*Reviewed by Ken Christopher, Senior Vice President at Rayne Dealership Corporation
Although a good water softener can last for 10 – 15 years, without proper maintenance and service, it will not last forever. They are actually not meant to last forever, but proper care measures can ensure the lifespan of your water softener is extended to its full capacity. It’s important to learn the answers to common questions such as how long do water softeners lastand how should I maintain my water softener? Read on to learn more!
Factors that affect the lifespan of a water softener
Water softeners are built to withstand everyday water usage. There are a few things, however, that can make them break down and reach the end of their useable life more quickly. These include the following:
Frequency of use – This is determined largely by the hardness of the water that is being treated. The more mineral deposits in the water, the harder and more frequently the water softener system will have to work at filtration to provide the water qualityyou’re looking for.
Quantity of water being treated – Similar to frequency, the volume of water being softened also affects softener lifespan. A family of six with four children, for example, will result in more daily water usage than a retired couple. Accordingly, the water softening process will be required to run more frequently due to the higher volume of water being processed.
Common signs of water softener failure
So when should a water softener systembe replaced? Occasionally, water softeners will simply stop working and it will be obvious. More frequently, however, there are subtle signs that your softener is beginning to fail. Be aware of these water softener problems:
Difficulty Lathering – Either soap won’t lather at all, or it will take a significantly greater amount to get the lather you want. Softened water will make it easier to lather soap.
Laundry Issues –Washing clothes in hard water will leave them stiff and duller than they should be. If you notice a significant change in how your clothing looks or feels after coming out of the wash, the problem may not be with your detergent, but with your water softener instead.
Scaly Buildup On Water Fixtures – A normally functioning water softener will enable you to have clean, shiny fixtures, not ones covered in water spots or mineral buildup. If you notice crusty buildup instead, or an increased amount of time needed for everyday cleaning, it’s time to evaluate if your water softener is working properly.
Changes In Water Taste –Soft water tastes different than hard water, and it can affect the taste of drinking water directly from the tap or other water-based beverages such as coffee and tea. If the taste of your drinking water noticeably changes, it could be a sign that your water softener is beginning to fail.
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Enlist the services of a water treatment professional
The water softener or water filtration systemproblems above could also indicate that repair or maintenance is needed, so it’s important to have your system evaluated by a qualified technician to be certain. It may be easier, and cheaper, to simply repair what’s broken instead of replacing the entire system, or let us protect it with our VIP Program. Give us a call and we will be happy to provide you complete peace of mind with our VIP Program or schedule an onsite evaluation of your water softening system. We also offer maintenance-free water softening with our Portable Exchange Tank Service, the perfect option.
*Reviewed by Ken Christopher, Senior Vice President at Rayne Dealership Corporation
If you have ever wondered, “what is the difference between soft and hard water?” then you aren’t alone. You’ve probably heard stories about how certain locations have hard water, while others have soft. Or you may have heard about ahome water filtration system, but don’t know what it is. You may have even looked into whether the water being piped into your house is hard.
Water hardness is a relatively simple concept that can have quite a large impact. This impact isn’t always easy to discern, particularly if you have always experienced the same type of water your whole life.
In this article, we’ll work to break down the difference between hard and soft water. We’ll take a look at what hard water is, what properties make it that way, and explore what the impact of hard water is. While there are downsides to hard water, you may have been dealing with the impact of hard water your whole life and never realized it. By shedding light onwhat makes water soft or hard and the real impact of hard water, you can make an informed decision about whether ahome water softener system is right for you and your family.
What is Water Hardness?
It seems odd to talk about a liquid in terms of whether it is hard or soft. The reasoning behind the nomenclature of these terms is not readily apparent from the outside, which has led to a great deal of confusion over the years.
Put simply, water hardness is related to minerals in your water. Specifically, water hardness comes down to the content of calcium and magnesium that is in your water. Water that is considered “hard” has higher amounts of these minerals in it than water that is considered “soft”.
How is Water Hardness Measured?
Now that we know water hardness is determined by the mineral content, let’s take a look at the thresholds between hard water vs soft water. There are actually four ranges of hardness in water; soft, moderately hard, hard, and very hard which can be measured on thewater hardness scale.
Here are the thresholds for the hardness of water, broken down by the number of Grains Per Gallon found in the water:
<1 GPG of hardness is considered soft water.
1-7 GPG of hardness is considered moderately hard.
7-10 GPG of hardness is considered hard.
Anything over 10 GPG is considered very hard.
How Does Water Hardness Occur?
