The washing machine is only a few years old... and it's already failing? Often, it's not the technology or the way you use it that's to blame, but the water flowing through the pipes. We explain how water with a high calcium content can damage household appliances such as washing machines, dishwashers or radiators , and how to avoid costly repairs in the future.
In this article you will learn:
- what causes water hardness,
- what impact does it have on water installations and household appliances,
- how to counteract the problems caused by hard water.
Hard water – the source of problems
Thousands of litres of water flow through the water pipes of a residential building every day. If this water is hard, it can cause many problems. Hard water has a high content of scale-forming substances – the harder the water, the more lime-based it is. According to calculations by BWT , around 60 kg of calcium flows through the water system of an average single-family home every year. When even a small amount of it settles in the pipes, it can cause them to become clogged and household appliances connected to the water system to become scaled. All this has expensive consequences.
Possible effects of calcium on pipes and appliances:
- increased energy consumption and therefore higher expenses;
- the amount of work and costs associated with descaling a washing machine, dishwasher and other appliances;
- premature wear of household appliances and the resulting repair costs;
- complete failure of household or sanitary appliances and replacement costs running into thousands of zlotys.
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Calcium provides germs with excellent conditions for growth
It is not only household appliances that can be damaged by limescale. Limescale deposits in hot water pipes are an ideal breeding ground for bacteria such as legionella. A moist, warm environment is particularly conducive to their multiplication. If bacteria are detected in drinking water, the entire water installation must be disinfected and, if necessary, rebuilt to prevent a new attack by microorganisms. Long-term protection against limescale therefore also helps to prevent the development of bacterial flora and saves a lot of money.
Choose a water softener and protect your household appliances from premature wear
To protect pipes and appliances from limescale, water softening is recommended. In the ion exchange process, water softeners such as BWT systems react with the substances that affect water hardness and replace them with sodium ions. In this way , hard water is transformed into silky soft and pearly, which protects household appliances from premature wear caused by limescale and thus extends their service life.
Water softening reduces energy costs
Water softening systems not only extend the life of household appliances, but also contribute to their efficiency and energy efficiency. This is especially true for water heating devices such as boilers or washing machines. This is because scale reduces heat conduction and settles primarily – ironically – in places that are its transmitters. The washing machine heating element or the boiler exchanger are therefore real “magnets” attracting limescale deposits.
Impaired heat conduction naturally translates into increased energy consumption. Even a two-millimeter layer of scale on the heating element of a boiler or heat exchanger can increase energy consumption by up to 20 percent . Soft water has a low calcium content and ensures more efficient operation of heating devices, which is also beneficial to the environment.
Which water softener should I choose?
Now that we know what the consequences of sediment build-up in water installations and household appliances can be and how to counteract it, it's time to present some specific solutions :
- Single-column softener BWT RONDOMAT 29 NXT 1450 – single-column softener with electronic controller for cold water. Allows to supply water that is both completely softened and partially softened using an additional water hardness control valve. Constructed of the highest quality materials, resistant to corrosion, ensuring durability and failure-free operation of the device. Insensitive to interference caused by periodic power outages. Ion exchangers filled with certified, highly efficient ion exchange resin with long service life. PZH certificate.
- BWT EUROSOFT E91 DWZ 40 SXT two-column softener – electronically controlled volumetric two-column softener, operating in an alternating system. Ensures uninterrupted water supply. Allows for the supply of both fully and partially softened water. Compact design allows installation even in small rooms. Built from the highest quality materials, insensitive to interference caused by periodic voltage failure. Ion exchangers filled with certified, highly efficient ion exchange resin with long service life. PZH certificate.
- BWT AQUADIAL 25 water treatment plant - single-column volume-controlled softener, designed specifically for homes and service facilities. Factory-programmed for easy start-up. The device is equipped with a multi-way microprocessor control valve, with proportional bed regeneration, a mixing valve for hardness regulation, an ion exchange column, an overflow elbow, a rinse water hose and a tablet tester for general hardness. With PZH certificate.