Saturday 31 October 2009

HardWaterStainsTips Survey Results 2009

Well the results are in and we have gained some valuable feedback from the 2009 Email Survey. We feel we are more able to provide the information and content that is going to be most helpful to you and your family in dealing with hard water in your home.

I'm glad to see that most people like the design of our emails as the vast majority have told us that they like the way they look...we'll keep them as they are then!



Most people would like their email delivered from us to be about once every two weeks...no problem!



47% would like to learn more about water softeners and filters...



Many people would like to learn more about useful products that will help them deal with hard water...we can do that!



We got some valuable feedback about the kind of problems that our community has when dealing with hard water - hard water stains around the shower seem to be the biggest problem.



Our subscribers want more interactive content - especially videos!



I'd like to say a big thank you once again to everyone for the great feedback we received, and the comments from our community on how we can improve things here at HardWaterStainsTips. We'll start working on ways to provide you with the information you've told us will help you the most, and keep you posted on the new developments that will be happening!

If you have any other comments that you'd like to make, please feel free to make a comment below.

Sunday 18 October 2009

Thanks for Your Brilliant Response!

Just a quick post to say a big thank you for the amazing response we got back from the recent Email Survey 2009!

We've got some great feedback that is being analysed by our Customer Care Team here at HardWaterStainsTips, which will help us to help you even more to deal with the frustration of hard water in your home.

Rest assured that the actions we take as a result of the survey will help you to combat the issues that are causing the most problems for you. We know what a pain coping with hard water is, and we are determined to help as many people eliminate the effects of it as possible.

Once again, thanks for your help - I'll get back to you soon with the results!

Image Source: interfolio.com

Saturday 17 October 2009

Hard Water - Top Tips to Easily Test Your Home Water Supply

Discovering whether your home water supply contains hard water minerals is vitally important if you are looking to remove or reduce these minerals for cleaner, purer water from your faucets. There are some excellent hard water testing kits available these days that will tell you exactly what your water contains, however, some methods are better than others...

As a guide, 60% of the UK and 85% of the US population live in a hard water area. This is a big problem, as dealing with hard water costs homeowners hundreds of dollars in expensive heating bills, as well as the headache of dealing with water deposits, and scale that forms around heating elements in kettles, dishwashers, boilers and in pipework.

The most common way to test is by using a hard water test strip, which is basically a small piece of specially treated paper that is dipped into the water to be tested, which then changes colour. This colour change is compared against a chart, where the hardness of water is related to the corresponding colour which is affected by the mineral concentration in the water.

A more accurate way is to use a use a hard water test kit which is usually a small bottle with specially formulated tablets. The idea is to take a sample of your water with the bottle, and then add the tablets to dissolve into the water. Again, there will be a colour change, this time of the water itself, which is compared against a chart indicating how hard the water is.

Probably the most accurate way, however, is to use a test kit which uses liquid drops which are added to the water sample. These have been proved to be most accurate when testing for hard water, and work time and again to reveal the true mineral content in a water supply.

For a comprehensive review of water test kits, have a think about the book below. It includes information on how to test water for an aquarium but also provides great insights into some of the most common ways to test the hardness of your water supply, including the best ways to test pH, ammonia and nitrate.



If all of the above does not work, or you prefer to have someone do it for you, most water companies will be able to test your home water supply for you. Give them a call and see what they can do for you. Once you've tested your water supply, the hardness of your water will be reported in grains per gallon, milligrams per liter (mg/l) or parts per million (ppm). One grain of hardness equals 17.1 mg/l or ppm of hardness.

So, if you wish to determine the mineral content of your water there are plenty of easy ways to accomplish it these days. Once, this has been done you'll be in a better position to clean hard water deposits and reduce scale formation that could be costing you significant amount of money in unnecessary heating bills for your home.

Thursday 8 October 2009

Hard Water Stains - Top Tips to Improve Your Well Water Supply and Prevent Water Stains.

