Limescale in Balbriggan

DvB

We are having a nightmare at the moment with limescale basically eating a hot water cylinder & immersion elements at an alarming rate up in an apartment in the Castlemill area of Balbriggan, anyone else up there having issues with their water heaters? & if so did you find a solution?

I'm wondering if the water itself is coming from a central storage tank as is common in apartment complexes would we have a case in getting the management company getting a filter/water softener introduced to the main supply? Otherwise, I can only assume each & every unit up there will be in a similar situation and will require extensive repairs and or replacement in the near future.

nemo1702

We have the same problem in a nearby estate...both houses and apartments. I've already replaced the element in my immersion but it's still not right. I've gone through about a kettle a year since I moved in and a few irons until I started using that ironing water or bottled water in them! It's a Balbriggan wide issue

DvB

nemo1702 wrote: »

We have the same problem in a nearby estate...both houses and apartments. I've already replaced the element in my immersion but it's still not right. I've gone through about a kettle a year since I moved in and a few irons until I started using that ironing water or bottled water in them! It's a Balbriggan wide issue

We're replacing immersion elements annually & this time the plumber said the cylinder wasn't looking too great either.... I can understand using bottled water in kettles or suchlike & calgon in washing machines to help prevent early burn out but for the hot water cylinder we look snookered, replacing them is far from cheap and not something you'd expect to be doing every couple of years, hence I suppose looking to see if anyone else had found a workable solution in an apartment situation.... another reason not to pay water charges so, sure the stuff is eating the place inside out!

nemo1702

I know, it's crazy. I know neighbours of ours had to replace their boiler due to limescale and I'd imagine that cost a pretty penny. I spoke to the engineer that services my boiler and he said that I was lucky ours hasnt gone yet as there's a huge issue in the area with limescale clogging taps/pipes.

If I recall, one of the local Councillors was trying to bring it to attention when he was on the campaign trail so you could have a word and see where you stand. I think from recollection it was Tony Murphy but you might have to check his facebook page to confirm.

DvB

I had no idea it was as widespread up there as this.... crazy is right. Plumbers must make a fortune up that part of the world.

Carawaystick

nemo1702 wrote: »

We have the same problem in a nearby estate...both houses and apartments. I've already replaced the element in my immersion but it's still not right. I've gone through about a kettle a year since I moved in and a few irons until I started using that ironing water or bottled water in them! It's a Balbriggan wide issue

You can use vinegar to clear out a kettle
Add a shot or two, and fill the kettle to the worst of the lime scale and heat the mixture but not boil it.

It'll fizz as the vinegar attacks the limescale and after it cools down you can rub most of the limescale away.


Then always boil water in a kettle before ironing, that way the limescale will end up in the kettle ( where you can easily fix it) and not in the iron.

sgarvan

Use vinegar in the washing machine a few times a year aswell. Run it through a 90 degree wash. Far cheaper than Calgon.

My understanding is that limescale only forms when hard water is heated. With the exception of your kitchen applicances this means most of the water heated in your house comes from the tank in the attic. You can by this bag in the tank solution that you place under the water inlet to the tank. Its called Fernox Lime Scale Preventer. This should last about 6 months and softens the water on its way into the tank.

DvB

sgarvan wrote: »

Use vinegar in the washing machine a few times a year aswell. Run it through a 90 degree wash. Far cheaper than Calgon.

My understanding is that limescale only forms when hard water is heated. With the exception of your kitchen applicances this means most of the water heated in your house comes from the tank in the attic. You can by this bag in the tank solution that you place under the water inlet to the tank. Its called Fernox Lime Scale Preventer. This should last about 6 months and softens the water on its way into the tank.

Sadly for apartments this would most likely be a non runner, being a communal water storage tank.

Looks like we'll be replacing the whole cylinder now, the thing is 7yo & has about 2 stone of limescale in it... the new element fitted this week is already struggling with the cylinder being so bad.

nemo1702

DVB Check and see if that is under some sort of warranty too.....it shouldnt give up (limescale or not) after 7 years. My folks just replaced theirs recently in a house that was 40 years old

DvB

Just had a brand new cylinder installed yesterday, and a timer, and the tenant is complaining today that the water is barely lukewarm after the immersion being on hours, plumber said he couldn't see anything wrong and it was working when he left.... Head is wrecked at this stage.

Spook_ie

DvB wrote: »

Just had a brand new cylinder installed yesterday, and a timer, and the tenant is complaining today that the water is barely lukewarm after the immersion being on hours, plumber said he couldn't see anything wrong and it was working when he left.... Head is wrecked at this stage.

1 Thermostat too low

2 Set to bath instead of sink ( dual immersion) and insufficient time to heat being allowed

I'm not a plumber but those are the first two things I'd query, as to limescale in the cylinder itself, I wouldn't have thought it would make any difference, you have a new element that doesn't have limescale, it's this that heats the water. The cylinder is just a can with a furry inside, and as long as the water can flow in and out, shouldn't effect the temperature surely?

DvB

Spook_ie wrote: »

1 Thermostat too low

2 Set to bath instead of sink ( dual immersion) and insufficient time to heat being allowed

I'm not a plumber but those are the first two things I'd query, as to limescale in the cylinder itself, I wouldn't have thought it would make any difference, you have a new element that doesn't have limescale, it's this that heats the water. The cylinder is just a can with a furry inside, and as long as the water can flow in and out, shouldn't effect the temperature surely?

