Hard water vs Soft water , If drinking water is more than just a simple necessity to stay alive to you, you’re probably aware that not all water tastes the same. Bottled drinking water from the Alps hits slightly different from tap water.
Hard Water vs Soft water
If you prefer your drinking water fancy, there is a collection of pricey drinking water brands available globally, such as Acqua di Cristallo Tributo a Modigliani.
What is hard water
There is no doubt that different drinking water brands sell water of remarkably different qualities. But did you know that there is an entirely different criteria that categorizes water? Your water supply may be spurting out either hard water or soft water. Now this has less to do with how the water feels, but rather concerns its physical make up. Hard water contains either magnesium ions or calcium salts, whereas soft water contains minute amounts of sodium.
Hard water can be easily identified. A quick way to test whether a particular sample of water is hard is to mix it with soap. If the water is void of calcium and magnesium, you’ll get a lather. Hard water, on the other hand, does not form a lather. Instead, you will find that the water turns milky white, together with an insoluble precipitate called “scum”.
Which is better hard water or soft water?
How is hard water formed?
The purest form of water consists of nothing more than just H2O molecules. However, water is a great solvent (capable of dissolving other compounds). It is this property of water that makes hard water more common in nature than pure water.
The heat causes large bodies of water to evaporate, where water is present together with several other compounds.
The evaporated water forms rainclouds and is nearly pure, since they leave behind other compounds during evaporation.
Rainwater is mostly pure, even though they tend to mix with carbon dioxide and other gasses in the atmosphere.
Rainwater flows downhill to lower ground, and if they pass through limestone or other rocks, they pick up calcium and magnesium. This turns them into hard water once more.
Not all hard water is the same! Hard water can be further divided into two categories; permanent hardness and temporary hardness, Temporary hardness defines any sample of water that contains carbonates or bicarbonates of magnesium and calcium, whereas permanent hardness is caused by a presence of sulfates and chlorides.
Is hard water safe?
If you are a homeowner concerned about your water supply, a fresh stream of soft water is what you are looking for. Hard water can be problematic when used with water reliant appliances, or may leave residue behind in plumbing fixtures. All of these point towards the same costly matter: expensive maintenance.
While hardwater does provide minimal health benefits depending on the mineral make up, it is generally safer to drink soft water. The sodium content in soft water is so low that drinking a glass of it would account for less than 1% of the recommended daily intake.
Your water supply may be spewing out hard water
If your water supply originates from a well, or a river (not serious about that one), you and your home appliances are particularly in risk of being exposed to hard water. If you are using tap water, you aren’t safe either! Several municipalities in Canada have moderately hard water. If you are in Toronto, water you obtain from your tap is likely to be hard. To be certain of whether your water supply is soft, you can have a team of professionals arrive at your doorstep to run tests.
How do I soften my home’s water supply?
If you are, quite rightfully, concerned about the damages your water supply will cause to your property; there are plenty of ways to ensure that you have access to nothing other than safe, reliable soft water. Installing a water softener is a quick and easy way to flush out those “hard” magnesium and calcium ions and replace them with “softer” sodium.
Ion exchange columns
Water softeners installed at homes are known as ion exchange units. Resin beads inside ion exchange columns contain negative charges, which take away the positively charged magnesium and calcium ions in water.
The Sodium ions which are held loosely in the ion exchange column trades places with the magnesium and calcium, and remain in the “softened” water that leaves the column. The sodium gets used up after softening a large quantity of water, and will have to be replaced to keep the ion exchange unit functioning. The magnesium and calcium removed from hard water during ion exchange can be flushed out after a heavy build up over time.
How do I get an Ion exchange column installed in my property?
It is important to pay close attention to who installs the water softener in your home, since your home’s water supply plays a major role in everyday life. If you are in Canada, we, Pure Wave Water are ready to take responsibility for your property’s water supply, together with the years of experience we have gathered in the field. Contact us to have your water softener installed and put an end to all the needless trouble caused by hard water.