Block Salt For Water Softeners - Let's Take a Look at The Top 10 Reasons

BUY NOW for £5.24 per bag! 

There could not be a better time to buy a water softener these days - prices are going down, the units themselves are improving, but most people just want to know what the best kind of salt is to use in what softener. This question crops up very frequently, and we only have one answer....


Block Salt.
Is it the best kind? 
Yeah, we think so.


There's nothing worse than splitting a bag or granular salt all over your garage floor, or taking forever to pour a heavy bag of pellet (or tablet) salt into a softener tightly tucked under your kitchen sink, shaking your head, asking "Why on earth isn't there an easier way of doing something so simple?"
Block salt, when used in a water softener, can increase the user experience as well as the performance of the softener itself. There are a fair few kinds of water softeners that take block salt now, so there's even more reason to buy! The comparison between using other types of salt (tablet/pellet or granular) makes it an easy choice for us - Here are our Top 10 countdown of reasons why:


10. Storage
These beauties stack up very neatly - their shape makes it super easy to pack them away in small spaces - They'll probably fit under the sink too!


9. Weight
Their weight makes them ideal for every type of person; The whole range of salt made available on the market today are usually around 25Kgs! And let's face it, unless your a fitness freak or a body builder, no ones going to find moving huge salt bags of 25Kg an easy task, especially if you want to stock up. The block salt comes in easy carry bags, that weigh only 8Kgs each (each block is 4Kgs)


8. Cleanliness
As I mentioned before, dropping a load of granular salt all over the floor isn't fun - it's a waste of money for a start, and cleaning it up is murder - definitely something we could do without - Thank god for block salt!


7. Widely Available
There are literally tons of suppliers in the UK that can delivery direct to the door - one phone call, and that's it! Of course, this is true for other types of salt too, but none is so widely available as block.


6. User Experience
There are many customers that find it difficult with softeners that take other types of salt to work out when they need to top up to make sure their softener carrys on running at its best. This is where block salt is handy as its shape means that once there is only a third of a block left two more can be popped in, meaning your softener never reaches empty!


5. Wide Range of Softeners that Take Block Salt
There is a huge range of softeners out there that take block salt so you will definitely be able to find one to suit your needs. The Crown softener is our most recommended softener as an all round great performer!

Check this out for a wide range of block salt eating softeners.


4. Softener Performance
Block salt's anti-caking agents mean that your softener won't get blocked up so there will be no nasty lumps to contend with and will save you calling out a plumber unnecessarily to service your softener.


3. No Mess, No Fuss
As previously said, Block Salt comes in an easy to use form so that no measuring is required and no spillages will occur, when you are filling up your softener, meaning no messing around trying to stop salt from pouring all over your floor!


 2. Quality Standard
Block Salt is made in the UK and is food grade salt promising you great quality salt at all times!


1. Cheap, Cheap, Cheap!
Block salt is much cheaper to buy than any other kind of softener salt so stock up now!

The Next 'Combating Legionella Conference'

H&V News has announced the dates for the second annual Combating Legionella Manchester conference.

In a statement it said: “Building on the success of last year’s event, H&V News is delighted to announce the dates for the second annual Combating Legionella Manchester conference, taking place on the 28-29th March 2012.”
"This event will bring together facilities managers, designers and engineers from across the industry to hear essential updates on guidance and legislation, and share best practise in preventing and dealing with a legionella outbreak.”

Looks like we all need to keep our eyes open for even more changes after March 2012!

The Changes to ACOP (L8) BS 8580:2010

Okay; There have been some changes to the way things work around here, and it seems no ones really noticed...

What We All Know about the ACoP (L8) and the Control of Legionella Bacteria...

Most of us are aware, in layman's terms, that bacteria beasties can accumulate in water that isn't 'looked-after'. We also know, as duty holders, we have to abide by some rules, namely the ACoP (L8). We know we need an annual monitoring plan, and a legionella risk assessment, at least once every 2 years as a matter of routine to keep these beasties at bay.

This is No Longer the Case!
Not many people realise, some changes were made to the overall approved code of practice, late in 2010. Some added literature, which is available at a rather large sum of money, can tell you the nitty-gritty. All I know is, there's one thing that my customers really need to know, and I'll tell you for free.

Legionella Risk Assessments are now considered 'live' documentation. These changes also specify that the document must be updated in anticipation of changes to the system, and then reviewed after too.
I think it's safe to say, not coordinating the risk factor with your system designer (if indeed, they are separate), is a huge mistake, since modifications to pipework systems is a main contributor in creating 'deadlegs' (a piece of unused or capped pipework, where the legionella can grow quickly in stagnant water).

