What is hard water?
Water described as “hard” is high in dissolved minerals, specifically calcium and magnesium. Hard water is not a health risk, but a nuisance because of mineral buildup on fixtures and poor soap and/or detergent performance. Water is a good solvent and picks up impurities easily. Pure water — tasteless, colorless, and odorless — is often called the universal solvent. When water is combined with carbon dioxide to form very weak carbonic acid, an even better solvent results. As water moves through soil and rock, it dissolves very small amounts of minerals and holds them in solution. Calcium and magnesium dissolved in water are the two most common minerals that make water “hard.” The degree of hardness becomes greater as the calcium and magnesium content increases.
Hard water is probably the most common water problem found in the home. Hard water spots your glasses and dishes, makes laundry dull, and causes soap scum and scale to build-up making cleaning a chore. The most common hardness causing minerals are Calcium and Magnesium that is dissolved in a water supply. According to the Water Quality Association, hard water is water that contains dissolved hardness minerals above 1 GPG (grains per gallon). Relative levels of hardness have been established: Soft Water – less than 1 gpg Slightly hard – 1 to 3.5 gpg Moderately hard – 3.5 to 7 gpg Hard – 7 to 10.5 gpg Very Hard – 10.5 and higher gpg Using an ion exchange water softener is the most common form of treatment.
Hard water is water that contains dissolved minerals such as calcium, magnesium, iron and manganese. According to the Water Quality Association, water that contains more than 1 GPG (grain per gallon) of these dissolved minerals is considered hard water. Relative levels of hardness have been established: • Soft Water – less than 1 GPG • Slightly hard – 1 to 3.5 GPG • Moderately hard – 3.5 to 7 GPG • Hard – 7 to 10.5 GPG • Very Hard – 10.5 and higher GPG Hard water is probably the most common water problem found in the home. Hard water can leave spots on your glasses and dishes, make laundry dingy and dull, and cause soap scum and scale to build-up around faucets, making cleaning a chore. The most common treatment for hard water is with an ion exchange water softener, which removes the dissolved hardness minerals out of the water, creating “soft” water. Your Culligan Dealer can provide a complimentary water analysis to determine the hardness levels in your water.
According to the United States Geological Survey, 85% of US homes have hard water. Hard Water is water that has a high mineral content. The content of the water consists of high levels of calcium and magnesium bicarbonates in water and together represent Total Hardness (TH). While hard water is not generally dangerous to safety or health, it does have damaging effects decreasing the lifespan and efficiency to household water systems. Lime scale can build up over time clogging pipes, water heaters, and any appliances that use water. This scale clogs pipes and may decrease the life of toilets by 70% and water taps by 40%.
A. Hard water is the most common problem found in the average home. Hard water is typically defined as water having more than 1 GPG (grains per gallon) of dissolved minerals in it, generally consisting of calcium, magnesium carbonate, and/or manganese. The amount of hardness in water is usually measured in either PPM (parts per million) or GPG (grains per gallon). 17.1 PPM or 17.1 Mg/L = 1 GPG OR PPM or Mg/L divided by 17.1 = GPG A couple of ways for you to find out how hard your water is, would be to have it tested locally, or you can send a small sample to us, (at least 8 oz) and we will gladly test it for you free, even if you decide to purchase your softener elsewhere! We will test your sample for hardness, Iron and Total Dissolved Solids (TDS), and Email or phone the results back to you.
