Scale inhibitors

[Keefiedee]

Have just purchased a shower thermostatic mixer from Screwfix. Instructions mention the need for a scale inhibitor if temporary hardness more than 200 ppm. Local water has hardness of nore than 400 ppm!

Triton scale inhibitor costs =A350 + =A325 for replacement cartridges. I already have a magnetic device fitted (? Ecoflow). Ebay has two on offer - a Calmag scale inhibitor that requires regular cartridge replacement, and a Salamander Sesi electrolytic scale inhibitor.

My question is - do these things work? Are they worth fitting? Are they a con?

All comments gratefully received.

Keith

[Andy Hall]

No.

Yes.

Yes.

The only two types of device that are worth fitting are a phosphate dosing system such as a Combimate or a proper ion exchange water softener that uses salt.

A phosphate doser will prevent deposition of limescale but does not soften the water.

A proper water softener will do both. The overall cost is a few hundred pounds (less than £500 normally) for the machine and you can reckon on a 20 year lifetime. The running cost in salt is fairly effectively balanced by a reduction in the amount of washing detergents and shampoos that are used since they become more effective. Therefore the avoidance of scale is a bonus on top of that.

[Keefiedee]

As far as I can see from the description of the Calmag on eBay it is actually a CalPhos phosphate doser - so presumably similar to the Combimate.

[Andy Hall]

Sounds like it. If they talk about putting in a charge of pellets about once a year then it is.

[Invisible Man]

The cleaning saved by using a water softener is amazing. No more scale except for the one untreated water tap in the kitchen.

[www.GymRatZ.co.uk]

Damn, I really _must_ get my finger out and get one...

I put the plumbing/pipes in and everything when I re-plumbed about 3 or

4 years ago, even down to having a filtered hard water tap in the kitchen.

I have taken to cleaning the shower glass with a stanley knife blade as a scraper! Absolutely no excuste... except job order priority.

Unbelievably I even bought a bag of salt about 18 months ago... at this rate I may get one installed by 2020! :¬(

[Michael Shergold]

An additional cost is the water charge if you are on metered water.. My 13 year old automatic water softener regenerates every 4 or 5 days at 2.00am. The cycle uses mains water to backflush and then flush saline solution at various rates.. Fortunately we are not on metered water but I wonder if softener manufacturers have reduced the amount of water used for this process on newer models.. I would find it hard to live without a water softener in a hard water area. Michael

[www.GymRatZ.co.uk]

I pondered over this but recently went to a water meter. Reason being Water was costing around £70 a month un-metered for 2 adults and one infant. (4 bed. house) No baths and no washing machine.

At around what.... £1.50 for 1000 litres and a quick look at water usage per regeneration of 26 litres for this one..

's a mere 4p per regeneration for 500 litres water (excluding salt) so I should be £'s in.

All this talk has re-ignited my drive to get it sorted... I'd already decided on the EMWC one above so I think I'd better do the "less talk more action" bit. :¬)

[Andy Hall]

You could probably work out how much is used, but it would be surprising if it's a big factor.

[John Stumbles]

Screwfix do a 'whole house' one (blue plastic canister that unscrews) for about £35. Don't go for the type with a metal canister that plugs into a chromed brass fitting on the pipework as the small waterways on those are prone to blocking up.

[tinnews]

... with scale/fur no doubt! :-)

[John Stumbles]

No, I assume it's redeposition of the scale inhibitor salt. Ironically. It makes such a compacted blockage I find I have to drill it out with a

2.5mm twist drill in my cordless.