With nearly 50 residential houses to look after and maintain in an excessively hard water area, I’m looking at ways I can be more proactive and preventative as far as looking after the plumbing systems and infrastructure in the properties.

Limescale build up starts to cost in terms of replacements of taps, immersion elements, heating coils, tanks etc etc.

Generally, most of the houses are 2/3 bed and built in the 30’s, 40’s & 50’s, so not huge amounts of space for salt softeners and most have oil fired heating systems that were updated circa 10 to 15 years ago.

I will need to keep installation costs down and am currently looking at the mains water inline inhibitor cartridges that appear to fit to the existing incoming main post stop cock by compression fittings to either 15 or 22mm pipe work.

Are these things any good? Will they help to reduce the existing limescale build up as well as inhibit new limescale? Are there any other alternatives? Your thoughts, feelings, opinions and most usefully, experiences with reducing limescale with these or other products would be much appreciated 😁

Ah I looked at this when doing my house, everyone kept saying using salt, but frankly it’s environmentally dreadful.. Started looking at the “snake oil” type tui gs that use magnet type stuff, but couldnt find any evidence of them actually working.. Then, looking at filtration systems.. There are non that can specifically remove limescale in an efficient manner, you’d be having to use such a fine weave/mesh that it will block too quickly… If anyone has the answer I’ll bite your hand off..

Polyphosphate cartridge will help reduce lime scale. They won’t soften the water but do help cylinders etc. We’ve used them in dairy’s on the hot water to help prolong the life’s of the heating elements. The cartridges need change annually. Combi care is my preferred option.

Can yoh use those on drinking lines though?

Yes it is a food grade additive.

We have recently moved to a part of the country with hard water. Whilst laying loft insulation last week I found a Combimate in the loft space.

Reviews of it look good so far, and it definitely does work as we had tested the water

Cistermiser Combimate Here and a year of use has shown a tremendous difference. In a very hard water location, previously new kettle and shower every 12-18 months, now look/work like new.

What’s the difference between an inhibitor and a water softener?

A water softener will replace calcium ions with sodium ones, leaving the calcium in the softener and having to be flushed out on recharge.

The polyphosphate additives appear to be some magic that prevent calcium carbonate crystals from forming but don’t remove the calcium from the water.

Thanks very much for your input people! Polysulphate cartridges / Combicare/mate eh? I shall engage some google-fu as so far, this sounds like a viable option, especially as they’re good to go for drinking water.

https://www.bwt-uk.co.uk/en/business/products/domesticproducts/scalereduction/CombiCare/Pages/default.aspx

These are the ones I prefer.

I looked at this when doing my house, everyone kept saying using salt, but frankly it’s environmentally dreadful..

Why ???