For years, we’ve been advocating the multiple benefits associated with softened water flowing into your home.  

Now, additional research suggests that, by having a water softener in your property, it could amount to an annual household saving of at least £1000.    

At Scott Jenkins Water Softeners, our focus is primarily on the counties of East and West Sussex, Hampshire and Surrey. However, there are as many as 13 million homes across the UK who, every year, are currently spending far more than they should by being subjected to hard water. 

To put this figure of 13 million into some sort of context, this equates to around 60% of all households across the land. 

Rightly so, people are focussed on keeping their energy bills down as we head into what could be a winter of discontent for many. But the part that soft water can play in helping limit the cost of gas and electricity is being overlooked.  

In many previous blogs, we’ve highlighted the numerous lifestyle benefits that softened water offers. These include financial benefits – and it’s good to see that new research has once again put monetary matters in the spotlight. Switching away from hard water can definitely be kind on your pocket!  

What makes water hard?

The rocks and things in the ground. If you live in an area where the rocks are porous and the soil is composed of chalk or limestone, then you are destined for hard water. It’s got nothing to do with rainwater, because the drops that descend from the sky are naturally soft. 

Chalk and limestone contain an abundance of calcium and magnesium minerals. Once rainfall permeates this type of underlay, these minerals get to work to turn the soft water hard. It’s just what nature does! 

And that’s what ends up in your mains supply. The water companies ensure it is safe to drink but, as for doing anything to reduce its hardness, that’s not part of their brief.    

What’s wrong with hard water?

As mentioned, hard water isn’t inherently dangerous and it would wrong for us to suggest that it is. But hard water does have its downside. It’s harsh on your skin and hair and unforgiving on your laundry. If you are exposed to hard water, you may have noticed how the washing machine keeps turning out clothes, towels and linen which are crusty and starchy to the touch. That’s caused by the hard water. 

But perhaps the biggest issue with hard water is that it is chiefly responsible for causing limescale. You’ll never get rid of it, all the time you are without softened water. It’s a devil to keep kitchen and bathroom surfaces clean but it’s your central heating system, or anywhere in the home where heated or boiling water is present, like the kettle, which will bear the brunt of the scale build up. 

This can have hidden but huge consequences. Perfectly serviceable boilers and water tanks will accumulate ever increasing amounts of scale, meaning it takes longer and longer to actually heat the hot water you require. This is because the scale gets heated first. Meanwhile, the volume of the water tank is reduced because up to a third of its capacity is reduced by limescale. 

Then, to add insult to injury, the water you’ve heated cools off far more quickly than it should, because the heat is absorbed by the rock-like scale. Eventually the system will need replacing and the boiler’s life expectancy cut in half. All this means you’ll chalk up unnecessarily high fuel bills. The horror of hard water! 

Where can I make savings of over £1000 a year with a water softener? 

Although this latest research shows that a family of four will spend an additional £800 a year on toiletries and detergents if they are using hard water, we think this isn’t the worst area where you would be throwing money down the drain. 

In our experience, it is limescale accumulation in the boiler and hot water tank which has the biggest impact on household finances. Scale is most prolific where hot water is created – central heating systems and kettles being two prime examples.  

The new research also suggests that, with soft water, you’ll spend in the region of £115 less on gas and electricity, whilst there’ll be cost savings of £182 or so on appliance repair and servicing. Although this just goes to show what a drain limescale can be on your finances, in our view, this isn’t the worst of it!  

Yes, unnecessary energy consumption is going to be a daily occurrence and who wants to rack up higher fuel bills? But the toll that a limescale-riddled boiler creates could have a major impact on your outgoings. You could wreck a brand new one in around seven years by persisting with hard water, which could set you back thousands of pounds for a replacement.  

How is hard water classified?

Hard water is measured by the amounts of mineral deposits in your water supply, on a parts per million (ppm) scale. If the reading is above 200ppm, this classifies the water as being hard. If it reaches 300ppm, which it can do in certain areas, then this is termed aggressively hard. The majority of the south-east, where Scott Jenkins Water Softeners operate, has hard water registering around 280ppm or over – so it’s pretty hard wherever you live in this part of the country. 

Do water softeners reduce the level of water hardness by much?

Yes, they do. A water softener will control the level of water hardness – you can tweak this, if you wish – but a softener worth its salt (pardon the pun), as is the case with all water softeners from SJWS, will bring those hardness levels down to zero. Rest assured, your water will have no mineral content whatsoever.    

How much does a water softener cost? 

Prices can vary considerably. You probably have heard of the saying that ‘if you pay peanuts, you get monkeys’. There’s always somewhere you can pick one up that’s cheaper – and this is certainly true for water softeners. Check out our guide here, but our premium range water softeners start from a very competitive £1195.00. If this sounds a little hefty, you could always put a proportion on finance, which we can easily arrange for you.  

Think of a water softener as a long-term investment. With regular servicing, these products are designed to last for years and years. After your initial outlay, you can than wave goodbye to all that unnecessary expense on wasted fuel bills, toiletries and cleaning products, not to mention all the hassle linked to hard water.  

What size of home is suited to a water softener? 

Our water softeners are versatile, space efficient and extremely reliable. We wouldn’t sell them otherwise! Our products are suitable for starter homes right through to top end executive properties. So regardless of how many bedrooms and bathrooms you have, we’ll find exactly the right match of water softener for your household requirements and budget.   

Can I afford a water softener? 

Our view is that every homeowner should have the option to own a water softener. Not everyone wants one, but there are many more that do. If you are currently looking at ways to save money and improve your lifestyle, we can provide the solutions. We also offer flexible finance terms, if you would prefer to spread payments.

Having softened water is an absolute pleasure – but certainly shouldn’t be a privilege. Whatever it takes to help you preserve your hard-earned money, we’ll do our best to assist. 

If you are looking at ways to cut back on your household bills and like the idea of annual household savings of around £1000 a year, talk to us today about the most appropriate water softener for your needs. 

Speak to a member of our approachable and knowledgeable team by calling 01243 607494 or contact us by email: scott@sjbs.co.uk