FAQ - Frequently Asked Questions
Water Softening
- How do I know if the hardness of my water is detrimental to my plumbing?
- I’ve had water hardness quoted to me in ppm and degrees Clarke and also in grains - I’m very confused?
- There seems to be a big difference in the price of some water softeners. Why is this so?
- Can water softeners be difficult to install?
- How quickly will I see the benefits of softened water and will existing scale be removed?
- Is having a water softener really worthwhile?
- Can I drink softened water?
- I’ve heard that soft water can be beneficial to eczema sufferers?
- I’ve been told that there can be problems using softened water with aluminium boilers. Is this true?
- I’m not on main drainage so can the waste water regenerant from a softener be discharged into a septic tank?
- I’m concerned that the water softener regeneration process discharges salt to drain. Surely this is environmentally unfriendly as well as wasting water?
- I’ve had my Kinetico 15 years. It has suddenly stopped working. I’ve been very pleased with it, but is it worth fixing or should I consider investing in a new machine?
Drinking Water Systems
- Are in-line drinking water filters better than jug filters?
- I’m confused about drinking water filters and purifiers - is there a difference?
- Why is my new under sink filter system scaling up my kettle whereas my previous jug filter did not?
- I’m concerned that I will lose the health benefits of the mineral content in hard water if I install an RO drinking water system?
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Q. How do I know if the hardness of my water is detrimental to my plumbing?
We can measure hardness in mg/l (milligrams per litre) of calcium carbonate. We know that above a certain level of dissolved chalk and lime, water hardness will begin to cause scaling and scum problems.
Totally softened water is between 5 and 7 mg/l. Naturally soft water, common in Scotland, Wales and South West England, has a hardness of between 60 and 80mg/l.
If one draws an imaginary line between The Severn Estuary and The Wash, most areas to the south have hard water where the purchase of a water softener would be an excellent investment. There is one exception; the region between the North and South Downs (centred on Gatwick and Crawley) where the water is drawn from the shale between the two chalk escarpments. Here the water is about 160 to 180mg/l.
It’s rare that we sell water softeners into areas unless the water is over 250mg/l.. It is above this level that scaling problems become prevalent.
Most of London is around 300mg/l. The Home Counties have hardness levels between 300 and 350mg/l. The same applies to most of the Thames Valley and Hampshire. Suffolk is worse with levels common at 380mg/l. Birmingham is lucky receiving most of its water from the Elan Valley Dams in Wales. Leamington Spa on the other hand has very hard water between 350 and 400mg/l. Water hardness is even worse in parts of Yorkshire, particularly around Boroughbridge, where it is well in excess of 400mg/l.
(See map and hardness chart on page entitled ‘Problems of hard water’).
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Q. I’ve had water hardness quoted to me in ppm and degrees Clarke and also in grains - I’m very confused?
We’re not surprised. Milligrams per litre (mg/l) and parts per million (ppm) are the same scale of measurement. In other words 300ppm is the same as 300mg/l.
Degrees Clark (°Clark) was commonly quoted in the UK many years ago but is little used today. 1° Clark is equivalent to 14.3ppm or mg/l. It corresponds to one grain of calcium carbonate in one Imperial gallon of water or 14.3 parts of calcium carbonate in 1,000,000 parts of water.
It is unusual to have hardness referred to in grains per gallon (gpg). This is a term commonly used in America and associated with the US gallon. I gpg is equivalent to 17.1mg/l.
There are also French and German degrees which can confuse matters even further so we won’t go there.
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Q. There seems to be a big difference in the price of some water softeners. Why is this so?
Water softeners are available through two types of outlet - the larger DIY stores / plumbing merchants and the specialist water treatment company (we are one of the latter).
Over the counter sales and on-line purchases can be at a lower price. When you buy from a specialist you benefit in buying a complete and very important support package, similar to that provided by a replacement window company. Unfortunately, water softeners are not considered ‘white goods’ and cannot be fitted like washing machines and dishwashers. Location, installation, water pressure, water flow, the related plumbing of outside taps and drinking taps are highly important and can provide complications. Bylaw requirements must also be considered. Programming procedures can also vary.
As a full softener dealership, we emphasise the importance of a free, no obligation site survey before deciding which machine is suitable. This does not preclude a DIY installation, but a home visit can answer many questions and highlight any difficulties, with the option of having a trained engineer to undertake the fitting and commissioning for you.
