Removing Scale from Water: Brita, Pur, Gravitea

[beachape]

Hi,

The limescale in my water is terrible. I use a PUR on-tap 2-stage filter (recently replaced filter device) and the water still has scale. Even after using the PUR I can see scale precipitate on the surface of boiled water and scale coats the bottom of my electric tea kettle after one or two uses.

I am looking for an economical way of reducing lime-scale. I think my only option is to buy a pitcher style filter, and just filter the water twice (first on-tap, second with pitcher).

I have read other posts regarding water filtering, but have not noticed anyone with such severe scale problems. Are there other recommendations for removing scale?

Also, do you have any recommendations for which filter pitcher is most effective and most economical for removing scale (BRITA, PUR, and Adagio's GRAVITEA, etc)? It would be easier to buy bottled water, but I think filtering twice would be cheaper than bottled.

Thanks for your help!

[Chip]

I recently received the GraviTea and am amazed at how much scale it has eliminated. I used to have to descale my SS kettle every week, I have not had to now for almost 2 months.

The filter is rated for 60 days and I am at 50 now, and it is still doing the job. I am very satisfied. I consider my water to be very hard.

It is not rated to remove metals, but it seems to remove iron as well.

[ErikaM]

Does the GraviTea help with taste? I've been buying bottled water for my tea, but that does get expensive.

[Chip]

It also removes chlorine, which I do not have since I have a well. So if you have treated water, definitely.

I have not been motivated to do side by side tasting, might be interesting.

[beachape]

Thanks for the replies.

Chip, have you ever used a brita or pur filter before? If so, how does the Gravitea compare? I'm thinking a Brita might be cheaper if it does the same thing.

Thanks

[Katmandu]

I use a brita and it really works great!! I was actually surprised at how good it works

[Chip]

The GraviTea is my first foray into the realm of water filters, so, sorry I cannot offer you any help there.

[scruffmcgruff]

I don't think carbon filters (brita, pur, and gravitea; they're all the same thing) really do much to remove scale from water. I'd just use bottled water if your tap water is really bad.

[Chip]

I don't think carbon filters (brita, pur, and gravitea; they're all the same thing) really do much to remove scale from water. I'd just use bottled water if your tap water is really bad.

Hmmm, the instructions with the GraviTea indicate it removes 70% of scale.

However, the appearance of scale residue is even more dramatically absent.

Before graviTea I had to descale my UtiliTea and all my tea glassware once a week with vinegar ... although I could go 2 weeks and be totally grossed out.

After graviTea ... I have not had to descale once in 7.5 weeks.
.

[scruffmcgruff]

Hmm, I guess I was mistaken! I'm still 99% certain that those filters work the same way (activated carbon filtration, though I think Pur adds a mostly unnecessary extra step of some sort) though, so don't be fooled by marketing.

[Herb_Master]

Still no sign of GraviTEA on Adagio UK

[beachape]

I bought a Brita filter pitcher because I got a good deal at a local store. I'm using it for the first time tonight and it seems to be doing something. I can no longer see the scale in the water (cloudiness) and after boiling two kettles of water, no scale (there would be scale before).

I am filtering the water twice, first with a PUR on-tap and second with the Brita. I'll post if it gets worse, but so far so good. Also I might give it a try only using the Brita (without the PUR) to see what happens.

Thanks to those who replied.

[silverneedles]

just saw a bottle of descaler @ walmart (next to coffee machines)
it said on it "better than vinegar" & contained (i forget)... calcium something-ate ...

whats a good descaler substance (my water dispenser says to use citric acid) ?

[beachape]

I always used hot/boiled vinegar. If you are descaling a kettle, just heat the vinegar in the kettle. The fumes from the vinegar are pretty strong and you need to be very careful not to burn yourself. I find that heating the vinegar up works best.

[scruffmcgruff]

Any acid should do the trick. My descaler tablets use maleic acid, but citric or acetic should be fine (if you don't mind the smell of vinegar). I don't know if anyone has used lemon juice in lieu of straight citric acid, but I would be worried about leftover flavors.