Luckily, this new course of practice makes way for a lower and more controlled risk. This also means that your supplier of water treatment services could be updating your building's risk assessment as frequently as monthly if needed!

This doesn't mean that you'll never need a full risk assessment again, since the amount of added documentation could crowd and confuse the risk assessment document itself.
It does mean, that any authority or duty holder looking for a water treatment contractor, or has a current contractor working for them, should make sure these new features of the ACoP(L8) are followed.

For a water treatment contractor that does, visit www.spectrum-env.co.uk - stay tuned, more updates of the ACoP (L8) coming soon ...

(For more info see our blog post: How often do I need an ACoP (L8) Risk Assessment?)

Legionaires Outbreaks Spain and Hong Kong

There have been, reported today, two legionella outbreaks resulting in illness and, sadly, death.

The BBC News published an article this morning, reporting the bacteria has been found in a Government Complex in Hong Kong; The threat was found only when a minister was taken ill last month, and hospitalised with the potentially fatal disease.

"Hong Kong's Centre for Health Protection has been collecting water samples from various sites in the new Central Government Offices after Education Secretary Michael Suen was diagnosed with Legionnaires' disease last month.

Samples collected from various toilets - including those at the office of Chief Executive Donald Tsang - tested positive for Legionella pneumophila, said a government statement.

Other troublespots include water taps inside the kitchens of a canteen and the Dining Hall in the Legislative Council Complex."

 Hopefully, the minister will recover, but no further report on his condition has been made. Unforgettably, the same cannot be said for British tourists aged 73, 76 and 78 died after contracting disease in Spain. a further 11 people were taken ill in Spain, who were also saying at the resort promoted by Saga Holidays. This was reported with the mailonline:

"The AR Diamante Beach Hotel in Calpe which is at the centre of the outbreak has been temporarily closed.

A regional health authority spokesman said: 'The results of our investigation into the cases of Legionnaires' Disease in Calpe show it's an outbreak which has so far affected 14 people, ten British tourists and four Spaniards.

'Recently we've learned tests on three British people aged between 73 and 78 suffering pneumonia who died in hospital showed they had contracted Legionnaires' Disease. 

'The deaths occurred on January 26 and 31 and February 2.'

The pensioners aged 73 and 78 who passed away after getting Legionnaires' died from unrelated conditions. Only the death of the 76-year-old has been attributed to the disease. 

Relatives of the three victims are thought to have flown to Spain to be by their bedsides before they died."

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2095709/Three-British-pensioners-die-Legionnaires-Disease-outbreak-Spanish-beach-hotel.html#ixzz1lJ9voKhv"

These reports should serve as a reminder to all, especially in hotel establishments, that assessing buildings for legionella is an important step in health and safety.  

NHS Lanarkshire fined £24,000 After Patient Contracted the Potentially Lethal Legionnaires’ Disease

A 64 year old woman was taken 'gravely' ill in the formerly known Hartwoodhill Hospital - this following statement was reported:

"An investigation by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) identified Legionella bacteria in three sources in the water system at the hospital. Two of these sources, including the shower used by the patient daily, matched the strain that caused her illness."

Usually we would assume that there was no scheme in place to protect the patients from the bacteria, commonly know to proliferate in stagnant water, or built up scaly pipework - the way the disease is contracted, is through inhaling air particles carrying a spray or mildly evaporated form of the contaminated water... unfortunately, this is exactly how this woman fell ill.


The statement went on to say:

"The HSE investigation established that assessment of the risks from the potential presence of Legionella bacteria to those using the facilities had not been carried out. Neither was there a safe scheme to manage and control the risks of exposure to that form of bacteria in the water system at Hartwoodhill Hospital. The hospital officially closed last year."

These are the types of instances that can be easily avoided by implementing a good team of experts to help monitor the risks associated with legionella. 


Procurement managers - Listen up! Contact a great supplier with brilliant rates - especially if your building(s) have older patients or people, that are more at risk of contracting the disease! These things could be avoided quite easily, there is certainly no reason for anyone's life to come under threat. There is a ton of information available on the web, and good suppliers out there waiting for your call!


Let's get on top of your Health and Safety eh?


For more quick information on how you can obtain a risk assessment at a price that wipes the floor with most of their competitors, contact Spectrum, a leading supplier in the water treatment industry, on 0870 729 0199


Read more of the story quoted, published by Wishaw Press here