Testing for hard water

[mike_s]

How do I do this? I'm gas safe registered, 7 years experience, fully qualified in plumbing and gas to level 3 and installed tons of boilers yet I've never been told anything about this.

It states in Benchmark and certain installation manuals that a scale reducer must be fitted to combi boilers where the hard water is more that 200 ppm. I assume this is measuring lime scale? How do I do this? We do not have a major limescale problem in the vast majoritory of houses around here.

 

[bobb]

I have just been looking my self for a hard water test kit, you can get them on amzon or any where that sales water softeners. You can gets drops you put in the water, the more drops it takes to change the colour of the water the harder the water is. I think its one drop per10 ppm.
Hope thats a help. Bench marks are good but cost me a fourtune in trying to keep up with tools and equipment.

Bobb

 

[mike_s]

haha yes I've been endevouring to complete all of the Bnechmark recently so theres no questions to me from the manufacturers if they have to come out under the warranty period.

Looks like I need a hard water test kit then, any reccomendations?

 

[easyt]

Can't the local water company supply the details?

 

[mike_s]

I don't know. Surely there must be a simple method for heating engineers?

 

[easyt]

If I go on my utility suppliers web site I can enter post code and get test results. I am in Welsh Water Area

 

[mike_s]

just been on united utilities website and got this number to ring tomorrow 0845 746 2200 open from 8am-8pm if anybody else is interested. Will speak to boiler manufacturers also. I'm sure we don't have a major problem around here in the north west. United utilities state that most of the water around here is soft or very soft. Now I've heard that Worcester boilers shouldn't be fitted to soft water? It just sounds like another excuse for their warranties like the ph they state.

 

[PlumbBobBob]

i think it's softened water Worcester boilers don't like not soft.

 

[mike_s]

Yep just re-read this and realised, I got mixed up between soft and softened.

 

[moogwai]

Get a tds meter.....simple and quick way to test. Just turn it on and dip it in! Must get one that tests for ppm......loads on flea bay.

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