Once we have decided where the machine will go the installation usually takes less than a day.
The softener can be installed in a kitchen cupboard
You will be provided with hoses and valves so that the machine can be taken out and moved if you decide to move home.
Payment can be made once the softener is installed and working.

The cost of buying and running a softener

The main only on going cost is salt which will be around £85 per year.
There is no annual servicing required.
There is no electricity supply required for harvey’s machines, so you do not need a socket in the cupboard to run this softener.
It uses 17 litres of water to regenerate one of its tanks for every 375 litres of softened water provided.
This machine is expected to be reliable for 15 years or more
This water softener has a two year full guarantee with back up provided by myself as well as the factory and staff based in Woking.

Speak to Chris

Call the West Berkshire Plumber

Specialists in Harvey and BWT Water Softeners