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The importance of water quality in heating and cooling systems

As a general, heat pumps in the UK are paired with wet heating systems filled with tap water and chemical inhibitor designed to prevent corrosion in the system.

However, there are some greener options to consider for those customers seeking a green heating system.  These are common in Europe and are regulated by standards that we can learn from.

 

Option one: Softened Water

The first option is to simply fill the system with softened water (as long as it meets the criteria given in your heat pump manual).  Therefore, the following needs to be taken into consideration such as PH, conductivity and various measures of water hardness. In theory this could be soft local tap water, but in either case, you’ll need a good water testing kit to verify your water.  Unfortunately, this isn’t something that is a good idea to wing, which will come as no surprise to those from a plumbing background.

 

Option two: Demineralised Water Filter

The second option is to fill the system via a commercial water filter which purifies and demineralises the water completely, which also helps with the reduction of limescale and corrosion.  The main benefit to this option is it balances the PH levels, therefore, reducing the potential for corrosion further.  A smaller, domestic plumbed-in resin cartridge unit is then put in place on site for topping up the system.

 

For either of these approaches there are a couple of key actions to take:

  1. Remember always to flush a system before filling – whatever method you use – to get rid of any accumulated debris.
  2. Don’t forget that things like cylinders can start to corrode before you even fill the system if left sitting around on site for a while.
  3. You also want the system to be as clean as possible to prevent the growth of organic life which can then alter the water chemistry through its biological processes
  4. You will need to calculate the required volume of water before filling
  5. how long it will take to fill based on the output of any water purification plant you are using.

 

In conclusion, both methods will have a limited amount of oxygen in the system that will allow some – although minimal- corrosion. Therefore, it is extremely important your installer understands this and takes the relevant measures to prevent/limit this as much as possible.

 

 



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