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5schwaben511 Jun 2016 21:41Hello,
we have planned an air-to-air heat pump for our new house, and now the builder has recommended a water softening system, partly due to the warranty conditions for the heat pump.
After extensive online research, we still aren’t any wiser—there are many opinions both for and against it... so now I’m hoping to hear about your experiences...
Thank you
we have planned an air-to-air heat pump for our new house, and now the builder has recommended a water softening system, partly due to the warranty conditions for the heat pump.
After extensive online research, we still aren’t any wiser—there are many opinions both for and against it... so now I’m hoping to hear about your experiences...
Thank you
Hello,
What does an air-to-air heat pump have to do with water softening? I assume you mean a domestic hot water heat pump, which is often installed alongside many air-to-air heat pump systems for water heating purposes (?).
From 20 degrees of water hardness, it is definitely recommended purely for comfort reasons; below 15 degrees of hardness, it is rather pointless. Between these values... it depends on personal preference.
The hotter the heat transfer medium, the more limescale buildup occurs. Therefore, in my opinion, a heat pump should generally be unproblematic in the medium hardness range. If the additional electric heating element is constantly in use, the situation might be different, as it operates at higher temperatures.
What does an air-to-air heat pump have to do with water softening? I assume you mean a domestic hot water heat pump, which is often installed alongside many air-to-air heat pump systems for water heating purposes (?).
From 20 degrees of water hardness, it is definitely recommended purely for comfort reasons; below 15 degrees of hardness, it is rather pointless. Between these values... it depends on personal preference.
The hotter the heat transfer medium, the more limescale buildup occurs. Therefore, in my opinion, a heat pump should generally be unproblematic in the medium hardness range. If the additional electric heating element is constantly in use, the situation might be different, as it operates at higher temperatures.
When I was looking for a heat pump for non-heating water use (not for heating water), the manual stated the maximum water hardness it could handle. After an initial shock, I took a closer look and realized that the hardness values were given in French degrees. Converted, the heat pump was actually suitable for our very, very hard water. So, it was more a matter of perspective—do you want to constantly clean limescale spots? It’s less of a technical issue.
Not only are the lime deposits reduced, but showering is also more pleasant. The water simply tastes better as well (which apparently is not just our imagination, but has also been confirmed by visitors who didn’t even know we have a water softening system). However, the water in this area is otherwise quite hard.
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