We measure water hardness by determining the concentration of calcium carbonate that is found in the water. Calcium carbonate is so abundant that you have probably interacted with it on a daily basis throughout your life, whether you have realized it or not. The most recognizable form of calcium carbonate to us is probably chalk, such as the type used in schools. Calcium carbonate comprises roughly 4% of the Earth’s crust and is found in paint, plastics, building materials like shingles and mortar, as well as baking powder, toothpaste, and even wine.
Alongside calcium, magnesium levels are also higher in hard water. Iron and other metals may be present in higher concentrations as well. The high mineral content that characterizes hard water is incorporated as the water moves throughout the Earth’s crust. As it seeps through the chalk and magnesium in the soil on its way to the natural reservoirs that make up our groundwater supply, water dissolves calcium, magnesium, and other dissolved minerals.
Due to the fact that water hardness is caused by the passage of water through soil that is rich in minerals, it should come as no surprise that there is a strong geographic correlation to the hardness of the water. Different areas will have varying concentrations of magnesium, calcium, and other dissolved minerals that are higher or lower than others. The higher the concentration of minerals in the soil around the groundwater source, the harder the water from that source will be.
An image provided by the U.S. Geological Survey’s 1975 National Water-Quality Assessment (NAWQA), foundhere, demonstrates the strong regional variation in water hardness that can be found throughout the United States. A brief glance at the image shows that water tends to be harder in the central and southwestern United States while being predominantly softer along the east coast of the United States and the northwestern United States.
It should be noted that this image simply shows regional trends, but does not account for the actual water hardness you might have at the tap. In order for that to be accurately determined, you would have totest the hardness of your water. Still, the image is useful for reinforcing the fact that a key factor between hard vs. soft water is the mineral content in the soil that our groundwater passes through.
What is the Impact of Water Hardness?
You may be scratching your head at this point, wondering what the big deal is. Well, even if water hardness isn’t as detrimental as some might have you believe, there are some very real negative impacts associated with hard water.
Understanding the real-world impact of water hardness goes a long way toward answering the question, “what is the difference between hard and soft water?” It can also help you better understandwhat is a water softener and the impact it could have. Some of the effects of hard water you may already be familiar with, while others you may not ever experience.
Drawbacks of Hard Water
Since most people are concerned about the impact of hard water on their drinking water, let’s examine some of the drawbacks of hard water quality.
Mineral Buildup
Mineral buildup is probably the biggest drawback of hard water. As the term suggests, mineral buildup is the accumulation of minerals carried in the water on surfaces the water moves through or touches. Common areas where you will see limescale buildup are in pipes, on equipment, chrome, tile, fiberglass, and glass. If you live in an area with hard water, you’ve probably seen the buildup of minerals on your sink faucets and other plumbing fixtures. If the fixture is older, these mineral deposits will be readily apparent. This limescale buildup can also affect water flow in households as well.
The color of the buildup you experience from your tap water will change depending on the concentration of minerals in your water supply. Limescale, the term used for the buildup of calcium carbonate and magnesium, appears off-white or chalky. A buildup of manganese may look brown or black. Water that contains high concentrations of iron will produce stains that look reddish. These hard water minerals can cause damage in some cases.
Mineral buildup from hard tap water can be a problem that is both tedious and unsightly for the average homeowner, and costly damage can occur as well. Water heaters are key areas where buildup occurs, as the water evaporating leads to the rapid accumulation of calcium carbonate. The pipes running through your house will also develop mineral buildup over time, slowly reducing the amount of water that can flow through your pipes as limescale buildup narrows the width of the pipe.
Mineral buildup on plumbing fixtures, glass shower doors, and showerheads, as well as the low water pressure can also be extremely common. This buildup can result in damage that requires replacement once the mineral buildup penetrates the coating on these fixtures. Also keep in mind that all appliances that have water flowing through them, such as your coffee pot, washing machine, and dishwasher will eventually experience mineral buildup that may impact their performance over the long term. Specifically, mineral buildup around the seals or valves in this equipment can result in water leaks.
While the mineral buildup from hard water in your home appliances and piping can be detrimental over the long term and may require more frequent cleaning or replacement of certain equipment, water hardness can be particularly damaging in industrial applications. Industrial equipment such as boilers and heaters are very susceptible to the ravages of mineral buildup. Because of this, many industrial users choose to implement water softeners to avoid any equipment damage stemming from water hardness in their local water supply.
Soap Scum
Soap scum is an unsightly and frustrating effect of water hardness. Soap scum is the result of a reaction between the calcium in hard water and the soap you use every day. The result is a solid substance that coats surfaces throughout your house, but particularly in your bathtub, shower, sinks, and anywhere where tap water and soap are used.
