Hard Water And What To Do About It
As water moves through the earth, it picks up elements. Even though it is safe to drink, water is considered hard if it has a lot of calcium, magnesium, manganese and ferrous iron dissolved in it. This is very common, as it is estimated that 85% of American homes have hard water.
The elements stick to the insides of pipes, metal pans, tea kettles, the soapy scum on glasses and form rings in your bathtub. They also reduce the water flow through pipes and can even completely clog them. Further, the elements also cause hot water to lose heat as it passes over them. These elements also react in hot water with soap and detergents which reduce their ability to flow, lather and clean. Clothes become duller in color and minerals build up in water heaters, dishwashers and showerheads.
The solution to hard water is either to filter the water by distillation or reverse osmosis to remove the hard elements or to use a water softener. Filtration and osmosis are extremely expensive to use for all the water in a house, so a water softener is usually a less costly solution.
A water softener enriches the water with sodium and passes it through a salt encrusted material, which allows the sodium to swap places with the hard water elements. The resulting brine and hard elements are flushed out a drain pipe. Eventually, the salt encrusted material must be replaced as the sodium on it is completely replaced by hard elements. (Note that sometimes potassium is used in place of sodium for as much as four times the cost.)
It is important to use the correct amount and type of water softening technology based on your water use and the degree of hardness in the water. Obviously, too little water softening will result in poor results but too much can overwhelm the environment or sewer's ability to process the hard elements and lead to pollution. Some communities have standards established to avoid problems and salt-restricted persons should be knowledgeable about the salt level in their water.
Maintenance needs to be done on a water softener, as well. The sodium needs to be broken up from time to time and sometimes the entire tank needs to be emptied and the sides wiped down. Some communities require that a professional be employed to properly dispose of the brine and drain water and to handle the maintenance. Most popular water softeners are largely automated and maintenance is reduced if softened water is not used for watering your lawn or other other outdoor uses; in addition the salts may affect the grass and vegetation.
While some forms of hardness (temporary hardness) can be solved by boiling the water, be cautious of "chemical free" claims of water softening. These have never been scientifically verified and include magnetic water treatment and catalytic water treatment processes. In general, water softeners do not change anything else in the water quality such as PH or chloride and last for years. Warranties run ten years and five years for the valves.
Knowing a little about how water softeners work can help you decide if you need one. For questions specific to your area, call your local water conditioning specialist and they will usually offer a free estimate.
The elements stick to the insides of pipes, metal pans, tea kettles, the soapy scum on glasses and form rings in your bathtub. They also reduce the water flow through pipes and can even completely clog them. Further, the elements also cause hot water to lose heat as it passes over them. These elements also react in hot water with soap and detergents which reduce their ability to flow, lather and clean. Clothes become duller in color and minerals build up in water heaters, dishwashers and showerheads.
The solution to hard water is either to filter the water by distillation or reverse osmosis to remove the hard elements or to use a water softener. Filtration and osmosis are extremely expensive to use for all the water in a house, so a water softener is usually a less costly solution.
A water softener enriches the water with sodium and passes it through a salt encrusted material, which allows the sodium to swap places with the hard water elements. The resulting brine and hard elements are flushed out a drain pipe. Eventually, the salt encrusted material must be replaced as the sodium on it is completely replaced by hard elements. (Note that sometimes potassium is used in place of sodium for as much as four times the cost.)
It is important to use the correct amount and type of water softening technology based on your water use and the degree of hardness in the water. Obviously, too little water softening will result in poor results but too much can overwhelm the environment or sewer's ability to process the hard elements and lead to pollution. Some communities have standards established to avoid problems and salt-restricted persons should be knowledgeable about the salt level in their water.
Maintenance needs to be done on a water softener, as well. The sodium needs to be broken up from time to time and sometimes the entire tank needs to be emptied and the sides wiped down. Some communities require that a professional be employed to properly dispose of the brine and drain water and to handle the maintenance. Most popular water softeners are largely automated and maintenance is reduced if softened water is not used for watering your lawn or other other outdoor uses; in addition the salts may affect the grass and vegetation.
While some forms of hardness (temporary hardness) can be solved by boiling the water, be cautious of "chemical free" claims of water softening. These have never been scientifically verified and include magnetic water treatment and catalytic water treatment processes. In general, water softeners do not change anything else in the water quality such as PH or chloride and last for years. Warranties run ten years and five years for the valves.
Knowing a little about how water softeners work can help you decide if you need one. For questions specific to your area, call your local water conditioning specialist and they will usually offer a free estimate.
