By Sarah Macklin 
As energy prices in the UK continue to worry millions of households, there’s another factor to consider that could increase your energy bills further.
Hard water is a big problem that affects tons of homes in the UK, and it’s been found that living in a hard water area could actually add £500 to your energy bills every year. This figure goes up if you spend lots of money on unnecessary detergents and cleaning products to remove the effects of hard water, namely limescale.
How does hard water affect my energy bills?
It’s thought that around 17m houses are located in hard-water areas. London and the South-East have particularly hard water that can cause problems. As you head further north and west, the water becomes softer. The Midlands generally has medium to hard water, and Cornwall, the North and Scotland have mainly soft water.
Hard water usually contains a higher amount of magnesium and calcium. Water comes into our homes through our taps and appliances, and as it dries, leaves these mineral deposits behind. These can build up to become what is known as limescale.
Limescale builds up much faster on appliances that use hot water, such as kettles, washing machines, dishwashers and boilers. This is because hot water evaporates more quickly than cold water.
The problem with limescale is that you can’t always see it – it can build up inside your boiler, for example, and this is what has the biggest impact on your energy bills.
A heating system that contains a lot of limescale could use significantly more gas and therefore could increase your annual bill by around 25%. Your boiler generally has to work harder to deliver hot water around the system when there’s lots of limescale present. This hard substance can build up inside your radiators and your pipes, making the space the water can get through much smaller.
Over time, your boiler’s lifespan could be significantly reduced and may even be damaged beyond repair and may even break down in winter. Should you live in a hard-water area, appliances such as your boiler and dishwasher might need to be replaced twice as often as homes with soft water.
How do I treat hard water in my home?
If you act now, you could prevent the limescale build up from getting worse. So how can you soften hard water?
- Add some sodium carbonate to every clothes wash
- Install water filters to your taps
- Install a magnetic filter to your boiler system that can catch minerals before it enters the system
- Fit a sustainable water conditioner
Out of all these options, fitting a sustainable water conditioner is likely the most foolproof way of preventing limescale, and could save you up to 25% on your energy bills if you live in a very hard-water area.
A water conditioner softens water as it enters your home. It doesn’t use any salt or chemicals and research suggests that households could save up to £500 a year by having one fitted.
Samantha Mant, CEO of Halcyan Water Conditioners, said:
“As energy prices continue to soar, households are running out of ways to save money on their bills. However one way to achieve a more energy-efficient home is to install a sustainable water conditioner which can save households hundreds of pounds per year.
This small device takes under an hour to install and requires no additional cupboard space. It not only prevents future limescale but also treats existing limescale in your system. With a 30-year warranty, users can expect to achieve a potential saving of over £20,000 on energy bills at today’s prices over the lifetime of the device.”
