However, in some scenarios, water may need to be treated to reduce the need for maintenance.  If you live in a hard water area the water contains a higher than normal amount of minerals calcium and magnesium. When this is left untreated the minerals build up over time clogging up pipework, this applies for all plumbing throughout your home, not just Gledhill cylinders. This problem is commonly referred to as limescale, and prolonged exposure can reduce the lifespan of anything exposed to it.

Gledhill cylinders such as BoilerMate and PulsaCoil are generally low maintenance as they are kept at mains pressure and because there is no standing water there is no risk of Legionella or contamination. This also means they are easier to install and can be located almost anywhere.

Hard Water affects more people than you think, with around 60% of homes in the UK suffering from it, though some areas are worse than others. United Utilities can help you identify if you are in a hard water area.

It is quite a simple solution to fix and will save you a lot of time and money in the long term.

You can either use a water softener or a scale reducer. A water softener works to reduce the damaging effects of calcium and magnesium minerals by exchanging them for sodium. To do this, it contains beads that carry negative charges which attract the magnesium and calcium ions that carry positive charges. These ions are then captured within the water softener and replaced with sodium to produce soft water. This is called ion exchange. Most water softeners require cartridges to be changed every 12 months to ensure efficient performance, which can be done by your engineer when you book an annual service.

A scale reducer uses a different method to reduce limescale damage. Rather than a chemical procedure, the scale reducer changes the mineral deposit physically. Calcium and magnesium deposits have an irregular and jagged shape, making them easy to attach themselves to pipework etc. In changing the mineral’s formation to a circular shape, this enables it to pass through the water easily, preventing it from attaching itself to the pipework and causing limescale build-up. Most scale reducers are provided with a ten-year warranty and promise whole house protection.

If you do have problem with your Gledhill product then Gledhill Response is the only official Gledhill repair company on the market and we offer home cover packages for Gledhill products, as well as one-off repairs.