Have you ever sat and pondered the mysteries of why your dishes come out of the dishwasher stained and discolored and why your laundry needs more soap to prevent looking dingy?
There have probably been times when you've observed filmy scum growing on your shower curtains and that neither your shampoo nor your soap is producing any lather. If that is the case, it may be due to the hard water.
The term "hard water" refers to any water supply that has ingested significant minerals from the surrounding earth, most notably calcium and magnesium. Hard water is a common term. If these minerals are not in significant amounts in the water, then we say that the water is soft.
What is Soft Water?
The water may have a gentle character (water supplies derived from lakes and streams are often naturally soft). Drinking hard water, which usually contains high dissolved minerals like calcium and magnesium, does not pose significant health risks. Our bodies require trace amounts of each of these minerals to function properly.
However, if the concentration of the minerals is high enough, they will build up in the piping, fixtures, and appliances and eventually make them less effective. For example, the build-up of mineral scale in plumbing fixtures such as taps and water heaters can shorten the useful life of these appliances.
When you bathe in hard water, your skin will get irritated and dry, and your hair will become sticky and lifeless. It is mind-boggling to consider the sheer quantity of time, effort, and money that must be invested to rectify the negative consequences of hard water.
While this problem is costly, it can be solved by installing a water softener that treats the water throughout the entire home.
How Water Softeners Work
Water softeners are whole-house water filtration devices that remove hardness-causing salts via an ion exchange process.
When the hard water is poured into the mineral tank, it passes through spherical resin beads to get to the minerals. A sodium ion is embedded in these plastic beads, typically fabricated from polystyrene.
Anions are particles with a negative charge, and resin beads fit that description well.Both calcium and magnesium are cations due to their positive charge, distinguishing them from anions.
Like charges repel and oppose, charges are pulled to one another, and the positive charge of the resin beads attracts the negative charge of the minerals.
The mineral ions are removed from the water when the hard water travels through the resin and the beads, which can catch hold of the ions as they pass through the resin. After the bead successfully captures the mineral ion, the sodium ion will be freed.
Can Hard Water Be Used daily?
As the water travels through the mineral tank, the resin bed removes the hardness from the water, and then the water that exits the tank is softened before it enters your house.
The common problem of hard water, which may lead to major problems if left untreated, is amenable to resolution with the installation of a water softener.
The presence of hard water in a modern home can give rise to a wide range of complications. The build-up of scale in pipes will immediately hurt the water pressure since it will restrict the passage of water through the pipes.
When the scale is present, the lifespan of household appliances like coffee makers, dishwashers, and ice machines is drastically diminished. The scale may also cause food to get stuck in the machine.
The Use of Water Heaters
The components of hot water appliances are susceptible to damage from hard water. When the water is heated to a higher temperature, calcium and magnesium are more likely to precipitate out of the solution and form deposits inside your water heater.
These deposits will be more brittle and difficult to remove. In areas of the country with hard water, such as Arizona, the noise your water heater makes may remind you of popcorn popping. The scale has become adhered to the heating element, which is the cause of this problem.
The calcified rock deposits that have crusted over the heating elements begin to crack and stretch as the temperature of the heater continues to rise. The expansion of the tank also accompanies this.
Types of Water Softeners
Multiple water softeners are available, including ion exchange and reverse osmosis. In addition to those, there are also salt-based and salt-free water softeners. Salt-based softeners use Ion to extract minerals from the water.
During this phase of the process, the difficult minerals are traded for the ions of sodium. The sodium ions are not responsible for the same issues brought on by the minerals in hard water. Water that has been softened is sometimes thought of as superior for plumbing and one's cleanliness.
On the other hand, salt-free water softeners do not use the Ion exchange method for softening water. Therefore, the minerals that are in the water are not removed.
Chelation is the method that is utilized in its place. The abrasive minerals are combined with a chemical compound during this process step. This component prevents the minerals from wreaking havoc on plumbing and one's hygiene routine.
Advantages
They can help your appliances survive longer by decreasing the formation of mineral deposits, which is one of the leading causes of premature appliance failure. They can boost the lathering power of your soap; since soap works properly in soft water, you'll end up with more suds and clothing that are cleaner.
In the long run, they could save you money on plumbing repairs brought on by scaling, which is caused by hard water running through your pipes and creates water flow restriction and, eventually, plumbing repairs.
Our Final Thoughts
Water softeners are a significant financial outlay; nevertheless, throughout their lifetime, they can help homeowners save money by extending the usefulness of their household appliances and plumbing fixtures. Mesa Plumbing provides you with the best water softeners at lower prices!