Better Water Solutions

Can I remove Softened water from my system for drinking purposes?

Can I remove Softened water from my system for drinking purposes?

Yes, if you already have a water softener and you do not have a hard water drinking tap separated from the soft water system you can “bypass” the softener by branching off with a separate pipe “before” the softener and take that directly to any taps that you do not want softened i.e. the kitchen tap, a separate drinking faucet also on the sink unit and a garden hose tap.
All bypassed taps will of course be untreated and will continue to form scale in kettles, coffee makers etc; that’s a good idea for the garden hose but not such a good idea for your kettle etc.
If you have a good quality water filter system in with a Scale Reduction installed you could quit easily have all of the benefits of a water filter without all of the disadvantages of scale and of course no sodium.

FAQ Can I take Filtered water to more than one tap?

Can I extend water from my filter to other taps?

Yes it is possible, but:

To get the best from a water filter the “contact” time with the filter media must be strictly controlled to achieve optimum performance, so a special faucet tap is installed that will maintain correct flow rates, this is normally connected via ¼ inch or 3/8 inch flexible food grade tubing.
The longer the run of tubing the less flow of water will be achieved due to normal residence within the tube and as the system aims for a flow rate of 0.6 gallons a minute you must take into consideration this may have on the second or subsequent taps.

We strongly recommend that filtered water be not connected to your normal cold tap as flow rates cannot be controlled and there would be risks of contamination from the tap into the filtered water in the tubing.

Why is Hard water so bad?

Hard water "scale" damages everything that it comes into contact with, but there is also the problem  of hard water "scum" as well.

Hard water reacts with soaps, shampoos and washing detergents to form a sticky curd like substance that we know and recognise as scum. It clings stubbornly to the surfaces of baths, basins and showers, and also become embedded into every fibre of clothing and linen and prevent them from ever becoming really clean.  Hard water scale also becomes entwined in the fibres of clothing and linen  so they have the accumulative effect on preventing scale and scum rinsing clear of your washing.

But there is more, much more.Hard water scale is actually very small crystals of dissolved rock, and when water heated, it again forms into rock and persistently builds up to cling to  all surfaces that it touches. Hard water scale will clog up pipework, heating elements in tanks, immersion heaters, dishwashers and washing machines ( have you seen the Calgon ad?) electric shower heaters and pumps and even your kettle and coffee maker. When hard water scale "wraps" itself around all of these heating element it forms into a solid insulator, prevent the heater from reaching the water effectively, so it has to work harder and harder to heat the water, pushing your heating bills higher and higher.

FAQ: My Water Softener is no longer available, can you help?

We will definitely try and are definitely able to help out (due to experience) with the following brands or companies:

Aquasof
Bruner
Bruno
Ewatec
Houseman
Kite
Myson
Nuwave
Pennant
Permo
Permutit 3600 and 5600
Salamander
Wizard

If you find it hard for your brand or type softener (or filter, dispenser or cartridge for that matter) to find someone who can service, repair or re-stock, please feel free to contact us for a non-obligation quote for works or products (servicing only available in Kent U.K.)

Better Water Solutions:
52 Lower Vicarage Lane, Ashford, Kent UK TN24 9AS
Tel: 01233 - 712610
email: info@betterwatersolutions.co.uk

FAQ: How frequently do I need to change water filter cartridges?

That completely depends on how popular your point of use becomes, the more pure and fresh water is tapped from this point, the more often the cartridges have to be replaced. But that is obvious we think.

On average you need to replace the cartridge once every 6 months.

Do you know we have a price-promise in place: the first time you order a cartridge from us for a certain price, that'll be the price you will pay for the next 4 years (conditions apply). We can't make it any simpler.

Better Water Solutions:
52 Lower Vicarage Lane, Ashford, Kent UK TN24 9AS
Tel: 01233 - 712610
email: info@betterwatersolutions.co.uk

FAQ: Do I need to install your Better Water Solution products myself?

