Essex starts where East London stops, and a lot of our Essex work is in the towns along the A12, the A127 and the Central line. The water is hard across much of the county, and the homes range from 1950s new-town houses to big detached places in the Brentwood and Epping area. Here's the local picture before you book a survey.
Who supplies your water in Essex?
In Chelmsford, Brentwood, Southend and a lot of the south and middle of the county, your supplier is most likely Essex & Suffolk Water. Anglian Water and Affinity Water each supply other parts of the county. The borders between them aren't obvious from a map, so your water bill is the place to look.
Essex & Suffolk Water's supply here comes from a mix of reservoirs, rivers and groundwater, and it's generally hard. To check yours, use your supplier's website:
- Essex & Suffolk Water hard water page
- Anglian Water hard water advice
- Affinity Water hardness lookup
The homes, and where a softener fits
New towns: Basildon and Harlow
Both grew up as post-war new towns, so you'll find lots of terraced and semi-detached family houses from the 1950s and 60s. These houses tend to have a sensible kitchen layout, sometimes a utility room or an outside store, and the stopcock somewhere you can actually reach. A compact softener under the sink or in the utility area usually fits well.
Commuter towns: Brentwood, Billericay, Shenfield, Epping, Loughton
Plenty of interwar and post-war semis and larger detached houses, many with extensions, en-suites and loft conversions. More bathrooms means higher peak demand, so we size the softener carefully. Garages and utility rooms give us room for a larger or twin-tank model if the household needs it.
Seaside and estuary towns: Southend, Leigh-on-Sea, Westcliff
Lots of Edwardian terraces and semis, and plenty of flats converted from bigger houses. The usual challenges are narrow kitchens and pipework that's been altered a few times over the years. We'll trace it properly at the survey.
Thames Gateway new-builds
Thurrock, Grays and the new estates around Chelmsford have a lot of recent housing. These homes generally have a combi and a small utility cupboard, which is often the best home for a softener.
Hard water around the house
If your shower head needs soaking in vinegar every few weeks, you know the story. Scale also forms where you can't see it. In combi boilers it clogs the heat exchanger, and hot water can become slow or inconsistent. In homes with a hot water cylinder, it builds on the coil and the immersion element. Electric showers, dishwashers, washing machines and coffee machines all collect it too. A softener stops new scale throughout the house. Using the right salt matters as well: our guide to block, tablet or granular salt explains which your unit needs.
Your drinking water
We fit a separate unsoftened drinking tap at the kitchen sink with every softener. It's connected to the mains before the softener, so drinking and cooking water stays exactly as your supplier sends it. That's important because softening adds sodium, and softened water isn't recommended for making up baby formula. We've explained the details in can you drink softened water? and, for new parents, hard water and a new baby.
Travelling to Essex
We usually come out on the A12, the A13 or round the M25, depending on where you are. Parking is generally easy, though central Chelmsford, Brentwood and Southend have controlled zones in places. Let us know if there's anything to be aware of.
Essex towns we cover
- Brentwood and Shenfield
- Billericay and Wickford
- Chelmsford
- Basildon and Laindon
- Southend-on-Sea, Leigh-on-Sea and Westcliff
- Rayleigh and Hockley
- Thurrock, Grays and South Ockendon
- Epping and Theydon Bois
- Loughton, Buckhurst Hill and Chigwell
- Waltham Abbey
- Harlow
- Ongar
Just inside the London boundary? See our East London page, or every area we cover.
Essex FAQs
Is Essex water hard?
Much of Essex has hard water. The exact level depends on your supplier and where the water comes from, so it varies between towns. Look up your postcode on your water company's website, or we'll test it for free at the survey.
Who supplies water in Chelmsford and Brentwood?
Most likely Essex & Suffolk Water, which covers Chelmsford, Brentwood and much of the south and middle of Essex. Anglian Water and Affinity Water supply other parts of the county. Your water bill confirms your supplier. Whichever it is, use their postcode lookup for your hardness figure.
Will a softener fit in a Basildon or Harlow house?
Almost always. Post-war new-town houses usually have a practical kitchen layout and an accessible stopcock, which makes fitting a softener straightforward. Under the sink or in a utility area are the usual spots. We'll confirm the best position at the free survey.
Getting started
Read how our installation works, or see servicing and repairs for an existing softener. Then fill in the form below for a free survey and water test, or call 020 3633 6064.