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64 Ferguson Street
Cessnock, NSW, 2325
Australia

0412632253

Water

FAQ - WATER

Benefits of Conditioning Water

One Comet Water Conditioning Unit attached on the house side of your water meter will treat all your calcium build-up, scale problems, rust stains, soften the water without removing the calcium, magnesium and zinc in tap water which are beneficial to the human body.

Other benefits include:

  • reduced scale build-up on elements thus reducing electricity usage
  • reduced amount of detergent required in dishwashers and washing machines
  • reduced soap and scum on showers and bathes thus reducing time spent cleaning
  • softer conditioned water is better for hair and skin
  • no on-going maintenance of the installed water conditioning unit
  • conditioned water tastes better
  • removes existing scale build-up, and prevents further build-up in pipes
  • eliminates the requirement of harsh chemicals to remove sticky residue
  • equalises pH Levels
  • does not pollute ground water or interfere with septic systems
  • topsoils have a natural mineral content carried to plants
  • less landfill, as unnecessarily discarded toilet bowls, water heaters, dishwashers, washing machines, etc. becomes a part of history
  • reduces the need for digging, fracturing concrete slabs, tearing up streets, etc., due to pipe blockage

Does Hard Water effect my Heating Elements?

There are a number of minerals in tap water which are beneficial to the human body i.e. calcium, magnesium, manganese and zinc. There are also a number of other minerals that are added, or adjusted, to protect public health, depending on the current source of supply. However, when hard water is heated it causes the minerals in the water to form a scale deposit on the element in Hot Water Systems, in solar heating systems and inside plumbing in washing machines and dishwashers. This causes inefficient operation and increases the power needed to achieve the same requirements.


Expected Results from Conditioning Water

Showers and Bathrooms

One Comet Water Conditioner applied to the outside of the pipe taking the water to the house will reduce the soap scum and calcium spotting on shower screens and eliminate the scale build-up on shower heads. The resultant softer water will also stop the itching and dryness of the skin and hair caused by hard water.

Laundry

Washing clothes in hard water can damage fibres, fade colours and prematurely wear out the clothing. A Comet Water Conditioner is easily applied to the outside water pipe and will soften the washing water resulting in softer clothes and reducing the amount of washing detergent required to clean the clothes and eliminate the need for fabric softener.

Drinking Water

A Comet Water Conditioner installed on a household water supply will improve the taste and smell of drinking water eliminating the need for filtering, thus retaining the minerals in tap water including magnesium, calcium and zinc which are beneficial to the human body.

Dishwashers

A Comet Water Conditioner applied to the outside of the water pipe that is the inlet into the house will soften the water and reduce the amount of dishwashing detergent required to clean dishes and pans, both in the dishwasher and the sink. In really hard water areas where Hot Water System elements require constant replacement a second unit fitted to the water inlet may further assist in the reduction of calcium build-up and scale problems.

Hot Water Systems

A Comet Water Conditioner will increase the efficiency and life of the Hot Water System and its element. Imagine the decreased efficiency and higher electricity usage required to heat through a layer of scale build-up which sets like a layer of rock on the element and sides of the Hot Water System. The Water Conditioner will stop the scale build-up on the element and reduce heating costs by 25%.

Solar Heating Systems

Solar Hot water systems are also susceptible to calcium build-up, thus reducing the efficiency and water flow. The Comet Water Conditioner is placed outside the pipe at the inlet to the heating system and will prevent further mineral build-up and eventually remove existing scale build-up thus increasing the efficiency and life of the hot water system.