Soap scum is very unsightly and can be difficult to remove if it is allowed to build up. Eventually, soap scum can combine with mildew or mold, both of which are common in damp areas where soap scum is likely to form.
Spotted Dishes
Another hard water problem that may be common is spotted dishes. Ever wonder why you can’t seem to get your dishes clean, no matter how much you hand wash them or run them through the dishwasher? If your dishes come out of the dishwasher with white water spots on them, don’t run out and buy a new dishwasher. The cause is from cleaning with hard water. Streaks and spots on dishes are common negative outcomes associated with hard water.
Dull Hair
Just like how hard water makes cleaning the surfaces in your house difficult, your water may also be having an impact on how your hair looks and feels. Hard water will impact hair by making it dull in appearance and rough to the touch. It also becomes more difficult to rinse out all of the soap that you use, which makes that soap less effective at washing your hair. The next time you notice dull hair or difficulty rinsing out soap, it may be a hard water problem and it may also be time for a water softening system.
Closing Thoughts
Water hardness refers simply to the level of minerals that are found in a sample of water. The initial, natural state of water – such as rainwater – doesn’t have these hard properties, rather, it occurs once water enters and passes through the soil and stone. That being said, there is a strong geographical correlation between water hardness and location. Water will naturally be harder when the soil around the source of groundwater contains higher levels of calcium and magnesium.
Water that contains more minerals can have detrimental effects found throughout your home and impact your overall water quality. You may notice a buildup of minerals on faucets, showerheads, and plumbing fixtures. Minerals in hard water will also build up in appliances like your dishwasher and water heater, eventually affecting the efficiency of this equipment. Hard water, when combined with common soap, forms soap scum which is unsightly and difficult to clean. Additionally, with hard water, your clothes can become less resilient and your hair becomes harder to clean.
Thankfully, there are effective water softening solutions on the market if you are tired of dealing with the impact of hard water. In fact, there are water filter systems that can help you bring purified water right into your home. Don’t know how a water softener works? To learn more about water softening solutions or a home water filtration system, please contact Rayne Water today!
*Reviewed by Ken Christopher, Senior Vice President at Rayne Dealership Corporation
Soft water is highly touted for its beneficial properties, yet most of us don’t have a firm idea of what is meant by soft water. You’ve probably also heard of soft water’s alter ego: hard water. The differences between the two are significant and therefore important to understand in terms of how each can affect your life.
If you find yourself wondering, “what makes water soft?”, you’ve come to the right place. We are going to examine what soft water is, what its main properties are and how hard water compares to soft water. Depending on where you live, you may have used soft water your entire life and never known it, or you may have only had limited exposure to it. In the course of this article, we’ll break down why this might be the case, and also explore methods through which you can get soft water – such as a whole home water softener – even if you live in an area that has very hard water.
By the end of this article, you should have a clear sense of what the benefits of soft water are and conversely what the drawbacks of hard water tend to be. This information will allow you to make an informed decision regarding whether you need a home water softener system in your home or business.
What is Water Hardness?
The easiest way to figure out what is meant by soft water is to understand the concept of water hardness. The idea of a liquid being soft or hard can be confusing, but take a moment and let go of the idea that your water is either physically hard or soft to the touch. Rather, water hardness refers to something that is either present or absent from water.
Specifically, the hardness of water is determined by the amount of calcium and magnesium that has been dissolved in a water sample. Water that is considered hard may also have other minerals present, such as manganese and iron. Conversely, soft water has very low amounts of these minerals.
The mineral composition of the water gives it unique properties. These properties are the core reason that so many people are concerned about how hard their water is. Many properties of hard water tend to be detrimental to specific equipment that we rely on in our modern world due to the presence of these minerals.
How Does Water Hardness Occur?
The development of hard water occurs naturally during the movement of water through the water cycle. Precipitation, or rainwater, does not contain a substantial amount of minerals and is thus considered soft. The mineral content the water contains will rise as the water moves through the soil.
There are a couple of points to unpack here about how water becomes harder. Let’s take a look at each of these three in turn.
Groundwater
Location
Water as a Solvent
Groundwater
Water hardness is really only something that occurs in groundwater. Water starts as soft in its natural form as rainwater, but becomes hard as it moves through the soil and picks up minerals.
Location
There is a strong geographical correlation to whether water is hard or soft. For water to be hard, it must pass through soil that is rich in minerals. This is especially true for calcium and magnesium, which water readily dissolves as it moves through it. If the soil near your water supply has an abundance of chalk and limestone, chances are it will be hard.