Similarly, purchase plans, longer guarantees and aftercare services, including local salt deliveries, are part of our support package. Dealership products tend to be more advanced, smaller, and more efficient with the option of the latest block salt technology. Consequently prices reflect this attention to detail and the individual approach given to customer’s requirements. Experience shows the worth of this approach and reflects in customer satisfaction.
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Q. Can water softeners be difficult to install?
Anyone with DIY plumbing experience should be able to install a water softener.
However, a softener installation is not as straightforward as fitting a washing machine or dishwasher. The positioning of the rising water main, outside tap, water pressure implications and the installation of a drinking tap can extend fitting times. It is worth taking professional advice before tackling an installation.
DIY kits are available and a straightforward installation should take less than a day.
We always advise a site survey. This is a free visit enabling us to discuss with you all the implications of having softened water in your home. As already stated the installation can be complex and if considered preferable we can organise fitting through our own engineers.
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Q. How quickly will I see the benefits of softened water and will existing scale be removed?
After installation cold softened water should be available throughout your home immediately.
The type of heating system you have will determine how quickly hot water becomes soft. Softened water is gently aggressive and is guaranteed to remove all existing scale and hard water staining throughout your home.
In many cases the crud around taps, blocked up shower roses and stains around baths and basins will begin to be removed within a few weeks. The quality of the softened water will not be compromised.
Thicker deposits will take longer to remove. In some cases this may take several months or even years. No leaks should occur. Scale is porous. Any leak would appear regardless of whether the water is hard or soft.
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Q. Is having a water softener really worthwhile?
There is so much to commend softened water that one of our Aquafact sheets is devoted to the topic - see Aquafact sheet No 5.
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Q. Can I drink softened water?
In this area - definitely YES. There are a small number of places where water is extremely hard (over 425mg.l of calcium carbonate hardness). In these areas (eg. parts of East Anglia) the level of sodium, introduced by the softening process, can exceed 200mg.l (milligrams of sodium in a litre of water). The Department of Health recommend that, at this level, softened water should not be used to reconstitute baby feeds, or by those restricted to a low daily intake of sodium for medical reasons. This situation does not arise in the Thames Valley and North Hampshire where hardness levels are lower (300 to 350 mg.l).
Softened water containing 0 and 200 mg.l of sodium (common in this region) is now referred to as being ’wholesome’. In Part G of the revised Building Regulations (concerned with water efficiency in new dwellings), April 2010, this water is classified as ’wholesome softened water’. The standards of ‘wholesomeness’ and a water undertakers duty of supply of ‘wholesomeness’ is outlined in the Water Supply (Water Quality) Regulations 2000. This clarifies that water quality for domestic and food production must be ‘wholesome’, giving credence to the potabilty of softened water at this level.
The only difference with softened water, that may be noticed, is taste when cold. It is smoother on the palate whereas hard water has a ‘bite’ to it that most of us, living in a hard water area, will immediately recognise. The taste of softened water is not unpleasant but typically 20% of customers, new to softened water, sometimes do not like it. To give customers the democratic right of choice we normally install a separate hard water tap at the kitchen sink (subject to installation capability), or alternatively, leave the cold tap on hard water.
Most customers enjoy using softened water in a hot format. Hard water masks flavours whereas softened water doesn’t. Therefore softened water makes much nicer tea and a stronger cup of coffee. Powered soup mixes and hot chocolate benefit in the same way. Cooking, in general, is better all-round.
The whole subject of ‘Softened water and health’ is covered in our Aquafacts sheet No. 6.
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Q. I’ve heard that soft water can be beneficial to eczema sufferers?
This is correct.
The industry has been aware for many years that soft and softened water can reduce inflammation and itching. Official trials using water softeners, in 2002, indicated a marked improvement in the condition.
The NHS and a number of industry sponsors (including us) funded a major trial, at various centres around the UK, to look more closely at how softened water may benefit children with eczema. This began back in 2007 and was concluded in Septemebr 2009. It has proved a very interesting project and we should have the official results by late spring 2010. These are likely to be published in ‘The Lancet’.
For more information on this exciting project see our latest newsletter.
