Hard water affects around 60% of the UK, and is believed to raise some household energy bills by up to 25%. It’s caused by elevated levels of magnesium and calcium in the water supply, and is essentially governed by the geographical make-up of the area your water comes from. Hard water usually carries a lot of concerns and hence water softening systems such as Water Softener from EcoWater are commonly used to deter any adverse effects by hard water.
How Can I tell if my Business is supplied by Hard Water?
Perhaps the most tell-tale sign of hard water is the presence of lime scale build-up on various surfaces in the kitchen and bathroom and in water-using appliances. Whilst these aesthetic ill-effects of an abrasive water supply aren’t likely to cost your business much extra cash, it’s the damage that you can’t see that creates the most expense.
How Does It Cost Me Money?
Calcium and magnesium carbonates build-up to form solid residue on the inner walls of pipes and on the inside surface of your boiler, obstructing water flow. It’s estimated that just a 6mm thickness in lime scale can reduce energy efficiency by around 6%, but perhaps more pressingly, can cause your boiler metal to overheat, which often results in failure.
This build-up can also progressively damage water-using appliances, forcing them to work harder and depleting their lifespan. In fact, hard water has been estimated to shorten the lifespan of toilet flushing units by around 30% and water taps by 60%.
Hospitality
The hospitality industry is perhaps one of the hardest hit by a hard water supply. Lime scale deposits left behind from hard water leave a streaky finish on glassware and make it difficult to keep showers and bathrooms clean.
What’s more, detergents and soaps react better with soft water, meaning that a hard water supply not only creates more cleaning, but it takes longer and uses more product too.
Finally, bedding and soft furnishings fair better when washed using soft water, with studies indicating that in some cases, the life of frequently washed household fabrics was reduced by as much as 40% by hard water.
Softening your water supply can save a significant amount of money, especially in energy efficiency. If you think your business may be affected by a hard water supply, installing a commercial water softener requiring minimal on-going maintenance can be a really worthwhile cost-cutting exercise.