Discovered after actually calling out & checking it ourselves, that the water to the taps in the kitchen & bathroom is piping hot, so the element is working fine, however when switched to shower mode (for the bath fittings) the water is cold, so it must be the thermostat in the shower that's faulty, have the plumber calling back out to repair or replace the shower fixing this week.
Fingers crossed that will be the end of that particular problem anyway.

oxomoxo

I received a flyer from EWT last week about a system they install for removing all the limescale from our water. They are sending me out a free water test strip to see how hard my water is first. Has anyone any experience in dealing with this company before. Almost seems to good to be true with the half price offer they have.

kaahooters

oxomoxo wrote: »

I received a flyer from EWT last week about a system they install for removing all the limescale from our water. They are sending me out a free water test strip to see how hard my water is first. Has anyone any experience in dealing with this company before. Almost seems to good to be true with the half price offer they have.

My parents bought a device that connects to the mains in the attic filling the tank, very little limescale in the house, and no failures due to linescale in the 14 years there've lived there. When I'm there next I'll post the device name and where they got it.

DvB

oxomoxo wrote: »

I received a flyer from EWT last week about a system they install for removing all the limescale from our water. They are sending me out a free water test strip to see how hard my water is first. Has anyone any experience in dealing with this company before. Almost seems to good to be true with the half price offer they have.

These were actually recommended to me by a civil engineer I know who lives in Skerries, he rates them highly.We were quoted about €500 to get the unit installed at the kitchen sink in the apartment, if its cheaper than that ATM its a great deal as you'll save that easily on plumbing expenses/kettles etc. over the years.

oxomoxo

Thanks for that DvB. Yes thats the price they quoted. I've booked it in for next week so will let you know how it goes. It's a gold series 500 and free drinking filter.

DvB

oxomoxo wrote: »

Thanks for that DvB. Yes thats the price they quoted. I've booked it in for next week so will let you know how it goes. It's a gold series 500 and free drinking filter.

Please do.

oxomoxo

Thanks for your comments Dv8. I'm going to look into it a little more but it sounds really good from what you've said and their reviews are pretty good.

Vico1612

oxomoxo wrote: »

Thanks for your comments Dv8. I'm going to look into it a little more but it sounds really good from what you've said and their reviews are pretty good.

Hi oxomoxo

Do you mind me asking if the EWT flyer indicates any special offers ?
I'm considering them myself as 2 colleagues in NCD had them installed last year and are really impressed with the performance.

Thanks!

sgarvan

Just be aware when putting one of these at the start of your mains you are placing extra sodium into the water in your house. You are not suppose to use this filtered water on babies. Try get a tap fitted directly from the mains Ro cover this.

oxomoxo

Vico1612 wrote: »

Hi oxomoxo

Do you mind me asking if the EWT flyer indicates any special offers ?
I'm considering them myself as 2 colleagues in NCD had them installed last year and are really impressed with the performance.

Thanks!

Hi Vico1612,
They have their Gold Series 500 model for €499 at the moment and their 606 model for €630. Both packages include installation a free drinking filter. My stopcock is under my kitchen sink so they said they could give me one supply of unsoftened water for my 4 month old for making bottles.
Hope this helps

oxomoxo

kaahooters wrote: »

My parents bought a device that connects to the mains in the attic filling the tank, very little limescale in the house, and no failures due to linescale in the 14 years there've lived there. When I'm there next I'll post the device name and where they got it.

Did you find out what the device was?

oxomoxo

I just got the EWT system in today. Engineer was very neat and tidy. No all i have to do is wait a few weeks and see if i notice the difference in the water or not. I have a water test strip they left me and a 30 day money back gaurantee so if its not up to scratch and doing what they promise it will be going back to them.

kaahooters

im so sorry for the lack of a reply, life got in the way, but here it is

http://www.idealworld.tv/Scale_Wizard_With_10-Year_Guarantee_278023.aspx

now it seemed to work for my parents, but they really havent had any limescale issues, as i said, i cant gurantee itll work for you and please google reviews and make your mind up.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mCmMGWbzsyI

oxomoxo

I've installed the EWT 606 Gold Series model a week or so ago. The engineer came out and fitted it in less than 2 hours. They gave me a water hardness test kit that i can use to make sure the water is soft. So far i have noticed a difference in the softness of the water, especially when showering and there hasnt been any new limescale build up on the shower head or door. Early days yet but it looks promising and hopefully my days of cleaning scale are over - for the time being at least.

oxomoxo

I got the test strip from EWT and my water hardness was 250 which apparently is quite hard. Anyway we installed their 606 system last week and as of yet the main difference i've noticed so far is when having a shower. The water just feels softer and lathers a bit easier. We've cleaned out the shower head and shower prior to installation so it will be interesting to see if the scale comes back after a mont or two like it normally does.

PurplePrincess

What sort of ongoing costs are there with that filter? Does it have to be serviced regularly?

oxomoxo

PurplePrincess wrote: »

What sort of ongoing costs are there with that filter? Does it have to be serviced regularly?

There's 5 in our home and we've used approximately a bag of salt every in about 7 weeks. The salt costs €10 per bag for a 25kg bag. We haven't had to clean the shower head once since the unit was installed, and we're not buying limescale removal products so we seem to be saving money and not having to deal with cleaning limescale. Very happy with the EWT water softener system so far.