Water as a Solvent
You might be wondering how water can dissolve minerals that are found in the soil and crust of the earth. For example, calcium carbonate comprises roughly 4% of the Earth’s crust and is the primary way through which water hardness is measured. Water is able to dissolve this and other minerals because it is a solvent. It has been dubbed the “universal solvent” because of its effectiveness in dissolving minerals. This is due to the polarity of water atoms themselves. Water has both a negative and positive charge on each side, allowing it to attract and dissolve minerals as it passes through the ground.
What is the Threshold for Soft Water?
By now, you should have a good idea of what makes water soft or hard, but this does little to shed light on the soft water definition. Rather than simply assessing the effect water has or what it feels like – both of which are properties that change depending on hardness – there are simple thresholds that are used to determine whether water is hard.
The thresholds that determine the hardness of water are a measurement of the amount of Grains Per Gallon (GPG) found in a sample of water. These measurements help answer the question, “what is soft water?”
These are the thresholds that define the hardness of water:
<1 GPG of hardness – Soft
1-7 GPG of hardness – Moderately Hard
7-10 GPG of hardness – Hard
>10 GPG – Very Hard
What are Some Advantages of Soft Water?
If you live in an area where groundwater is naturally hard, you will have to invest in a water softening system in order to have soft water. Let’s take a look at some of the key advantages that soft water has over mineral-laden hard water.
Less Mineral Buildup in Pipes and Equipment
When water that is high in minerals travels through the pipes in your house, it leaves behind deposits of the minerals it is carrying. This buildup is called limescale. Some types of pipes, such as copper or PVC, are more resilient against limescale buildup. Even so, the continuous flow of water through these pipes will eventually reduce the ease of flow. If you’ve ever seen a picture of how cholesterol slowly constricts the flow of blood in the arteries of the human body, you will have a good sense of how limescale can affect the flow of water through pipes over time.
Pipes aren’t the only thing in your house that will slowly degrade from hard water. Mineral deposits from hard water will result in a buildup that will affect the operation of your showerhead, dishwasher, and importantly, your water heater. Water heaters in areas with hard water will operate less efficiently over time as limescale continues to buildup in them. Similarly, nozzles of showerheads can also become clogged by limescale with continued use.
No Spotted Dishes
If you have hard water, then you know that it’s next to impossible to get your dishes looking as good as new. The source of the film and spots on your dishes, glassware, and silverware are the minerals contained in the water. Those spots aren’t dangerous, but they are unsightly. One of the advantages of having soft water is that your dishes come out consistently clean, bright, and shiny.
Clothes Last Longer
With soft water, your favorite clothes will last longer. If you have hard water, your clothes will appear dull and less vibrant due to the buildup of calcium and magnesium in the clothing through repeated washes. Stains might be more difficult to remove in the washing machine, and you might even see white streaking on certain dark fabrics. Over time, the mineral buildup will weaken the fibers of clothes, making them less resilient to tearing.
Soap Scum
You may not realize it, but that soap scum you’ve battled over the years is due to the minerals in your water. The calcium carbonate in hard water reacts with soap to create soap scum. Soap scum is frustrating at best, and even after a thorough cleaning, it can quickly reappear. By switching to soft water, soap scum will be eliminated, making cleaning your shower or sinks a breeze.
Eliminating soap scum isn’t the only advantage of soft water. Soft water also makes the soap more effective in general. With hard water, soap doesn’t lather as effectively and is generally harder to wash off. Once you finish washing your hands with hard water, you are often left with a dry feeling and may feel like you need lotion. With soft water, soap produces a more luxurious lather, washes off cleanly the first time and makes your hands feel softer instantly.
Vibrant Hair
You probably wouldn’t think that the mineral content of your water would have an impact on how your hair looks. As surprising as it is, the minerals in hard water can, over time, leave hair more dull in appearance. The minerals in the water coat the hair, causing it to appear duller while also reducing the effectiveness of moisturizers from penetrating the hair follicle. In contrast, washing your hair with soft water will leave it with more vibrancy, shine, and body.
How to Get Soft Water
If you don’t live in an area that already provides soft water, then you’ll have to treat the water that is coming into your house. Water is softened through an ion exchange process.
Essentially, this process involves running the hard water through a tank that contains sodium or potassium ions. These ions attract the mineral ions in your hard water. Occasionally the tank may need to be flushed with a saline rinse. This recharges the system and allows it to continue attracting mineral ions. The end result of a water softening system is soft water on demand in your house.
Water softeners reverse the process through which water becomes hard when it travels through the water cycle. The polarity of the water molecule allows it to pick up mineral ions as it travels through the soil. A water softener reverses this process by attracting those same mineral ions back out of your water, allowing them to be eliminated separately.
