[Greenbuilding] [BULK] Re: Tankless HW and hard water

[George J. Nesbitt]

The salt is also more corrosive than the minerals you are replacing. So 
you are trading scaling and efficiency loss for increased corrosion, not 
a good trade. For the health effects see www.healthywater.com for more 
information. I think the safest way to protect a tankless water heater, 
or an expensive boiler is to run it with a closed loop. If you use 
distilled water you have no minerals to deposit out, if you use your tap 
water you will only deposit what is in that volume of water. In an open 
loop you continually bring in water with minerals that can and will 
deposit out.

Bruce Donelson wrote:

>You are exchanging the Ca++ for Sodium ions in the softener. HOt side only
>might not be so bad. But sodium tends to be excessive in most people's
>diets, while Calcium seems to be more nutritious. So there might be health
>risks associated with drinking the softened water, aside from environmental
>considerations.
>
>Bruce Donelson
>
>
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