Will A Water Softener Damage My Boiler?
The answer is a resounding no! Modern advanced domestic water softeners like the Purple Turtle brand from World Class Water are designed to work safely and efficiently with virtually any plumbing or home heating system.
These systems are designed to soften your water effectively without causing any kind of damage to your boiler. This means that you can enjoy all the benefits of softened water, such as avoiding damaging limescale buildup, while still being confident that your boiler will remain safe.
So if you've been wondering whether an ion exchange water softener could damage your boiler, you can rest assured that with a modern state-of-the-art solution like the Purple Turtle brand, this won't be an issue.
Despite this reassurance, it's still smart to do your due diligence and read up on how various models interact with different types of boilers before making any purchasing decision. But at least now you know that a water softener won't damage your boiler when used properly.
What Is The Function Of A Water Softener?
The primary function of a water softener is to reduce the amount of calcium and magnesium deposits in hard water. A water softener is a unit that functions to reduce the hardness of your home's water.
The function of a modern water softener is to remove these minerals from your home's water, thereby preventing scale and scum from building up and damaging your pipes or parts within other appliances. It works by filtering out calcium and magnesium before it enters your home.
When the filter needs replacing, a brine solution made of salt and water flushes through for cleaning purposes. This way, you can enjoy quality drinking and bathing water that is safe from scaly build-ups.
The water softener also runs a self-cleansing cycle on its own. This involves using a brine solution made up of salt and water to flush out the calcium and magnesium deposits that would otherwise stay in your plumbing system. This way, you can keep your home from suffering from any long-term damage from hard water.
The majority of homes in the UK have hard water, which contains magnesium and calcium deposits locked in chalk beds in the ground. When this water is heated in the hot water tank, creating what we call "scale" or "scum", it can cause a damaging effect on numerous household appliances.
By installing a water softener in your home, you can not only protect any appliances that are affected by limescale deposits but also help keep them running efficiently for much longer.
Is A Water Softener Compatible With My Boiler And Heating System?
When considering installing a water softener, many homeowners wonder if it will be compatible with their boiler and heating system. The short answer is yes!
Water softeners are generally suitable for modern boilers, including Worcester Bosch models - preventing limescale build-up which can cause damage to the heating elements.
However, you should ensure that your heating circuit is filled up with hard water and a corrosion inhibitor and bypass the Harvey water softeners to prevent any potential problems to the system due to softened water causing corrosion of heat exchanger units. Installing a corrosion inhibitor in your radiators can also help prevent this risk of damage.
This way, you can ensure that the softened water won't cause corrosion damage to any heat exchanger units and reap all the benefits of having a softened hot-water circuit without any risk of damage or loss of efficiency in your boiler or heating system.
The Heating and Hotwater Industry Council (HHIC) suggests that you should fill the primary side of your system with mains water via the general bypass valve as outlined in BS 14743.
So even if you have an older type boiler installed in your home, you can still safely install and use a water softener without risking any damage to your heating system or boiler.