Closing Thoughts
Soft water is water with a very low mineral content, typically defined as less than 1 GPG. Water above this threshold is considered hard, owing to the fact that it has a higher mineral content.
Water becomes hard after it falls from the ground as precipitation and seeps into the soil. While the water that eventually reaches our tap moves through the soil and sediment that makes up the Earth’s crust, it picks up mineral ions. The majority of these minerals are calcium carbonate and magnesium, but hard water can also contain iron, manganese, and a variety of other minerals.
There are some very tangible benefits associated with soft water, including shinier hair and more moisturized skin. Soft water also leaves behind fewer mineral deposits on your faucets and fixtures, which is important for your appliances. With soft water, your water heater will work more efficiently over a longer period of time, and you won’t experience obstruction of the nozzles in your dishwasher or shower head. Soft water also eliminates soap scum and ensures that your dishes won’t have any spots or film.
Transitioning your entire house to soft water isn’t as difficult as you might think. Water softeners remove the minerals in water as it comes into your house, ensuring that every faucet, shower head, and appliance has clean, soft water. To learn more about the process for transitioning to a water softening system or even just a home water filtration system for potable drinking water, please contact Rayne Water today.
Have you ever wondered how to test water hardness in your house? The answer might be closer than you think. Hard water is the result of elevated mineral levels in the groundwater supply. While hard water may be potable water and not necessarily harmful to your health, it does result in a number of unpleasant effects with which you are probably familiar.
Figuring out how to determine water hardness isn’t necessarily a complex process. While there are detailed tests that can give you an accurate and exact measure of how hard your water is, determining whether or not you have hard water is a much simpler exercise.
In this article, we’re going to outline some easy to understand tips that can help you determine whether or not you have hard water. In doing so, we’ll explore some of the key effects that hard water can have around your house and on your body. Some of these are merely unsightly, while others can impact everything from the efficiency of your appliances to the moisture of your hair and skin. In the end, you might be surprised at the many ways that hard water has had an impact on your daily life and may be interested in a whole home water softener. Water Softening System.
What is Hard Water?
Hard water is water that has a high amount of minerals in it. The majority of these minerals are usually calcium carbonate and magnesium, however other minerals such as manganese and iron can also be found in hard water samples. The higher the mineral count in your water, the harder your water is considered.
Generally, water is thought of as “soft” if it has less than 60 milligrams per liter (mg/L) of calcium carbonate. A higher concentration than this is considered to be hard water, with varying degrees of hardness assigned to different thresholds of calcium carbonate.
How Does Hard Water Form?
The formation of hard water occurs naturally through an interaction between water and the soil it passes through. Starting as precipitation, water is largely soft, though there may be small amounts of minerals contained in rainfall. Once that rainfall hits the ground, it begins to move into and through the soil.
The movement of water through the soil and into the rivers and aquifers that provide our water supply is long and arduous. As water passes through soil along the way, it dissolves the bonds of the mineral ions in the soil. These minerals are then carried along with the water into the water that reaches your tap.
In order for water to be hard, it must pass through soil that is rich in calcium carbonate and magnesium. This typically means chalk or limestone. Hard water can also contain high levels of iron if it moves through iron-rich soil. Put another way, the presence or absence of minerals in the soil around a groundwater source has a direct impact on how hard the water is.
This means that the hardness of water can vary substantially based on where you live. Many parts of the United States have hard water. This is also why you might notice that the water feels different when you visit another state or country.
Testing for Hard Water
If you are wondering how to measure water hardness, there are a variety of different tests you can do to find out whether or not your water is hard. Most municipal water suppliers also publish information about what types of minerals and other substances the water piped into your house contains. These water quality reports can provide a valuable source of general information, such as where your local water is sourced from, how it is treated, and what types of organic and inorganic materials it might contain. An example of a local municipal water quality report can be found here.
Short of browsing a water quality report or testing the water directly at your tap using a water test kit, there are some easy observational methods that you can use to determine if your water is hard.
Do You Have Spots on Your Dishes?
If your dishes come out of the dishwasher with spots or a slight film on them, you probably have hard water. Those spots found on your dishes are mineral deposits left behind when the water used to wash the dish evaporates or is dried during the last part of the dishwasher cycle.
Have You Observed Mineral Buildup on Your Faucets and Fixtures?
You can definitely tell that you have hard water if you pay close attention to your plumbing fixtures. Those areas of your house that are in frequent contact with tap water will be the areas where you see the biggest impact of hard water, and nowhere else comes in contact with water as frequently as plumbing fixtures.
