How water treatment systems help save money on water heating costs

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20 Nov How water treatment systems help save money on water heating costs

Posted at 14:54h in Your Water by
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Water quality and your home’s heating system seem like they wouldn’t have anything in common, but they collide right inside your water heater and any water-based heaters you might have, such as geothermal systems. If the water is too hard or too acidic, it can destroy water pipes and heater parts, as well as make your water heater much more inefficient and costly.

Here are two ways that you can make sure your water is well-conditioned and heating your home efficiently:

Eliminate hard water

Minerals from water that’s too hard can create a lot of scaly buildup inside your water heater and in the pipes lead ing to water-based heating systems. That means less water is able to travel through the pipes, and it takes longer for the water to heat up properly. You’ll end up running the water in your sink or shower for a longer time to let it warm up. And, at the same time, you’ll turn up your heater, because the restricted water flow isn’t generating as much heat as you want. Treating the water to remove many of the minerals reduces this problem substantially, allowing your appliances to work more effectively.

Control your water’s pH

Natural water is typically between 6.5 and 7.5 pH, but it’s commonly recommended that you keep your boiler water at 8.5 pH. Acidic water, with a low pH, is corrosive. This is a particular problem with well water that is exposed to acid rain or decaying plants. The corroded pipes can leak, letting water seep out before it reaches your home. As a result, you again end up turning up the heater to get adequate heating, and the water can also cause your water heater to malfunction.

One way to control pH is to remove water impurities with a water treatment system that is tailored to home’s needs. Treating your water – even if you live in on municipal water lines in a city – is essential if you want to have efficient heating that doesn’t send your bills sky-high.



In simple terms, hard water is high in Calcium and/or Magnesium. Hard water does not easily form lather with soap or detergents and tends to leave white scaly deposits on toilet fixtures, bath tubs, shower heads etc. Hardness of water is measured in “grains per gallon” (GPG) or “parts per million (PPM)”. 1 GPG = 17.1 PPM

 

Hardness of water Degree of hardness
Less than 1 GPG Soft
1.0 to 3.5 GPG Slightly hard
3.5 to 7.0 GPG Moderately hard
7.0 to 10.5 GPG Hard
10.5 GPG and above Very hard

Common evidence of hard water include

– whitish deposits on dishes and glassware
– High soap usage & need for fabric softeners
– Dry, itchy skin and scalp after showers
– Extra work to remove soap curd on bathtubs & shower stalls
– High energy costs, possibly due to scale build-up in pipes and on appliances
– Scale build up in sinks, tubs, faucets & appliances

Hard water can be removed by Rainfresh Water Softeners

What is lead and how do I know if I have it in my water?

Lead is a colourless, tasteless, odourless harmful metal that is typically found in water supplies that either pass through lead water service pipes or home water pipes that have been soldered using lead -solder. The National Plumbing Code allowed lead as an acceptable material for pipes until 1975 and in solder until 1986. Therefore homes constructed before 1990 are more likely to have lead problems.

Consumption of drinking water that has lead can lead to severe brain and blood damage, especially in young children, infants and pregnant women. Even low level exposure may harm the intellectual development, behaviour, size and hearing of infants. If your home was built prior to 1990 or you suspect that lead -based solder was used in your plumbing, you should contact your local water authority and get a water test done. Most municipalities in Canada will do a free lead test.

You can install Rainfresh Drinking Water system 3, Reverse Osmosis System (RO450) or TWIST system to have lead -free drinking water. All these systems are tested and certified to NSF/ANSI 53 for lead reduction.