LUXURY WATER SOFTENERS
Luxury Water
Immerse yourself in the world of silky - soft BWT Luxury Water
Over 60% of the UK live with varying degrees of hard water, water that contains various minerals, including calcium, which contributes to the water hardness. Luxury Water softener systems from BWT remove these minerals from the water and thus transforms it into silky-soft BWT Luxury Water creating a difference you can see and feel all around your home!
The solution that prevents limescale in your water
Why do you need a water softener?
Our water is like a calling card for the quality of our soil and bodies of water: Every region leaves its unmistakable fingerprint on drinking water. Dissolved minerals play an important role in shaping our most important foodstuff. That is why it tastes different from region to region. Calcium and magnesium are particularly important. When we refer to “hard” water, we mean a relatively high proportion of these minerals. This is measured in parts per million (ppm).
Households with a high water hardness can run into costly problems on a day-to-day basis. When hard water is heated, this causes deposits to accumulate in pipes and valves. Household appliances and hot water systems suffer from a build-up of limescale, necessitating expensive repairs and reducing the service life of appliances. In addition, deposits in the heating circuit can drive up energy costs.
Hard water can also affect our bodies. In extreme cases, it can even lead to disorders in very sensitive skin. But even healthy skin tends to tighten after showering and bathing and is prone to irritation. Hair can become dry and dull after washing while laundry can be rough to the touch and colours fade more easily.
Cleaning also becomes hard work: Deposits form wherever water flows, drips or stands. These limescale stains in the bathroom and kitchen are difficult to clean. With hard water you need twice as much detergent, skin and hair care products to achieve the same effect as you would with soft water, costing you more money.
BWT Luxury Water Softener offers you enjoyment and protection, while at the same time saving you money
Pure pleasure in the shower and in the bathtub, soft cuddly laundry, gleaming fittings and the icing on the cake: lower energy consumption. Softened water offers numerous advantages.
BWT has the solution that prevents hard water
BWT has the perfect solution to this problem: Water Softener systems that transform even extremely hard water into silky soft Luxury Water. The costly everyday problems associated with hard water disappear and the feel-good factor at home is enhanced. BWT cutting-edge technology, turns every bathroom into a wellness oasis. Hair is shinier, skin becomes velvety soft and the laundry is soft and cuddly.
In addition, washing machine, water boiler and all other devices in which water is heated are protected. They work smoothly and their service life is extended. Cleaning agents and care products can be used much more sparingly. Shower walls and fittings gleam without time-consuming cleaning.
Advice
We would be happy to help you find the BWT water softener that best suits your needs. Contact our BWT experts for advice.
How does a Luxury Water Softeners work?
BWT water softener technology is based on a process that also occurs in nature. The process is referred to as "ion exchange". In this process, calcium and magnesium ions are removed from the water and replaced with sodium ions.
Inside the BWT Luxury Water softener systems there is resin vessel filled with a high quality ion exchange resin that enables this exchange to take place. As hard water flows through the vessel the calcium and magnesium ions dissolved in it are bound together and retained by the resin and at the same time replaced with sodium ions.
BWT cutting-edge technology ensures that this process can run completely smoothly thanks to the latest electronic control systems. Once the resin is saturated with calcium and magnesium ions, normally after a few days it needs to be regenerated in order for it to remain efficient. This involves cleaning the resin with a brine solution. All BWT water softeners in the UK are programmed so that this happens automatically at night when the household is a sleep. This process can also be set to suit individual needs if necessary. This regeneration cycle does not affect your drinking water tap.
Which BWT water softener suits my needs?
BWT cutting-edge technology is encompassed in a wide range of domestic water softeners of varying designs and sizes. This ensures that every household will find exactly the product to match their needs. Which ever model you choose you are guaranteed a high quality product that will adapt to your lifestyle so that you enjoy Luxury Water when you need it most. Each model comes with a comprehensive at home guarantee that on some models can be extended to no less than six years for complete peace of mind.
Frequently asked questions about Luxury Water Softeners
Does a pressure reducer have to be serviced?
ÖNORM EN 806-5 recommends that a pressure reducer be inspected or serviced annually.
