How hard water hampers heating

Hard water is a fact of life in East Anglia. In fact, many residents will be all too familiar with its impact on their kettles. But when it affects boilers or heating systems, you can’t just grin and bear it.

That’s because hard water contains high calcium and magnesium content which, when heated, gradually forms lumpy limescale in units. Heat then gets trapped under the coating and brews some serious problems.

The worst part is hard water is often unnoticeably destructive until it’s too late. One of the initial signs is nothing more than a low rumbling sound from the heating unit or boiler, which comes from the system needing to generate more and more heat to stay functional. And when an entire layer of limescale forms, spikes in heating bills can appear.

So what should you look out for?

If you notice a strange noise coming from your radiator, boiler or heating system, you could be facing limescale. However, as symptoms can be discreet it could be rust or a blockage. It’s also important to remember if you begin to smell gas or fumes from the unit, feel nauseous, get headaches or feel dizzy you should open your windows, turn off the boiler and contact us immediately.