If you have noticed scaly buildup on your fixtures then you most likely have hard water. You may have noticed that the nozzles on your shower head become clogged over time. This occlusion is due to mineral deposits left behind by hard water. The same is true of the nozzles in your dishwasher, which slowly become closed off by mineral deposits over time.
Staining from mineral deposits on plumbing fixtures can also be different colors. White or gray stains tend to be from calcium carbonate, while areas with a high amount of iron in the water will produce reddish stains on fixtures and faucets.
Do You Get Soap Scum?
If you are constantly battling soap scum, you have hard water. Soap scum is a white, filmy layer often found in showers, in sinks, or on bathroom fixtures. Soap scum forms from a reaction between the minerals in water and the soap you use and leaves behind a solid substance that is difficult to clean.
Soap scum can combine with mold or trap mildew in it. It can also be extremely difficult to remove, particularly if it has been left in place for some time. Most often, soap scum is an unsightly nuisance that most people with hard water have just learned to live with.
The Hair Test
Hard water can affect our lives in surprising ways. One of these is the effect of hard water on hair. You can test for water hardness by observing your hair – hair washed with hard water will begin to form a layer of minerals on the hair follicle. This mineral layer has a couple of effects that you may not have even realized were happening.
The first is that minerals make hair look dull. Typically, hair washed in hard water will, over time, become duller and lack the vibrancy of hair washed in soft water. Your hair might also be drier when washed with hard water vs. soft water. The minerals deposited by hard water makes it more difficult for moisturizers to penetrate your hair follicle, leading to drier hair over time.
The Hand Washing Test
This could also be considered the soap test, given the fact that it really comes down to how effectively your water washes away the soap. If you wash your hands with hard water and soap, you will probably notice that your hands can feel a bit dry and rough after all the soap has been visibly washed away, requiring lotion or oil. That dry feeling is from a thin layer of soap sticking to the hard mineral left behind and sticking to your hand and is a common sign that your water is hard.
Another component of this test method applies to your skin as a whole. Individuals with hard water can have dry skin, which actually stems from that layer of soap that is left on your body after you get out of the shower.
How to Soften Water
If you realized through your observational tests that you probably have hard water, you might be wondering what makes water soft. Once you determine you have hard water, there are a couple of options for you.
Option 1
The first is to just live with the fact that you have hard water and deal with the issues associated with hard water in your home.
Option 2
The second solution is to install a water softener. What is a water softener? Water softeners are systems that are installed where your water comes into your house. Water Softeners generally consist of two tanks; a mineral tank that contains a negatively charged resin, and a brine tank that contains a sodium-rich solution. Both of these tanks work together to remove minerals from hard water in a process known as ion exchange.
A home water softener system functions by running the tap water coming into your house through the mineral tank, where the positively charged mineral ions are attracted to the negatively charged resin in the tank. These minerals are replaced with sodium ions in the water during the water softening process.
Once the resin in the mineral tank reaches its capacity, it will need to be recharged. With this process, water from the brine tank is pushed through the mineral tank where the sodium ions that also have a positive charge replace the mineral ions that are on the resin. Once the mineral ions have been flushed out of the tank completely, the tank is ready for further extraction of minerals from your hard water.
Is Soft Water Salty?
A water softener solution provides soft water for your entire home. One thing most people immediately wonder is whether the soft water that enters their home is salty, given the fact that there is now sodium that is attached to the water molecule. While there is sodium added to the water during this process, it doesn’t substantially raise the salinity of the water going through your house and doesn’t taste salty.
If the salt content of soft water concerns you, you could look into installing a reverse-osmosis home water filtration system at your sink tap, which would remove any excess sodium as well as bacteria or other contaminants that might be in your water.
Closing Thoughts
Testing to see if your water is hard doesn’t have to be a confusing process. The methods we’ve outlined above constitute an observational test that anyone can perform to quickly determine whether their water is hard. Key indicators of hard water are mineral buildup around faucets and plumbing fixtures, spots and film on dishes after they have been cleaned and dried, and ever-present soap scum in your showers and on your sinks.
Alongside these indicators, there are some additional ways that you can tell your water is hard. You may notice that your hair is dry and dull, both of which are often the result of a buildup of minerals from hard water on your hair follicles. Hard water can also cause the skin on your scalp and body to become more dry or irritated, which stems from a layer of soap left on the skin after it has been washed. This layer of soap is also why your hands might feel a bit dry after washing them in an area with hard water.