You can if you want, with most of our water softener systems and other water treatment products no special plumbing knowledge is needed.

If you want complete peace of mind, excellent service from experienced installers and live in the Kent (U.K.) area we can install all of the mentioned products for you.

We are more than happy to send you a quotation for the works, with no obligations for you whatsoever.

Better Water Solutions:
52 Lower Vicarage Lane, Ashford, Kent UK TN24 9AS
Tel: 01233 - 712610
email: info@betterwatersolutions.co.uk

FAQ: Do I need to buy bottles for a Water Dispenser?

No, never again do you have to struggle with heavy water bottles or find storage space for spare or empty bottles.

Our dispensers get their water from your main water supply (softened or not) and will give you an instant and constant supply of pure, fresh drinking water. Either in your home, business premises, restaurant, school, fitness centre, B&B, hotel or any other venue you can think of.

And because of this, the risk of contamination (dirty hands replacing bottles) is virtually eliminated.

Better Water Solutions:
52 Lower Vicarage Lane, Ashford, Kent UK TN24 9AS
Tel: 01233 - 712610
email: info@betterwatersolutions.co.uk

FAQ: What kind of Softener System do I need?

We offer a FREE water test to determine the hardness of the water in your area to help you decide on which softener is best suited to your needs.

All our water softeners are of the highest quality and depending on the size/needs of your family you can choose between:

Micro-Soft 2000: our most popular softener

Micro-Soft MT2000: when space at an absolute premium

Micro-Soft Two-Sixty: free standing unit

Micro-Soft 3000: for larger households up to 6 people

The Water Boss: The ideal solution for the larger household, guesthouse or even a small hotel.

Better Water Solutions:
52 Lower Vicarage Lane, Ashford, Kent UK TN24 9AS
Tel: 01233 - 712610
email: info@betterwatersolutions.co.uk

 

FAQ: Can I use a softener with a high flow system?

Yes, it's even more important to use a water softener with this type of system! But it must be the right design.

The type of water heating systems being fitted into modern homes do not have the benefit of a reserve of stored cold water in a storage tank in the roof space, instead they rely totally on the incoming water supply pressure and they are particularly susceptible to hard water scale.

This type of system is in danger of serious scaling problems and/or blockages, sometimes within 1 or 2 years after installation and so they require a water softener fitted to work efficiently.
Special consideration must be made to maintain flow rates to these hot and cold plumbing systems and all must be fitted with suitable high flow water softeners.

Better Water Solutions:
52 Lower Vicarage Lane, Ashford, Kent UK TN24 9AS
Tel: 01233 - 712610
email: info@betterwatersolutions.co.uk

FAQ: Will a water softener damage a septic tank?

No.

Assuming that the septic tank is the right size and working properly, waste water from a water softener will have no adverse effect on a septic tank. In fact, because up to 75% less soaps and detergents need to be used in the house, the better it will be for the natural process to work.

Better Water Solutions:
52 Lower Vicarage Lane, Ashford, Kent UK TN24 9AS
Tel: 01233 - 712610
email: info@betterwatersolutions.co.uk

FAQ: Will softened water help my central heating?

Yes, it definitely will. If you live in a hard water area scale can build up in the system, especially the boiler. It can cause kettling: a noise similar to the sound of a kettle boiling and in extreme situations it causes loud banging noises and you whole central heating system may need descaling. Softened water prevents the scale build up.

(If you have an indirect system you should also have a corrosion proofer added to the system.)

Better Water Solutions:
52 Lower Vicarage Lane, Ashford, Kent UK TN24 9AS
Tel: 01233 - 712610
email: info@betterwatersolutions.co.uk

FAQ: Do I need to soften the whole house supply?

Yes, to take full advantage of all the benefits a water softener can give you you should install the system for the whole supply. If you just softened the hot water supply you would still get evaporations marks on shower doors/curtains, sink tops and other surfaces from the cold water and when you mix cold hard water with the softened hot water the hard will kill off the benefits of having a softener.

