Battelle finds water softeners aid energy efficiency, appliance life

摘要

Water softeners extend the service life and maintain the energy efficiency of water heating equipment, showerheads and dishwashers, according to a study performed by Battelle Memorial Institute here. The study was performed for the Water Quality Association, Lisle, Ill.rnBattelle reported that for gas storage and instantaneous water heaters, the use of a water softener to eliminate or minimize the scale forming compounds in water would result in the efficiency of the water heater remaining constant over the life of the unit. In contrast, gas storage and instantaneous water heaters using unsoftened water had a noticeable decrease in efficiency over the testing period resulting in higher natural gas use. This natural gas savings associated with the use of softened water will lead to direct energy and economic savings, the researchers said.