While hard water doesn’t have any huge negative health consequences, it does produce unsightly buildup and can impact the operational efficiency of equipment such as water heaters over time. If you live in an area with hard water, switching to soft water is as easy as installing a water softener into your home. Water softeners ensure that all of the water in your house is soft through an ion exchange process, whereby the mineral ions in hard water are extracted and replaced with sodium ions in soft water.
The tests we have outlined can give you a good idea of whether or not you have hard water. If you want to understand exactly how hard the water at your tap is, contact Rayne Water today to schedule a free water test.
Have you ever emptied your dishwasher and seen spots or a film on your dishes? Do you ever wash your hands and wonder why they feel so dry and in need of lotion? These are problems associated with hard water. While these are not some of the biggest issues that hard water can cause, they are a few of the ways that hard water can impact your day-to-day life.
In geographic areas where water is especially hard, whole home water softener are utilized to change hard water into soft water as it comes into your house. If you have ever wondered, “what is a water softener?”, or “what makes water soft?”, this article will break down water softening systems. We’ll look at how water softeners work and what types of advantages transitioning to soft water for your whole house brings.
Installing a home water softener system is a great way to avoid the damage and inconvenience that can come with hard water, but it’s also an investment. Understanding exactly how these systems soften water can help you make an informed decision about whether this investment is worthwhile for you.
What is Hard Water?
Before we break down water softeners, it is important to understand exactly what hard water is. This will provide crucial context for understanding how a water softener functions.
In many ways, water softeners reverse the natural processes through which water becomes hard in the first place. With a better grasp of how hard water forms, you can more easily understand how a water softener works to produce consistent soft water for your whole house.
Water is considered hard if it has high mineral content. There are many ways to test the hardness of water, but water with a concentration of minerals from 1-7 Grains Per Gallon is considered moderately hard. As the mineral content of the water rises, the water becomes increasingly hard.
How is Hard Water Formed?
Hard water is formed through a natural process as water moves through the water cycle. When it rains, the precipitation that falls to the ground is soft water, meaning that the mineral content of the water is very low.
The hardness of water begins to increase once precipitation has reached the ground. As groundwater moves through the soil, it dissolves minerals in the soil around it. You may have heard of water referred to as a “universal solvent”. Water’s properties make it an excellent solvent, meaning it is able to pick up mineral ions as it moves through the soil.
Not all geographic areas have the same levels of hard water. Areas that have soil with higher mineral content will produce water which is harder, while areas with lower mineral content in the soil will produce softer water. The majority of minerals found in hard water are calcium carbonate and magnesium. As water moves through soil rich in chalk or magnesium, it dissolves some of the minerals in these soils, infusing the water with higher mineral content.
What is important to note here is that water is capable of attracting and capturing mineral ions due to its polarity. Mineral ions such as calcium and magnesium carry a positive charge, which is important for understanding the water softening process. If you have asked yourself, “what does a water softener do?”, the answer is that a water softener exchanges mineral ions for sodium ions through a process called ion exchange.
Ion Exchange and Your Water Softener
Ok, so hard water forms when water moves through mineral-rich soil and picks up positively charged mineral ions. Now, to make water soft again, you must remove calcium carbonate and magnesium that is now attached to the water molecules.
If you’ve ever wondered about a water softener system and how it works, the answer is ion exchange. Before we dive into the chemistry behind this ion exchange function, let’s break down the water softener unit itself. House water softeners are a mechanical device that is installed in line with the water coming into your house.
Essentially, hard water flows into the water softener and comes out soft. Water softening systems usually consist of two tanks. One is a mineral tank, while the other contains a brine solution that is used to recharge the mineral tank.
Mineral Tank
This is the core of the water softening system. Mineral tanks contain resin or zeolite, which is made up of tiny polystyrene beads. Importantly, these beads have a negative charge. As hard water moves through the mineral tank, the positively charged mineral ions are attracted to the negatively charged beads that comprise the resin and thereby removed.
Brine Tank
The second tank in a water softening system has a brine solution, usually consisting of salt that you add to the tank. Periodically, the resin the mineral tank must be flushed of minerals it has collected from hard water. This is done by flushing the system with sodium-rich water from the brine tank. Sodium has a positive charge as well, so it is attracted to the resin, replacing the minerals that are then flushed out of the system.
Overview of Ion Exchange Systems
Let’s sum up how a water softening system works. Hard water comes into your house and flows into a water softener that has been installed in-line with your incoming water. Hard water flows into the mineral tank, which contains a resin. The resin is comprised of beads that have a negative charge, with a sodium ion attached. When hard water flows through the mineral tank, the positively charged mineral ions are attracted to the negatively charged beads. The sodium attached to the beads replaces the mineral ions that had previously been attached to the water molecules.