What problems can arise from pressure fluctuations or without a pressure reducer in water pipes?
- Water leaks from poor joints and damaged pipes
- In extreme cases even burst water pipes
- Noise nuisance due to pressure peaks that can cause vibration and 'knocking'
- Increased water consumption and costs
What are the annual running costs for a water softener?
Water softeners only require periodically topping up of salt, water for the regeneration process and a minimal amount of electricity. The exact amount will vary depending on the size of the household and the local water hardness. Around 75 Lts of water and 1.2 Kgs salt produces 1600 Lts of softened water at 300 ppm hardness. The BWT water softener is controlled by a microprocessor which constantly monitors water usage. The system will build up a history of your water requirements and calculate the most economical regeneration pattern. This will ensure a constant supply of softened water whilst maintaining high levels of water and salt efficiency. As this water softener uses a proportional brining system, more frequent regenerations do not necessarily mean higher water / salt usage. The saving on toiletries, household cleaning and laundry products can also offset any running costs reducing the impact on the family budget to a minimum.
Can you drink softened water from your water softener?
There are no real reasons why you cannot drink softened water, for most people it is a matter of choice and lifestyle. However, for those that have installed a water softener, please be mindful that softened water does contain a slight increase in the amount of sodium, the actual amount of which will depend on your local water hardness and is therefore not recommended for people who are on a low sodium diet or for the preparation of baby formula milk. To find out more, please see: Water Supply (water quality) Regulations 2000.
Are the BWT water softeners electric powered?
The WS range of Luxury Water Softeners use a 'Plug In' type transformer. The low voltage system is used to power the electronic control system and the valve during regeneration. The result is a water softener that can be set up to suit your local water conditions and that can adapt to your lifestyle. The electricity used is minimal and the small diameter cable from the transformer can in most cases be easily routed from the socket to the softener.
What is the difference between softening and filtering water?
When you filter water you normally provide a physical barrier which only allows particle of a certain size to pass through. This barrier can take many forms and can be designed to be disposable or reusable. The size of particles that can pass through are governed by the filters micron rating.
When you are softening water it is necessary to remove the dissolved minerals that cause the water to be ‘hard,’ normally Calcium and Magnesium, these ions cannot be trapped by a standard filter. So this is typically done using an ion exchange process. Softeners use millions of tiny resin beads which are positively charged to attract and retain the calcium and magnesium ions. When the capacity is reached the resin is regenerated using a brine solution and the hardness ions are washed to drain.
What is hard water?
Hard water is water that contains dissolved hardness minerals above 100 parts per million (PPM). Relative levels of hardness have been established as:
- Soft Water less than 100 PPM
- Slightly Hard 100 TO 200 PPM
- Hard 300 TO 400 PPM
- Very Hard 400 and above
How does water become hard?
Water is naturally soft when it falls to the ground as rain. Depending on where the rain falls will depend on whether it will stay soft or become hard. The rain that sits on or travels through or across hard rock like granite stays pretty much unaffected in terms of natural mineral content. While rain that percolates through softer rock structures like limestone will dissolve mineral salts like calcium and magnesium increasing its hardness and along with many trace elements, its taste and flavour. The taste of chlorine associated with drinking water in the UK is not naturally occurring and is added by your water supplier.
How much time does it take to install a water softener system?
The installation time will depend on where the water softener is going to be installed and the experience of the installer. Given a suitable location with easy access to the necessary services we would expect an experienced Installer to allow 3-4 hours. We have a video on our BWT UK YouTube Channel (How to install a BWT water softener - YouTube) where we explain the process, we highly recommend you to watch it).
Do water softeners last a long time?
Typical warranties will cover a new water softener for up to two years, not dissimilar to other domestic appliances. Others can be found with extended parts warranties and even all-inclusive warranties up to 10 years. We cannot guarantee how long a specific water softener will last. However, if a softener is correctly installed and serviced, it is not uncommon for a good quality water softener to last in excess of 10 years.
What is Luxury Water®?
Luxury Water is hard water which has been treated using a BWT Water softener to give the homeowner most of the benefits of naturally occurring soft water. Benefits which can be seen and felt all around the home, in the kitchen, bathroom and in your household budget.
