Water Conditioners??

[RussH]

I'm fed up with trying to remove scale off sinks, etc. I'm getting through Cillit Bang like there's no tomorrow!

I don't want to go to the expense of having a water softener installed, and wondered if a water condition would do the trick?

i've seen solutions at

and that look very similar, but differ a lot in price.

Does anyone have any experience on using these types of products? how effective are they.

thanks

Russ

[Richard Conway]

We all feel a bit fed up from time to time - but drinking household cleaning products never helped anyone. Get a grip man!

[PeTe33]

What value do you put on your time and/or expensive cleaners?

[Christian McArdle]

They don't differ much in effectiveness, though. They range from utterly useless to comically ineffective.

If you don't want a water softener, consider a chemical dosing system, such as a Combimate. You'd need to install a undosed drinking tap at the sink, though. This will reduce scale, although it doesn't actually soften the water, like the real thing.

Christian.

[bigcat]

I didnt follow the links, but can confrim the electromagnetic ones are a waste of time.

NT

PS hydrochloric acid is much cheaper than silly bang. Dilute to use, keep off skin. A copper scourer is the best thing to remove scale from chromework, and a plastic scraper can make short work of scale lumps on hard surfaces eg sinks.

NT

[John Rumm]

There will probably be a clown along shortly to champion them as well just in case you needed further convincing ;-)

You can supposedly drink the dosed water:

though. This will reduce scale, although it doesn't actually soften the

It will reduce the scale in heating appliances by preventing the calcium carbonate from precipitating out of the water - so good for boilers etc. However since it does not remove the "hardness" from the water, the scale will still be left anywhere water is allowed to evaporate and dry. The result is you will see less effect on sinks and baths that you would with an actual softener.

[PeTe33]

On a side note, what's the opinions of filling CH system with "real" softned water?

[Christian McArdle]

IMO, it makes no difference. If anything, hard water might be better.

Unless there's a leak, there's no chance of any significant quantity of lime to enter the system.

Christian.

[Ed Sirett]

And you readily buy the HCl in the form of Patio Cleaner from Screwfix.

[david lang]

||| PS hydrochloric acid is much cheaper than silly bang. Dilute to use, ||| keep off skin. A copper scourer is the best thing to remove scale ||| from chromework, and a plastic scraper can make short work of scale ||| lumps on hard surfaces eg sinks. ||| || And you readily buy the HCl in the form of Patio Cleaner from || Screwfix.

Hydrochloric acid will also remove chrome from taps, badly stain stainless steel and discolour most enamels - apart from that it's fine - unless it gets mixed with bleach. Stick with the Cillit Bang!

Dave

[Mr Fizzion]

Is it pure HCl or is it thickened in some way?

Do you know where to buy household ammonia? Boots used to sell it but I can't get it these days.

TIA

Mr F.

[PeTe33]

Thanks Christian.

Pete

[Mary Fisher]

Yes - that's what I've found:-(

Mary

[John Rumm]

Fernox DS3 would be a better and much cheaper choice. Comes powerdered in large tubs - enough to make hundreds of litres for descaling complete heating systems - and only costs ten to fifteen quid a tub.

[Ed Sirett]

Brickwork cleaner is stonger and may do that but I have found that'patio cleaner' is sufficiently dilute to use it safely. IME. YMMV.

[Ed Sirett]

It's fairly dilute and probably has a little detergent in it and may be some fungicide.

[Ed Sirett]

Firstly, there the practical aspect that typically a boiler is in the kitchen and the likelihood is that the potable cold mains is to hand and not the softened water.

Secondly, the boiler manufacturers may wish to excuse themselves from the guarantee, any excuse will do.

Thirdly, scale of the primary circuit is not a significant problem except of very old open vented system.

Otherwise fine, if the header tank is the soften supply to the loft then that's what it will be filled with.

[Aidan]

It is not recommended. The inhibitors are blended for use with mains water & softened water is more corrosive. I do not have the chemical knowledge to provide details. DI water is used, mixed with inhibitors on large sites, recommended in the PSA guides for very large installations.