Periodically, water softening systems need to be recharged. This is because the negatively charged resin becomes full of positively charged mineral ions. A sodium-rich brine from the second tank flushes through the mineral tank, replacing all of the mineral ions with sodium ions and allowing the mineral ions to be flushed down the drain.
Is Soft Water Really Just Salt Water?
If you were paying close attention you might have noticed that the mineral ions in the hard water were swapped with sodium ions in the resulting soft water. One question that many people have is whether the soft water produced by a water softening system is salty. The answer is, not really.
The soft water that comes out of a water softener does have a higher sodium content than the hard water that went into the system, but the result is not salty enough to taste. The everyday consumer will never notice the extra sodium at all.
Suffice it to say that the sodium level in your soft water will not add a significant amount of sodium to your diet. If you are concerned about the sodium level of your soft water, but still want the benefits that soft water provides, you can consider adding a reverse osmosis home water filtration system which would also filter out the majority of the sodium in the soft water.
What are the Benefits of Soft Water?
At this point, you might be wondering if soft water is worth the investment in a water softening system. Most people find that the benefits offered by soft water outweigh the costs of the system itself. Given this, let’s take a look at some of the most substantial benefits that soft water provides.
Less Mineral Buildup
Mineral buildup, sometimes called scaling, occurs from the minerals in hard water. If you have hard water, the mineral buildup from water usage is an unavoidable fact of life. It will be particularly noticeable on your faucets and plumbing fixtures. Mineral buildup can negatively affect appliances. The nozzles in your dishwasher (or shower head) will become obstructed over time. Similarly, the buildup of minerals in your water heater may reduce its operational efficiency over many years.
No Soap Scum
If you’ve lived in an area with hard water your whole life, then you are intimately familiar with soap scum. It is unsightly and difficult to completely get rid of. With soft water, soap scum simply won’t form. Soap scum is caused by a reaction between the soap itself and the calcium carbonate in hard water. By removing this mineral from the water, you eliminate soap scum at its source.
Shinier Hair
With a soft water system, your hair will appear more vibrant and have more body. Hard water makes the hair appear duller over time. The reason for this is due to the minerals in hard water, which attach to the hair, making it dull in appearance. This coating of minerals also makes it more difficult for moisturizers to reach the hair, so hair washed in hard water tends to be harder as well.
Healthier Skin
Hard water also affects the moisture of our skin. One of the challenges with hard water is that it becomes difficult to fully rinse off any soap you’ve used. What you’re left with after a shower is a very thin layer of soap on your skin. This soap dries out the skin over time. The same is true for shampoo and conditioner, which can be difficult to rinse out completely. When these products coat the scalp, they can dry it out over time. With soft water, you won’t be left with a thin film of soap on your skin, which can be very beneficial for individuals with sensitive skin.
Clothes Last Longer
Over time, the minerals present in hard water will also coat the fibers of your clothing. This mineral buildup causes your clothes to become duller in appearance, and over time the fibers of your clothing can actually become more brittle. Hard water can also leave white or grey streaks on darker clothing, which is unsightly and frustrating. By installing a water softener, you can expect that your clothes will be more resilient and their colors will stay bright over a longer period of time. It’s clear that when comparing the difference between hard and soft water, there are clear, overpowering benefits to soft water.
Closing Thoughts
Water naturally becomes hard as it moves through soil that is rich in minerals. Removing those minerals with a water softener involves a process of attracting the positively charged mineral ions in hard water to a negatively charged resin, and replacing those mineral ions with sodium ions. Periodically, the resin in a water softener must be flushed with a brine, which is a process known as recharging.
Before investing in a water softening solution for your home, it’s important to understand the benefits associated with soft water. It is entirely possible to live without soft water and not have any detrimental health effects, so investing in a water softening solution comes down to whether the quality of life advantages that soft water offers are worth it.
Soft water will cause less mineral buildup around your plumbing fixtures, in your pipes, and in equipment such as a dishwasher or water heater. This can help extend the life of this equipment. Soft water also makes it easier to completely clean off the soap with showering or washing your hands, which improves the moisture of your skin and can lead to less irritation.
An added benefit of soft water is that it eliminates soap scum, which forms from a reaction between soap and the calcium carbonate in hard water. The mineral deposits in hard water also dull the color, in both your hair and your clothing. This mineral buildup can make hair more brittle and dry by reducing the effectiveness of moisturizers, while also causing clothing to be less resilient over time.
Water softening solutions, while not strictly necessary, offer a number of tangible advantages that may be worthwhile for you. If you are interested to learn more about installing a water softener or the different types of water softening solutions available for your home or business, contact Rayne Water today.
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