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Q. I’ve been told that there can be problems using softened water with aluminium boilers. Is this true?
It does seem that some boiler manufacturers are claiming that aluminium heat exchangers should not use softened water.
This view is totally disputed by the water treatment industry and the UKWTA.
Please refer to page 4 of our latest newsletter and Aquafact sheet No 11.
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Q. I’m not on main drainage so can the waste water regenerant from a softener be discharged into a septic tank?
Yes. There is no problem whatsoever. Please refer to Aquafact sheet No 12.
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Q. I’m concerned that the water softener regeneration process discharges salt to drain. Surely this is environmentally unfriendly as well as wasting water?
The regenerant from a water softener is basically chlorides. The amounts are a trivial contribution to overall sewage discharge from a home.
It must be remembered that softened water enables detergent usage to be cut substantially and this reduces phosphate and other chemical discharges by up to two thirds. This vastly outweighs any concerns about the water softener regeneration process.
Most water softeners use less than 5% of the softened water for regeneration. This must be compared with lower cleaning frequencies and consequently lower water usage.
Taking this into consideration, The Building Research Establishment, in their recently published, ‘Code for Sustainable Homes’, discounted water usage, by a softener installation, as it is normally less than the percentage shown above.
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Q. I’ve had my Kinetico 15 years. It has suddenly stopped working. I’ve been very pleased with it, but is it worth fixing or should I consider investing in a new machine?
Most water softeners have a long life expectancy and Kinetico’s lead the pack.
Servicing can be expensive at this age. The tolerances within the valve will have changed and it may not take kindly to new components.
Our view is that a 15 year old softener has probably paid for itself three times over and therefore there is definite justification in buying new, with the excellent Kinetico 10 year parts warranty now offered.
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Q. Are in-line drinking water filters better than jug filters?
In terms of volume produced and price the purchase of an under sink filter system is far better value than any counter top filtering system.
There are however several alternatives which is why we have devoted two of our Aquafact sheets to the subject - Nos. 3 and 4.
The first gives a comprehensive insight into the various types of filter available. Aquafact sheet 4 takes this information and highlights the details in a chart format.
Single tri-way kitchen taps are now available so you do not necessarily need to fit a separate drinking tap at the sink.
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Q. I’m confused about drinking water filters and purifiers - is there a difference?
There certainly is.
Most filters use activated carbon and they are designed to improve the aesthetic aspects of water in the areas of taste, odour and colour, chlorine removal etc. The resulting water is pleasing and fresh tasting.
Purifiers, on the other hand, are based on a membrane technology known as reverse osmosis (RO). The water is exceptionally pure giving taste and thirst quenching properties that are on a completely different level.
For more details see Aquafact Nos. 2 and 4.
The topic is also highlighted on page 2 of our latest newsletter.
Remember, that if you are thinking of having one of these systems installed please speak to those in the know. Very few plumbers are aware of how to install these units and even fewer understand how to commission them.
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Q. Why is my new under sink filter system scaling up my kettle whereas my previous jug filter did not?
In our industry we cannot use the same technology with under sink cartridge filters that is available in jug filters.
Jug filters incorporate activated carbon with a temporary hardness removal resin which together improves taste and removes hardness. Activated carbon is a remarkable substance and can work for many months improving water quality. Unfortunately, temporary hardness resin is short capacity by design and quickly becomes exhausted.
This does not matter in a jug filter as cartridges are not expected to last more than a few weeks. Under sink filter cartridges are designed to last six months to a year. They are great performers in every aspect except hardness removal. Temporary hardness resins are therefore unsuitable in ‘on-line’ filter systems and sadly there is no satisfactory alternative.
Our suggestion is to use softened water for tea, coffee, hot chocolate and powdered soup mixes etc., (see answer to ‘can I drink softened water’ above) and to use filtered water for cold drinks. Alternatively, a water purifier using RO technology is the ideal answer.
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Q. I’m concerned that I will loose the health benefits of the mineral content in hard water if I install an RO drinking water system?
Hard water contains calcium and magnesium. These minerals can benefit our health through our daily diet. However, the content in hard water is very small and considered insignificant when compared with the amount we ingest through the food we eat. However, there has been debate about the importance of these minerals in water. Both have been the topic of a WHO symposium, the details of which can be found in Aquafacts No. 21.
