How Water Softeners Improve the Longevity of Water Heaters

_{| Thursday February 22, 2024}

Warm water is vital to the efficient performance of establishments in the hospitality industry, providing optimal sanitation and hygiene for employees and guests. This is why investing in commercial water heaters has become paramount for hotels and restaurants, allowing them to provide comfortable showers and proper food preparation for their visitors. These heaters quickly heat water in large volumes, ensuring a consistent supply when needed.

Since water heaters are valuable assets for businesses in the sector, it is paramount to maintain good water quality to preserve the heater’s longevity. Hard water is the primary cause of corrosion and reduced longevity for numerous commercial water heating units, which is why it is necessary to have water softeners installed in the plumbing system.

Understanding Water Hardness

Water hardness refers to the level of heavy minerals present in the water, typically including calcium and magnesium ions. Other dissolved metals, such as iron, zinc, and aluminum, can also contaminate the water entering the property. This is a concern in many areas because of the damage it can cause to plumbing. Excessive levels of calcium and magnesium create problems in pipes and relevant appliances, such as water heaters.

Mineral buildup from hard water, known as limescale, is notorious for damaging water heaters in commercial establishments. These minerals cause scaling and clogging of internal components of water heaters, resulting in the following:

Reduced Efficiency– As minerals accumulate in the heating elements of the electric storage water heater, the unit experiences longer heating times and increased energy consumption.

Impaired Performance– Water heaters suffering from excessive limescale buildup might be unable to heat enough supply or heat any water at all.

Longer Maintenance Times– Water heaters require regular flushing to remove limescale. In areas with hard water, heating units need to be drained more frequently to prevent mineral buildup.

Shorter Lifespan– Hard water will make water heaters work twice as hard, and the tanks deteriorate, ultimately shortening their useful life.

The Role of Water Softeners

Many commercial establishments leverage several tools to help them manage the issue of hard water supply in their properties, one of which includes water softeners.

Water softeners are filters that remove the minerals that cause corrosion in water heaters and replace them with their softer counterparts, such as sodium or potassium. Unlike the former, these soft minerals are gentler on the appliances.

There are two main types of water softeners: salt-based and salt-free.

Salt-Based Water Softeners

Also called ion exchange water softeners, this water softener draws heavy minerals into a resin and releases sodium ions. Once softened, the water passes through a filtration system before being released into the plumbing.

Salt-Free Water Softeners

For businesses that do not like the idea of adding salt to their water supply, salt-free softeners are the best alternatives. Using a template-assisted crystallization (TAC) system, the minerals stick to the sites and form crystals, which then detach and travel harmlessly through the water without causing buildup.

Benefits of Water Softener for Commercial Heaters

Every hotel and restaurant must consider installing water softener solutions if they struggle to preserve the useful lives of their water heaters. Below are the key benefits of using commercial water softeners:

Improved Efficiency– Without hard minerals disrupting the heating process, water heaters can produce more lukewarm water effectively, leading to lower energy consumption.

Extended Lifespan– Water softeners protect the various components of commercial heaters from damage caused by limescale buildup, thereby extending their life.

Reduced Maintenance Costs– With less calcium and magnesium in the supply, water heaters safeguarded by softeners are less likely to sustain damage and will need less maintenance work in the long run.

Long-Term Cost Savings– Combining the benefits of extended life, better efficiency, and lower maintenance costs for commercial heaters, hospitality businesses can enjoy long-term cost savings with the help of a dependable water softener.

Conclusion

Water heaters are paramount to the normal operations of hotels and restaurants, especially in providing comfort to guests and meeting sanitary requirements. However, heavy minerals from hard water can deteriorate the standard functionality of water heaters.

Using water softeners is a great way to reduce the impact of hard water on commercial heaters. These helpful appliances adeptly remove heavy minerals from the water supply, replacing them with softer counterparts that mitigates corrosion of plumbing infrastructure and appliances. This investment can enhance the longevity of commercial heaters and fosters proactive maintenance to elevate operational efficiency and long-term savings.

If you are looking for high-quality water heaters for your establishment, you should check out Rheem, one of the best water heater brands in the Philippines. With almost 100 years of experience in the water heating industry, we have constantly focused on innovating and creating more advanced, high-quality water heating solutions to suit our customers’ unique needs.

You can browse our extensive range of tankless and electric storage water heaters on our website. For any inquiries or more information about our products, you can also talk to one of our representatives at www.rheemphilippines.com/contact.