Swimming Pools

The installation of a Comet Water Conditioner to a swimming pool will reduce the cost of chemicals by an estimated 75%. The unit is situated before the pump, prevents further calcium build-up, and eventually removes existing calcium build-up thus increasing the efficiency and life of the pump. Hard water is costing you money • The lime-scale deposit on heating elements can increase electricity usage by as much as 25%. (US Department of Energy government funded survey 1998) • Over a period of time the calcium build-up causes the eventual failure of the element, in some cases as little as six months. • The calcium build-up in parts of water using appliances results in service calls to appliance repairmen when mechanical parts stop working. • The calcium build-up in pipes reduces water flow and ultimately requires pipe replacement and costly plumbing repairs. • Hard water can cause your skin to itch and appear dry or dehydrated. • Scale build-up in Solar Hot Water Systems causes inefficient operation • The scale build-up in air conditioning units and on the batts requires replacement bats annually and increased repair costs. • Calcium build-up on shower heads effects water flow and requires eventual replacement  Hard water can cause premature wearing and fading of clothes


Hard Water is costing you Money

  • The lime-scale deposit on heating elements can increase electricity usage by as much as 25%. (US Department of Energy government funded survey 1998)
  • Over a period of time the calcium build-up causes the eventual failure of the element, in some cases as little as six months.
  • The calcium build-up in parts of water using appliances results in service calls to appliance repairmen when mechanical parts stop working.
  • The calcium build-up in pipes reduces water flow and ultimately requires pipe replacement and costly plumbing repairs.
  • Hard water can cause your skin to itch and appear dry or dehydrated.
  • Scale build-up in Solar Hot Water Systems causes inefficient operation
  • The scale build-up in air conditioning units and on the batts requires replacement bats annually and increased repair costs.
  • Calcium build-up on shower heads effects water flow and requires eventual replacement
  • Hard water can cause premature wearing and fading of clothes

How do I install the Comet™ magnetic water conditioner?

Installation is easy.

  • No Plumbing required.
  • Clamps to the outside of the main inflow pipe (bolts included).
  • Adults should be aware that young children love to play with magnets.
  • The Comet™ magnetic water conditioning system consists of two surprisingly strong magnets that will quickly snap back together.
  • Care should be taken, once that packet is opened, and during installation to keep little fingers safe from risk.

How do I know if I am using hard water?

Studies indicate that over 78% of Australian homes have a problem with hard water, from either a bore or town supply, and many people don't realise they have hard water.

Soap, shampoo and detergents can be resistant to foaming up. Hard water can cause your skin to itch and appear dry or de-hydrated.

Mineral build-up in shower heads and pipes cause reduced water flow.

Mineral and rust stains around wet areas, such as bathtub, shower, sink, lavatory and in laundry.

Hard water causes soap scum in showers.

Stains are difficult to remove.

Water may be unpalatable, or taste less sweet than softened water.

Many families are now choosing to filter their water, or purchase bottled water.

There is a better solution...

A Comet Magnetic Water Conditioning Unit which will "soften" the water without taking out the valuable minerals essential for humans, animals and plants.


How will the Comet™ magnetic water conditioner help me?

A Comet Magnetic Water Conditioner will soften the water without removing the healthy minerals and stop the calcium build-up in the pipes that is costing you money. Improves efficiency of household appliances. One unit will treat all your hard water problems (scale, calcium build-up, rust stains) without removing the beneficial chemicals.

Reduced cost of power, as well as reduced cost of all detergents, shampoos, soaps, washing powders, and harmful cleaning chemicals. Reduced soap scum in showers.

Wet areas are so much easier to clean, and within a year all the old, hard to remove, stains will have softened and been removed easily.

Clothes will emerge from the wash cleaner and softer, with less colour fading.


What about my existing hard to remove stains?

Magnetic water conditioning makes the calcium stains more manageable. They don't set nearly as hard as previously, and it softens the stains already there, making them easier to remove. This benefit improves over time, with the continued use of the Comet™ Magnetic Water Conditioning system. Eventually, in 6 to 12 months, you would expect to see the stains completely gone. (This time period is variable. Depends on the amount of damage already done, and the amount of contaminants in the water supply.)


What about the health of my family?

Conditioned water will not create hard to remove stains and therefore you will not need to use harsh chemicals to remove them. Many people suffer allergies to common cleaning chemicals and don't realise that's the cause of their irritating symptoms. Shampoo will foam easily in conditioned water, so the family will use less. Skin will retain more of its own natural oils and you will need less hand and body moisturisers, reduce itchiness and dryness. Less time spent cleaning as dirt is much easier to remove. Magnetically conditioned water tastes sweeter, reducing the cost of water filtration and, it doesn't remove the beneficial minerals.