If I have a water softener, do I still need to use salt in my dishwasher?
Once you have installed a water softener in your home, it is unlikely that you will need to add extra salt in your dishwasher. Simply change your dishwasher’s internal water softener setting to the off position or alternatively ensure the incoming water hardness setting is at its lowest/softest.
Are water softeners expensive to run?
The overall cost of running a water softener depends on the size of the household and the local water hardness. But a water softener will help you save on household cleaning, toiletries and cleaning products over a period of time, which offsets the overall running cost.
What is the difference between a physical water conditioner and a water softener?
A water softener removes the hardness minerals from the water that causes limescale. A physical water conditioner however, does not remove these minerals, but instead alters the characteristics of the way these minerals behave when heated, helping to prevent the build-up of scale on items such as heat exchangers.
Do boiler manufacturers recommend not fitting a water softener?
Whilst most manufacturers recognise the benefits of fitting a water softener in hard water areas, local regulations and standards vary from country to country. In the UK the most common advice at the time of writing is that the primary or radiator circuit is filled with local water and treated with the appropriate approved chemicals. If you have a water softener this is easily achieved by simply by-passing your water softener while the circuit is filled.
Do water softeners use large amounts of salt?
The amount of salt used depends on many factors, including the type of water softener you choose, your local water hardness, the sort of salt and the amount of water you use. Modern water softeners use advanced metering, and algorithms to predict water usage and limit the amount of water and salt used.
As a general rule of thumb, a modern four-person family sized electronic water softener will use approximately 10 x 25kg bags per year
What is the difference between a scale inhibitor and a water softener?
A water softener removes the minerals from water that can cause the water to be hard and in turn reduces limescale deposits. A physical water conditioner simply creates an effect that helps to reduce the build-up of scale. They do not however remove these minerals meaning they cannot offer the lifestyle benefits of Luxury Water.
Do water softeners require servicing or maintenance?
A water softener isn’t like a car with the need for an oil change every year but we do recommend you get your water softener serviced regularly. As with any domestic appliance, this will ensure your softener keeps working effectively for longer.
Does a water softener require a lot of space?
This is all relative, most family sized domestic water softeners in the UK can easily fit into a standard 500mm kitchen floor cupboard. Large models of softener required for a home with lots of bedrooms, bathrooms or high occupancy can be sited easily in a utility room, plant room or garage depending on where the water enters the premises. It is true a commercial sized water softener can be large and requires more space than most homes can afford.
Can water softeners only be fitted in the kitchen?
In the UK most customers prefer to fit their water softener in a kitchen cupboard but it’s not a necessity. You can also fit your water softener in a utility room or garage. In some cases, you can even fit your softener outside providing you have a specially constructed cabinet for the softener and that there is access to the mains water supply along with a suitable drain.
Does a water softener get plumbed into the water feeding the central heating?
No your heating loop that supplies your radiators should be filled using unsoftened water and treated with a suitable and approved inhibitor. This process is easily achieved by using the water softener bypass which should always be fitted as part the WS455’s installation. We recommend reading the WRAS Information and guidance note No 9-07-01 Issue 1 “Information for Installation of Ion Exchange Water Softeners for Systems Supplying Water for Domestic Purposes” for more information.
Is a water softener suitable to use with a water tank in the loft?
The change in water chemistry when you use an ion exchange water softener to create softened water is permanent and any effect will not wear off. This makes a water softener the perfect partner for any stored water system including a gravity fed system using a tank in the loft. To ensure the efficient operation of the water softener, it is advised that a delayed action ball valve is fitted to the tank. The water softener should be fitted to the mains water supply, with a minimum pressure of 1.7 bar.
Do water softeners make your water taste salty?
Softened water can taste different but this misconception has grown from the fact that salt is used in the regeneration process to recharge the resin, it is not added to the water you use around the home. There is a light increase in sodium as a result of the ion exchange process and for this reason it is not recommended for drinking by people of a low or sodium controlled diet.
Does a water softener work by adding salt to the water?
A water softener only uses salt in the ion exchange process and is used to refresh the resin that removes the hardness minerals that cause limescale deposits. It does not add salt into the water you use in your home.