The water from your well could be costing you hundreds of dollars a year. This is because well water (or borehole water as it is sometimes called) contains high levels of dissolved minerals such as calcium and magnesium, which cause stubborn hard water stains. These minerals also stick to the elements on kettles and boilers causing them to be much less efficient.

If your water comes straight from a local well it may contain several components that could be potentially harmful to your family. There are many people in the US and around the world who have the same problem, especially the very common and annoying hard water minerals that cause hard water stains, which end up on fixtures and fittings. However, there are some really simple ways to combat these unwanted minerals and by installing a device to your home that will give you the peace of mind of knowing that your water is the best it can be.

Top Tips To Improve Your Well Water Supply:

One of the simplest ways to improve the quality of your water is to install a water softener. These devices remove the calcium and magnesium minerals that cause hard water stains, and replace them with sodium which makes the water much "softer". The advantage of this is it also prevents these same minerals from sticking to the heating elements of kettles, boilers and other appliances in the home.

Water softeners generally contain an easy to install cartridge that must be replaced every few months, or recharged, to keep it in top condition.

Water filters are also a great way to improve the quality of your well water and there are some great devices available that do an excellent job. Basically, these devices contain a filter that removes the unwanted minerals from your water and makes it cleaner and of higher quality.

One of the best types of filter to purchase is called a reverse-osmosis filters (see image on left). These filters are often considered the best form of water filtration available today. The water is passed through several types of filters including a semi-permeable membrane, which filters out almost every contaminant.

They are more expensive than other types of filters but have reasonably low running costs, very effective filtration and can also be used to filter water to the whole house. These devices are the industry standard and can help to achieve very high purification, so much so that often people comment that they can actually taste the difference themselves once one of these has been installed.

Electromagnetic water conditioners are another way to reduce the level of minerals in well water and are a relatively new invention. The idea is that by passing water through a magnetic field, the calcium and magnesium ions are altered in such a way that they lose their ability to cause scale.

These devices have a number of benefits and many are used in industry; although the water is not technically soft, it has the useful properties of soft water, that is, it may reduce limescale in pipes and may increase heating efficiency as well as lengthening the lifespan of any clothes washed in the conditioned water.

However, the jury is still out on whether these devices work effectively in a residential environment. The magnetic current that passes through the water does not technically remove the unwanted minerals but simply changes the chemical make-up of them. This is supposed to prevent the minerals from "sticking" to the sides of pipes and fixtures around the home - thus reducing hard water stains and scale formation. However, as they are still present in the water, they can still cause problems around the home and are not particularly effective in hard water deposit removal. There was a period of time in the 60's and 70's where many of these anti scale devices were installed in industrial systems, however they are not used as frequently these days.

Summary:

So, if you receive your water from a well water supply then there are some proven techniques for removing the annoying minerals and potentially toxic chemicals that are present in this type of water. Installing a device to filter your water is a great idea and could reduce the formation of hard water stains in your home, as well as making your morning coffee taste even better!

Monday 5 October 2009

DIY Water Filters - Learn How To Treat Your Own Water!

There are some fantastic water softeners and filters available these days, and they do a great job at cleaning up our water and providing clean, soft water. However, if you're looking to save money or just like the idea of building a water filter for yourself, then a DIY water filter may be what you've just been looking for...as it could save you $250 every month!

If you have hard water in your local area, then it could be costing you hundreds of extra dollars per year in expensive cleaning products and scale caused by hard water deposit build-up in boilers and kettles. This not only adds to the cost of maintaining a household, but hard water does not lather at all well with soaps and shampoo, and also does not have a great taste...as you may already know!

Many people try to deal with the issue for years before they tackle the problem head on and do something about it. We all know how difficult hard water deposit removal can be, and just how much time it can take to get a kitchen and bathroom looking good again.

Some people try to boil their water before they drink it, or let it stand to settle out, or purchase expensive bottled water, or try to disguise the taste in some way...when all along they could have just installed - a DIY water filter for less than $80 - and solved all their problems in one! This also saves the environment as the plastic used to produce the bottled water is saved.

