Water in Shenfield is very hard, at around 390 ppm, which is why we recommend a softener or scale reducer with every new boiler and cylinder in the Brentwood area. With 86% of homes here relying on a gas boiler, protecting the heat exchanger is worth doing early. We are around 25 minutes from Shenfield.
Essex water is hard to very hard. The county average is around 317 ppm, with Brentwood at 390, Billericay 387, Chelmsford 360, Basildon 263 and Wickford 260. That hardness comes out of the water as limescale wherever it is heated: on boiler heat exchangers, inside hot water cylinders, on immersion elements, in showers and kettles and around taps.
A water softener removes the hardness from the whole house supply by ion exchange, so scale stops forming and existing scale slowly dissolves. A scale reducer, fitted on the feed to the boiler or a shower, does not soften the water but changes how the scale behaves so less of it sticks. We survey the incoming main, the space available and your water use, and recommend one or the other.
We fit softeners and scale reducers across Essex, usually at the same time as a new boiler, cylinder or bathroom because that is the easiest point to do it. As heating engineers we see what limescale does to boilers every week, which is why we recommend protection with any new appliance. Quoted after a free survey.
- Drive from base
- 14.2 miaround 25 minutes
- Homes on mains gas
- 86%2021 Census
- Water hardness
- 390 ppmVery hard water
- Water Softeners
- Free surveyPrice agreed first
Water Softeners and Limescale Protection in Shenfield: the local picture
86% of the 2,169 households around Shenfield heat with mains gas only, 5% are electric only (2021 Census, ward level).
Water in the Shenfield area is very hard at around 390 ppm, so limescale in boilers, cylinders and showers is a common cause of faults here.
Shenfield is 14.2 miles from our base in Bowers Gifford, around 25 minutes by van.
What is included
- Water hardness test at your home
- Whole-house water softener installation
- Scale reducers on boiler and shower feeds
- Bypass and hard water drinking tap where wanted
- Connection to the incoming main and drain
- Descaling advice for existing boilers and cylinders
- Fitted alongside a new boiler, cylinder or bathroom
How it works
- Test the hardness and look at the incoming main
- Recommend a softener or scale reducer and quote
- Fit the unit with a bypass and drain connection
- Commission it and show you how to top up the salt
Recent work
What Shenfield customers say
Joshua FoxGoogle review★★★★★Essex Heating Engineers installed a new boiler for me in Rayleigh, and they were excellent from start to finish. The team was punctual, tidy, and really professional. The installation was quick, everything was explained clearly, and the new boiler works per...
Darren DeaconGoogle review★★★★★Ash arrived on time, gave us his advice and explained how we should proceed. His quote was reasonable and when we get his email we will arrange a time for the installation of a new thermostat. They covered our floors, so they didn't track anything in. They ...
Jack CoreyGoogle review★★★★★Essex Heating Engineers is my go-to company. They always do a great job. Dean was especially knowledgeable, efficient and dedicated. Getting my house back in working order after a leak in the upstairs bath was problematical, to say the least. But Dean did w...
Questions about water softeners and limescale protection in Shenfield
How much does a water softener cost?
It depends on the size of softener your household needs, where the incoming main is and whether a drain is nearby, so we quote after a free survey. A scale reducer on a single boiler or shower feed costs considerably less than a whole-house softener, and we will tell you which one is worth it for your home.
How quickly can you fit one?
Call 01268 855605 and we will book the survey, then the installation at a time that suits you. If you are already having a boiler, cylinder or bathroom fitted by us, the softener or scale reducer can go in on the same visit.
How hard is the water in my area?
Essex averages around 317 ppm, which is hard to very hard. Brentwood is around 390, Billericay 387, Chelmsford 360, Basildon 263 and Wickford 260. Anything above about 200 ppm is classed as hard, so the whole county is affected, and we test the water at your home to confirm.
What is the difference between a softener and a scale reducer?
A softener removes the calcium and magnesium from the water using resin and salt, so the water is genuinely soft throughout the house. A scale reducer leaves the minerals in but treats the water so scale is less likely to stick. A softener does more and costs more; a scale reducer is a sensible minimum on a combi boiler.
How far is Shenfield from you?
Shenfield is 14.2 miles from our base in Bowers Gifford, around 25 minutes by van. Next-day appointments for repairs and installs, and emergencies as availability allows. Typical drive time around 25 minutes.
Other services in Shenfield
- Boiler Installation and Replacement
- Hot Water Cylinders and Tanks
- Emergency Plumber 24/7
- Plumbing Repairs and Leak Detection
- Bathroom Installation
- Fixed-Price Plumbing Jobs
- All services in Shenfield
Water Softeners and Limescale Protection near Shenfield
See the full Water Softeners and Limescale Protection page for everything we cover across Essex.
