Teikos Water Softeners for Calcareous Waters

The water circuit on professional dishwashers (though it applies to household appliances as well) is designed in such a way to keep separate the path of washing water from that of rinsing water. Although normally the first part may be common, the two circuits are then separated so as to ensure that water with the detergent never gets in contact with rinsing water.

This premise is important to understand that deposits of calcium carbonate inside the appliance gradually damage the components which are not directly visible to the user. Thus on one side you could have a perfectly clean and shiny wash tank, thanks to the use of aggressive detergents, and on the other side the rinse circuit completely covered in calcarous deposits. Detergents, in fact, can fight limestone inside the tank, but can do nothing inside the rinse circuit which they don't reach. 

The rinse circuit is the most delicate part of the dishwasher; it is the most exposed because of the high temperatures that water reaches inside. The sprayers used for distribution of rinsing water have a very small exit hole diameter (sometimes less than 1 mm), which is necessary for the proper configuration of the jets in the rinse phase. High temperature and narrow passages are the conditions that make the limestone particularly persistent because even the minimum deposit can have serious consequences on the final result.

Unfortunately, this phenomenon causes these malfunctions in a relatively short time, especially in the circumstances where the water is particularly hard. The costs of repair are particularly high because the operation of disassembly and replacement of the damaged parts is not easy.

It should also be considered that the limestone deposit also causes a significant increase in the consumption of electricity. This happens because the calcium carbonate deposits at the speed which is directly proportional to the temperature: the higher the temperature, the faster the limestone deposit. Being the heating elements the point of the highest temperature, one can easily imagine that limestone tends to attack them first, thus creating a kind of isolation layer which will slow down the water heating process. The heating elements will have to work more to make sure the water reaches the adequate working temperature. At this point it is very probable that the heating elements will burn out shortly.

Finally, let us consider one more important point before moving on to how to face the problem.

An excessive concentration of calcium and magnesium in the water creates a real obstacle to proper detergent action of the washing-up liquid used on the dishes. Therefore, you are forced to use bigger quantities of the detergents with the inevitable consequence of increased environmental pollution. It is therefore unnecessary to spend a lot of money on sophisticated detergents if you use them with particularly hard water which compromises their effectiveness and durability of your dishes.

The limestone in the water could also show in the form of spots or shadows, more or less visible on the surfaces of transparent glasses. Here again, a good rinse-aid product can keep the phenomenon under control, but it will be used in bigger quantities and of more expensive quality. The environment, in this case as well, will pay a part of our debt.

All the above mentioned clearly shows that correct water softening is almost indispensable for the proper preservation of the equipment as well as the dishes.

The best practical and the least invasive and, why not, the cheapest method of water treatment against limestone is the application of an ion-exchange resins water softener installed between the water tap and the appliance. The hardness of water is lowered through a special process of exchanging resins which exchange the ions of calcium and magnesium with those of sodium. When the resins have exhausted sodium ions they must undergo a simple regeneration process based on common kitchen salt.

The time interval between the resins regeneration will depend on the amount of resins present in the water softener (chosen to best suit the appliance), on water hardness to be treated and on the amount of water used by the user. The water softeners are available in different sizes to meet most requirements.

Conclusion: the application of a water softener should be considered a prerequisite to ensure the longevity of your appliance. Teikos advises that you always install a water softener between the water outlet and your glasswasher or dishwasher. Bear in mind that industrial dishwashers have exactly the same requirements as coffee machines, for which the appliance of a water softener is generally considered obligatory.