What is Hard Water?

Hard water is water that has high mineral content (in contrast with soft water). Hard water minerals primarily consist of calcium (Ca2+), and magnesium (Mg2+) metal cations*, and sometimes other dissolved compounds such as bicarbonates and sulphates. Calcium usually enters the water as either Calcium Carbonate (CaCO3), in the form of limestone and chalk, or Calcium Sulphate (CaSO4), in the form of other mineral deposits. The predominant source of magnesium is Dolomite (CaMg(CO3)2). Hard water is generally not harmful to one's health. The simplest way to determine the hardness of water is the lather/froth test: soap or toothpaste, when agitated, lathers easily in soft water but not in hard water. More exact measurements of hardness can be obtained through a wet titration. The total water 'hardness' (including both Ca2+ and Mg2+ ions) is read as parts per million (ppm) or weight/volume (mg/L) of calcium carbonate (CaCO3) in the water. Although water hardness usually measures only the total concentrations of calcium and magnesium (the two most prevalent, divalent metal ions), iron, aluminium, and manganese may also be present at elevated levels in some geographical locations. Iron in this case is important for, if present, it will be in its tervalent**** form, causing the calcification to be brownish (the color of rust) instead of white (the color of most of the other compounds).

*a cation, is an ion with more protons than electrons, giving it a positive charge. Since the charge on a proton is equal in magnitude to the charge on an electron, the net charge on an ion is equal to the number of protons in the ion minus the number of electrons.
** Titration is a common laboratory method of quantitative chemical analysis that is used to determine the unknown concentration of a known reactant.
*** In chemistry, a divalent ion or molecule has a valence of two and thus can form two covalent bonds with other ions or molecules. An older term for divalent is bivalent. Divalent anions are atoms or radicals with two additional electrons when compared to their elemental state (that is, with 2 more electrons than protons). For instance, S2- is the sulfide anion. A divalent cation is missing two electrons as compared with the neutral atom. Example: iron(II) or Fe2+ is the divalent cationic form of iron. Divalent cations are present in abundance in hard water. For example, Ca2+ and Mg2+. These ionic minerals in solution are what contribute to the properties of water which cause it to be hard, such as the formation of scale.
****Tervalent - having a valence of 3 – In chemistry, valence, also known as valency or valency number, is a measure of the number of chemical bonds formed by the atoms of a given element. Source: Wikipedia

What is Magnetic Water Conditioning?

Magnetic water conditioning makes water softer, without removing essential minerals, and without using additional chemicals. It helps make water user friendly, more serviceable, allowing you to use less shampoo, soap, and washing detergents. You need less harsh cleaners and less "elbow grease" to clean surfaces in wet areas. Magnetically conditioned water tastes better, is sweeter to drink, and is healthier. The resultant softer water produces better crops and healthier animals. It is widely reported that HRH Queen Elizabeth II drinks magnetic water daily. Briefly, the theory is that as water passes through the magnetic fields the dissolved minerals are fractured into micro-mineral particles, algae and harmful bacteria are destroyed as well. The magnetic water conditioner does not add or remove minerals from the water. The water is still a source of vital mineral nutrients for both humans and plants.


Where do I install the Comet™ magnetic water conditioner?

In general urban domestic situations one unit is bolted to the outside of the water inflow pipe at a point nearest the house. Homes with swimming pools may wish to protect that equipment by installing a unit between the pump and the filter.


Will conditioning my water save me money?

Conditioned water does not create scale, and helps to remove existing scale. Less wear and tear and reduced maintenance costs for washing machines, dishwashers, swimming pool pumps and Hot Water Systems. Your kitchen kettle will last much longer. Crisis situations from a sticky relief valve in Hot Water System are no longer a worry. Less shampoo and less hand and body moisturisers are needed. Hard water can cause premature wearing and fading of clothes. In 1998 a study comissioned by the United States government cited savings of up to 75% in detergents and household chemicals; and savings of up to 25% in electricity usage. The Comet™ magnetic water conditioner will usually pay for itself in less than a year.