How to prevent lime scale build up

Usually we take water for granted, but one shouldn’t — it is one of our very necessary things for living.

One of the most common water problems faced by homeowners especially in rural areas, is “hard” water, the kind that refuses to lather, leaves a ring around the bathtub, turns white clothes gray in the wash and, most destructively, clogs appliances and plumbing lines with mineral deposits that are known to us as lime scale.

We should be concerned with the quality of water that we drink and use for washing.  Water does contain a lot of elements that become dissolved from the soil.

Most of these elements are very beneficial for our health, but some of them, such as lime scale, are very bothersome. 

A build up of lime scale in a pipe can reduce the flow and efficiency of the water system. The build up of lime scale in a hot water tank can waste energy. Lime scale can also clog kettles and corrode the inside of faucets.

In areas where the water is quite hard, water softeners are quite common. 

In some areas, because of the condition of the water, one simply cannot drink it.

I saw a test that was done in a home with a water treatment unit a few years ago. This unit did not take anything from the water or add anything to it. It simply magnetizes the lime particles in the water and prevents them from collecting as scale on the inside of your water system.

Water passes through a strong magnetic field which causes the microscopic particles to be suspended in the water.  As the water is used, the suspended particles go with the water and do not form scale on the inside of your system. 

The magnets likely will last as long as your house and very seldom ever need recharging.  Of course, there is no upkeep to the unit and it does not hook up to any electrical power.

When the water treatment unit was installed on a hot water tank with severe lime scale build up, it eliminated the lime scale build-up and also gradually dissipated the existing lime scale that was in the tank.

According to the homeowner, her houseplants thrived on water that also goes through a water treatment unit.

Water treatment units have been installed in some major hotels where they had problems with their water systems, such as the automatic dishwashers, etc. After the installation of the water treatment unit, their problems were completely solved.

There are many different types of units, including some that treat water going through boilers in commercial establishments. Indeed, these units are used to treat water used in ships at sea.

 In the case of a boiler, where the water is not flowing through the unit and taking the suspended particles with it, it simply forms sludge or becomes a form of sediment in the bottom of the boiler. It is easily cleaned by shutting the system down and draining it out. 

Units used for industrial applications are large enough to treat thousands of gallons of water.  

Before you buy any treatment equipment have your water tested and then consult with a water quality expert. You may suspect other contaminants because of a particular industry in your area.

For further information on wells and water testing, contact your local drinking water officer, the Manitoba Office of Drinking Water at (204)-945-5762, Health Links at (204)-788-8200 or toll free at 1-888-315-9257, or visit the website at www.gov.mb.ca/health/publichealth/cmoh/water. html.