On Fri 11 Dec, [log in to unmask] wrote:
> Has anyone experience of the 'end-all-your-hard-water-problems' water
> softeners
> regularly advertised in the weekend papers? They appear to consist simply of a
> small black box connected to the mains which one fits round the incoming water
> main. All offer your money back (about UKP70?) if you aren't convinced
> within 3
> months or whatever. They claim by then your kettles, immersion heaters,
> furnaces etc will have unfurred themselves to your delight. I must say that if
> they work they are a vast improvement on the great tanks I remember my elderly
> relatives regularly feeding with large quantities of salt back in the 30s.
>
> 1. do they work?
> 2. if so how? The only satisfactory modus operandi would appear to be that in
> some way all calcium in the supply is rendered soluble as it passes under the
> black box, and the effect extends downstream to defur all household devices
> gradually as well, washing the solubilized calcium away down the drains. Is't
> physicochemically possible? If not, how come the apparent crowd of grateful
> users whose water, they are convinced, is now softer than whatever?
> I became interested lately because I have a daughter in Utrecht who says the
> hardness there is a real problem, but also tells me the Dutch do not seem to
> have heard of these relatively inexpensive little gadgets or their low running
> cost (under UKP2/Dfl 6 per annum).
> If they work I'd consider one myself as an alternative to descaling kettles
> with half-strength commercial vinegar (at least cheaper than buying descaling
> powders in the S/market).
>
> Senior Lurker
>
>
>
>
We are in a hard water area and we have had one of these gizmos for about 9 years.
It seems to work, little furring on ketttles, loss of tide marks in bath etc. Not
perfect but once installed you just forget about it.
I have no idea how it is supposed to work, anecdote rather than evidence?
Maybe a 'n of 1' trial.
We certainly had more 'problems' before it was installed.
--
Allan Harris, GP, Haxby, York YO32 2PH
tel 01904-768666
work 01904-760125, fax 750168
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