"Hard" water is the term used to describe water that has a high content of dissolved minerals, specifically calcium and magnesium. Living in a hard water area can have hidden costs and reducing the effects of hard water can save you significant amounts of money.

More than 60% of Britain suffers from the effects of hard water.
To see a map of hard water areas in the UK go to: http://www.electrostoreonline.com/Water-Conditioner.aspx

The hidden costs of hard water:

• You need to use larger quantities of soap, shampoo, washing powder / liquid and cleaning products to produce a lather.
• You need to use more hair products, hard water dries hair out so you need specialised shampoos, more conditioner, and also products to remove hard water residue.
• Clothes are more difficult to rinse which uses more water, and deposits of scum can make fabrics feel coarse, requiring more fabric softener.
• Scale combined with soap equals scum, this clings to baths, basins, tiles & taps etc making cleaning more difficult and time consuming.
• When heated, hard water can leave deposits of scale at a rate of 1.5mm per year. This causes boilers and tanks to lose capacity and pipes to narrow, significantly reducing the energy efficiency of your heating system.
• The build up of ‘limescale’ reduces both the performance and life expectancy of domestic appliances that heat water including your iron, dishwasher and washing machine.

How can you reduce the effects of hard water

Install an electronic water descaler. For more information about electronic water descalers visit Electrostore Online.

How much could this save you?:

• You will make considerable use less shampoo, conditioner and other hair products
• Government statistics demonstrate that 6mm of scale can reduce the efficiency of your heating system by up to 38%. This has obvious cost and environmental implications. An average domestic boiler could cost more than £1,000 to replace. A household with 6 mm of limescale build up, who use a kettle 5 times a day, and a washing machine 3 times a week would save in excess of £2,000, over a 10 year period on energy costs (assuming an inflation rate of 2% per annum).

Coupled with the notable savings because of reduced usage in soaps, detergents and cleaning materials - also with fewer purchases of appliances, an electronic water conditioner could pay for itself in weeks.

• Boilers and efficient central heating systems
• Increase the life of water using domestic appliances, kettles, dishwashers, washing machines etc
• Environmentally friendly too! Efficient heating system, less cleaning products.
• The extra cost of limescale removers, fabric softeners and detergents can equate to more than £200 per year. Your washing machine may need around five times as much soap and up to 30% more detergent if you live in a hard water area.

How to minimise the effects of hard water

• Use the correct soaps and detergents.
• Use a lower temperature setting for your boiler, dishwasher and washing machine.
• Install an electronic descaler to soften the water.

For more information about electronic water descalers visit Electrostore Online: http://www.electrostoreonline.com You will also find information about conservatory vent controllers, blanket weed controllers, and PH soil meters.