A separate tap, preferably with a filter, can be fitted for hard water (for you garden or when you need unsoftened water for baby-feeds, when you suffer from very high hypertension or follow a tightly controlled sodium free diet)

Better Water Solutions:
52 Lower Vicarage Lane, Ashford, Kent UK TN24 9AS
Tel: 01233 - 712610
email: info@betterwatersolutions.co.uk

FAQ: What are the benefits of Soft Water?

Where to start? There are so many!

Soft water really does mean money saved on your heating bills, hot water and cleaning materials.
Installing a water softener means:

• No more spotting and scale marks on sinks and baths.
• No more hard work to clean shower screens.
• No more blocked shower heads.
• No more scale in kettles or coffee makers.
• No more scale in washing machines.
• No more scale in your hot water tank.
• No more scale on immersion heaters.
• No more scale on boilers.

People with sensitive skin or people with eczema suffer particularly badly from bathing and washing in hard water, but when they get the accumulative effect of wearing cloths with residual scale and scum on them (and where 75% more detergent is needed than with softened water) in contact with their delicate skin the condition is aggravated day in day out.

There is an overwhelming amount of anecdotal evidence that suggest that softened water will help considerably in reducing flare-ups and other problems associated with this condition.
Recent research found that there is a direct significant link between both one year and lifetime prevalence of water hardness and eczema.

Plus, everything will taste better: coffee, tea, boiled vegetables - potatoes etc and of course a normal glass of fresh water because our softeners and filters will remove the Chlorine and other chemicals from you water supply.

Better Water Solutions:
52 Lower Vicarage Lane, Ashford, Kent UK TN24 9AS
Tel: 01233 - 712610
email: info@betterwatersolutions.co.uk

FAQ: What are the real costs of having hard water?

Official government statistics prove the added costs to heating bills and show that you could be losing as much as 70% efficiency on running costs.

Removing hard water by installing a water softener you'll save in the usages (equals costs) of soaps, shampoos, detergents and other cleaning materials, plus with less of these chemicals entering the eco-system (as much as 75% less) it can only benefit our rivers and waterways.
Appliances will last longer when hard water is softened.

Better Water Solutions:
52 Lower Vicarage Lane, Ashford, Kent UK TN24 9AS
Tel: 01233 - 712610
email: info@betterwatersolutions.co.uk

FAQ: Can I check the hardness of our water?

Well, we can do that for you. FREE!

There are many different plumbing systems and varying degrees of water hardness across the country. We want to make sure that you purchase the right water softener for your needs because there are so many different types to choose from.

Request our FREE water hardness test

Let us check the hardness of your water supply. Submit your name and email address for our FREE water test.
Name:
Email:

 
We will send you a small bottle to fill with water from you normal kitchen tap. All you have to do is send it back to us and we will inform you by email of the results. All for FREE!

Better Water Solutions:
52 Lower Vicarage Lane, Ashford, Kent UK TN24 9AS
Tel: 01233 - 712610
email: info@betterwatersolutions.co.uk

FAQ: What can hard water do?

Hard water reacts with soaps, shampoos and detergents to form a sticky curd-like substance we know and recognise as scum. It clings to surfaces of baths and basins and it will also cling to every fibre of clothing and linen.

Hard water scale will clog-up water pipes and appliances, coating the inside of boilers, immersion heaters, electric showers, washing machines, kettles etc.
It creates such a good insulator it prevents heat reaching your hot water and central heating system in the efficient way it should; systems have to work harder and harder just to produce the same amount of hot water they did when they were brand new, costing more and more money while at the same time actually reducing the volume of water available as the scale deposits displace it.

Better Water Solutions:
52 Lower Vicarage Lane, Ashford, Kent UK TN24 9AS
Tel: 01233 - 712610
email: info@betterwatersolutions.co.uk