FAQs
WHAT IS HARD WATER?
Hard water is caused by minerals containing calcium and magnesium which are dissolved in the water supply. The more dissolved minerals of this type there are in the water the harder the water is. When the water is heated (or evaporates) these minerals are left behind and form scale.
HOW CAN I TELL HOW HARD MY WATER IS?
Go to our FREE water hardness postcode checker and simply type in your postcode. The widget will display how hard your water supply is.
WHERE IS THE WATER SOFTENER FITTED?
Normally, a water softener is fitted somewhere close to your water main stopcock. If the stopcock is under your kitchen sink, this is generally the most cost effective solution. The water softener needs to have a power supply and be connected to a drain for use during regeneration.
HOW LONG DOES A WATER SOFTENER LAST?
A good water softener should last you up to 10 – 12 years. Our 8 year warranty programme covers all parts and labour should it malfunction during this time. All we ask is that your softener is serviced once every two years.
HOW OFTEN DO I NEED TO ADD SALT TO MY SOFTENER?
This varies depending on your water usage. The more often a softener regenerates, the more often you will need to add salt. We recommend you check your water softener’s salt level once a month. If your salt levels are down to 2 centimetres refill it to the top with salt tablets.
IS SOFTENED WATER SAFE TO DRINK?
Yes, however it is not recommended for either nursing mothers or anyone on a sodium restricted diet. In the process of softening the water, the hard elements of calcium and magnesium are replaced with sodium.
HOW CAN I AVOID DRINKING THE SOFTENED WATER?
When connecting a softener to your home, there are 2 ways to tackle the drinking water scenario. Firstly, the cold tap in the kitchen can be left unsoftened receiving water direct from your water main. Secondly, to have a separate untreated tap solely for drinking water and to have this fitted with a water filter which will remove chlorine and taste and odour, to give you clear tasting filtered water.
WATERCARE HOME SOFTENERS HAVE A DIGITAL VALVE, WHAT DOES THAT MEAN?
Metered softeners measure the amount of water used and ensures the softener will only regenerate when required, thus minimising the use of salt. It will also notice any increase or decrease in water usage (while you are on holiday for example) again saving on regeneration time and salt usage.
IF I MOVE HOUSE, CAN MY SOFTENER MOVE WITH ME?
Absolutely. As long as the water consumption in your new property does not greatly increase then all of our water softeners are easily transferable. Seeking professional advice before re-locating softener would always be advisable.
DO I NEED MY PIPEWORK DESCALED BEFORE I FIT THE SOFTENER?
As soon as your new water softener is connected, soft water will start to reverse the scale build up. Over a period of time all scale build up will be gradually removed. As this happens, your water heating bills will be reduced simply because you will not be heating your water through a barrier of scale.