What is hard water?
Hard water is water with a high dissolved mineral content, while soft water has a relatively low concentrated of dissolved minerals. All water except for water which has been meticulously distilled will have some dissolved minerals, since water is an excellent solvent and it readily combines with the substances it comes into contact with. However, high concentrations of minerals can be problematic. Hard water is not generally harmful, but it can be irritating and it will shorten the life of home appliances. The most common dissolved minerals in hard water are calcium and magnesium, although other minerals may certainly be present as well. These substances can cause serious problems for home appliances when they precipitate out, forming a characteristic scale which may accumulate in pipes and around faucets. If the scale is not promptly removed, it can start to clog pipes, and it can damage things like water heaters and dishwashers which cannot cope with the calcification. Most people n
Hard water is water that contains an appreciative quantity of dissolved minerals (like calcium and magnesium). As water makes its way through the ground and into our waterways, it picks up minerals like chalk, lime and high levels of calcium and magnesium. Hard water is to blame for dingy looking clothes, dishes with spots and residue and bathtubs with lots of film and soap scum. Even hair washed in hard water may feel sticky and look dull. Hard water can take a toll on household appliances as well, using up more energy. The elements of hard water are to blame for all of these negative factors, as soap is less effective due to its reaction to the magnesium and calcium. The lather is not as rich and bubbly.
Mainly non-toxic calcium and magnesium minerals that are naturally present in rocks and soils cause hardness in water. The other minerals that can cause hardness are not usually present in large enough concentrations to contribute significantly to the total hardness. Adding the calcium hardness to the magnesium hardness gives the total hardness of the water. These dissolved minerals can cause difficulty in doing laundry and dishwashing, cause water spots, and the build-up of scale on faucets and within water heaters. Water softeners typically replace these non-toxic hardness materials with sodium or potassium. The amounts of sodium or potassium are relatively insignificant unless your doctor has put you on a special restricted diet. Water hardness is measured as milligrams per liter of calcium carbonate (mg/L of CaCO3) – sometimes called parts per million (ppm). An older term still used by some companies or salespeople is grains per gallon (gpg). 1 gpg = 17.12mg/L. TMWA’s groundwater s
Hard water it’s the amount of minerals, calcium carbonate and magnesium carbonate in your water. One way to remove this “dissolved rock” from your water supply is to install a water softener. The best way to determine whether or not your water is hard is to have it tested. However, you can usually detect hard water by the evidence in your home, including: • Soap scum on bathtubs, shower tiles, and basins • Film left on the body resulting in dry skin and dull, limp hair • Decreased cleaning capabilities of soaps and detergents, resulting in dingy laundry and reduced life of clothing. • Increased buildup of scale on plumbing fixtures and cooking utensils such as a tea kettle, coffee maker, and dishwashers. • Clogged shower head and pipes Most water softener systems require that you install a separate whole house filter that requires periodic changing of the water filter cartridges. The WaterBoss® whole house water softener features a built in self-cleaning dirt and sediment filter.
