Leaks and taps · Naples and Campania
Water softener in Naples: when you really need one
In Naples the water changes a lot from one district to another: in some areas it is only moderately hard, in others it leaves limescale everywhere. Before buying a softener it helps to know how hard the water at your home is and what you want to protect. On a video call we read the data together and tell you whether you need one, and which.
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Recognise the problem
- White marks on the shower screen, taps and tiles soon after cleaning
- Kettle and iron full of limescale within a few weeks
- The water heater or boiler makes boiling noises, like a pan
- Aerators and shower heads need constant cleaning
- Washing machine and dishwasher that call for a lot of descaler
The most common causes
- 1
Hard water in your area
In the Naples network run by the utility ABC, hardness ranges from about 16 to 67 French degrees (°F) depending on the area. In the Vesuvius and Nola area served by GORI, values often exceed 35-40 °F.
- 2
Heat makes limescale deposit
Limescale builds up mostly where water is heated: in the boiler heat exchanger, the part where domestic hot water is warmed, and on the element of an electric water heater. Above 35 °F this speeds up breakdowns.
- 3
Softener that works badly
With no salt, with the clock wrong after a power cut, or with the bypass left open, a softener lets hard water through without any obvious sign.
- 4
Exhausted limescale filter
Polyphosphate dosers, the transparent filters with white crystals fitted under the boiler, do not remove limescale but keep it in solution. Once the crystals run out, they no longer protect.
What you can safely check yourself
- Look up the hardness of your water in the analyses published by the utility (ABC for the city of Naples, GORI for the Vesuvius and Nola area). The value is in French degrees, °F.
- If you already have a softener, open the salt tank: it must contain the special salt for softeners, above the water level.
- Check the time on the display: after a power cut many models restart with the wrong clock and run regeneration, the washing of the resins with water and salt, in the daytime while you are using water.
- If there is a bypass valve next to the softener, it must be in the service position and not in the bypass one. If you cannot recognise it, do not force it and show it to us on video.
- In the polyphosphate filter under the boiler, check how many crystals are left: if they are almost gone, it must be refilled or replaced following the manufacturer's instructions.
Never open the boiler or the gas water heater, and always switch off the power before touching an electrical appliance. If in doubt, call us.
When you need a technician at home
- You want to install a softener and you need a spot near the water inlet, with a drain and a power socket
- The softener has the right salt and clock but the water stays hard
- The boiler exchanger or the water heater element is already scaled up
- The outlet hardness has to be adjusted with the mixing valve
- An old limescale filter leaks or is badly fitted
How hard is the water in Naples
Hardness tells you how much calcium and magnesium there is in the water and is measured in French degrees (°F). In Naples it depends a lot on which source feeds your area.
A few examples from ABC data: in via Caldieri, in the Vomero, about 22 °F; in piazza Cavour about 46 °F; in via De Meis, in Ponticelli, about 67 °F. In the Vesuvius and Nola municipalities served by GORI values are often above 35-40 °F. For your address the right figure is the one in your utility's analyses.
With only moderately hard water, such as in some hillside areas, a filter under the boiler is often enough, or not even that. Above 35 °F limescale starts to cost money: exchangers to descale, water heater elements that burn out, appliances that last less.
Softener or limescale filter for the boiler
A domestic softener is fitted where water enters the home and removes limescale with resins, small beads that hold calcium and magnesium. Every so often they wash themselves with water and salt: this is regeneration, which uses salt and a little water sent to a drain.
It should not be set to give completely soft water. Usually, with the mixing valve, a residual hardness of around 15 °F is left: over-softened water contains more sodium and can be aggressive to pipes.
If you are only worried about the boiler and the water is not extremely hard, a polyphosphate doser on its inlet may be enough. It costs less, but it has to be refilled and protects only that appliance. On video we assess with you what makes sense for your home.
Want to know what it is first? Show us
On a video call we look at the hardness values for your area, the space near where the water enters, and the appliances to protect, such as the boiler and water heater. If you already have a softener, we check the salt, the regeneration time and the bypass with you. Often a softener that seems faulty is just badly programmed.
Video consultation, up to 15 minutes: €9.90 (€14.90 on Sundays), deducted from the bill if we then come to your home.
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Frequently asked questions
Do I need a water softener in Naples?
It depends on the area. With the highest values, such as in Ponticelli or the Vesuvius area, a softener really protects the boiler, water heater and appliances. Where the water is around 20 °F it is often not worth it.
How do I find out the hardness of the water at my home?
The simplest way is to read the analyses of your utility, published by area. Alternatively, hardware shops sell drop test kits that measure hardness in a few minutes.
Is the limescale filter under the boiler enough?
It slows limescale inside the boiler, but it does not soften the water and does not protect the rest of the home. It works as long as there are crystals: it must be checked and refilled regularly.
Can softened water be drunk?
Yes, if the softener is suitable for drinking water, properly set and maintained as the manual says, including the sanitising of the resins. That is why not all the limescale is removed. Anyone who has to limit sodium should ask their doctor.
My softener has salt but the water is still hard: why?
The most common causes are the wrong clock after a power cut, a bypass left open, compacted salt forming a crust in the tank, or exhausted resins. We check the first three with you on a video call.
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