There are some cutting edge technologies that are pushing the boundaries of water filtration these days, and are purifying water to extremely high standards. To learn more about the new developments taking place in the industry, click on the link below:

http://www.prweb.com/pingpr.php/U3VtbS1aZXRhLVBpZ2ctTG92ZS1GYWx1LUNvdXAtWmVybw==

Top Tips When Considering a DIY Water Filter:

The main benefit of a DIY water filter is the low cost compared to the filters that can be bought in stores. The trick is to find a good filter media (tip: granular carbon is an excellent filter media) as it's this that will filter and purify your water of many of the impurities and chemicals that are contained within it. Sand is also a great material for removing the unwanted toxins that can be present in a home water supply.

If you've been considering a water filter for a while and are unsure about the cost of installing one or just want more information about how they operate, then building one for yourself gives you a great insight into the precise way these devices actually work. When you then decide to purchase one over the counter in the future, I can guarantee you'll be well armed with the facts to pick the right one for yourself!


If you're looking to learn more about consider this easy, step-by-step guide for making you own home water filter and save up to $250 a month, then click on the link below for more information:





And of course, if you have any questions or queries about DIY water filters, please don't hesitate to email me at support@hardwaterstainstips.com. I'd be happy to hear from you.

Have any comments about this post, put them down below...I'd be happy to hear your thoughts.

Saturday 3 October 2009

Hard Water Stains on Shower Doors - Top Tips That Have Been Proven To Work...

A recent technology has been developed that could lead to hard water stains on glass shower doors being a thing of the past. If this interest you, then read on...

A new glass coating has been developed that is resistant to corrosion and discoloration caused by constant exposure to heat, humidity, hard water, soaps and harsh cleaners. As a result, it requires less cleaning materials and maintains its original like-new appearance for years.

The technology is also used in the solar panel industry and looks as though it has a promising future. To read the full article click on the link below:

http://www.glassonweb.com/news/index/10186/

The only downside to this new technology is that it could still be a few years away. I know in the mean time there that this does not really help you remove any stubborn stains on your shower doors. So, if you have them and are determined to have crystal clear shower doors once again that sparkle like new, click on the link below to go to my blog post that outlines a proven step-by-step formula that has worked time and again...

http://hardwaterstainstips.blogspot.com/search?q=shower

Another top tip is to consider installing a shower filter that will actually remove the hard water minerals from your shower water supply. Here are some of the benefits of installing one of these devices:
  1. Reduces the formation of hard water build-up in your shower which cause stains.
  2. Makes your hair feel soft and smooth to the touch - as the minerals don't build up in your hair.
  3. Soap and shampoo usage is reduced as you are able to form a rich lather for bathing.
  4. Feel cleaner afterwards as there is no residue to rinse off after you have showered.
  5. Less risk of itchy skin or irritations as the water is filtered of impurities.
If you are considering the benefits of a shower filter, but are unsure of which one to buy, don't worry. The Aquasana Deluxe AQ-4100 Shower Water Filter below is one of the best around and was voted "Product of the Year" by Cosmetology Today Magazine. Click on the link below to learn more...




Details:

* Voted "Product of the Year" by Cosmetology Today Magazine.
* Comes complete with a deluxe adjustable massage-showerhead.
* Replaceable water filter cartridge lasts 10,000 gallons, about 6 months.
* Unique 2-Stage shower water filter uses Coconut Shell Carbon & KDF-55D media to enhance your shower experience.

To learn more about this product click on the link below...

Aquasana AQ-4100 Deluxe Shower Water Filter System with Adjustable Showerhead

I hope that helps if you have any hard water or limescale issues with your shower doors. And of course, if you have any problems or questions, please don't hesitate to email me at support@hardwaterstainstips.com. I'd be happy to help!

If you have any thought about this post, why not leave a comment below, I'd be happy to hear your thoughts...