What You Should Know About Hard Water
Hard water is produced when excess minerals are present in the water. Water is usually classified on how hard it is based on the concentration of calcium carbonate (CaCO3) in the water. The “hardness” of water is classified as follows: 0-60 ppm, soft; 61-120 ppm, moderately hard; 121-180 ppm, hard; 181-240 ppm, very hard; >240 ppm, extremely hard.
While hard water is not harmful to your health, it can negatively affect your home and appliances. Hard water can shorten the life of water heaters, damage clothing, leave spots on dishes and glasses. Hard water can scale in pipes reducing the carrying capacity of pipelines which increases heating costs by blocking water flow with mineral deposits known as “scale.”
Water heaters, clothing, dishes, and glasses are just a few of the items that can be affected by hard water. Hard water can shorten the life of water heaters, damage clothing, leave spots on dishes.
How to Get Rid of It
The best way to get rid of hard water is to remove minerals from the water. There are two main methods of removals, ion exchange and reverse osmosis. Both systems use a resin that binds to excess ions in the water. The pollutants are then rinsed away, leaving you with clean water.
What Is Reverse Osmosis?
Reverse osmosis removes ions, molecules, and larger particles from drinking water. In reverse osmosis, pressure is applied to a solution on one side of a semi-permeable membrane, forcing pure water across the membrane to the clean side.
Reverse osmosis (RO) has become the most desired method for treating water due to its high level of contaminant removal.
Reverse Osmosis Water Filter Systems use a membrane that only allows pure water to pass through it, rejecting harmful impurities.
Ion exchange is when impurities are removed from the water using resins that have been artificially created to bind to specific contaminants. After the resin has absorbed these impurities, it can be rinsed clean and reused. Ion-exchange technology is one of the most widely used methods for treating water and industrial waste streams.
What Is Ion Exchange?
Ion exchange technology uses resins that have been artificially created to bind to specific contaminants. After the resin has absorbed these impurities, it can be rinsed clean and reused. The water is treated through ion-exchange water softening, which will remove the hard water scale.
Water Softening
Water softening is a process that is used to remove calcium and magnesium from water. When these minerals are removed, the water is said to be “soft.” Water softening can be done through ion exchange or reverse osmosis.
Types of Water Softeners
There are three types of water softeners: salt-based water softeners, electric water softeners, and saltless water softeners.
Salt-based water softeners use sodium chloride (salt) to remove calcium and magnesium from water. The water softener will typically use a brine tank to store saltwater before introducing it into a water softener. Once the water has been treated, it can be used for domestic or industrial needs.
Electric water softeners use an electric current to remove calcium and magnesium from water. The water softener will have a resin tank that will need to be periodically cleaned.
Saltless water softeners use a resin tank to remove the calcium and magnesium from the water. No salt or electricity is needed for this type of water softener.
RO-Systems for Households and Business
If you are looking for a water purification system that will remove all the impurities from your water, reverse osmosis is the best option. RO-Systems are designed for household and business use and can be installed in any location.
RO-Systems use a semi-permeable membrane to remove ions, molecules, and larger particles from the water. The system uses a series of filters that contain specially designed membranes to capture even the smallest impurities in the water. All this healthy, great-tasting water is then stored in a sanitized holding tank for use with household or industrial appliances.
Water treatment through reverse osmosis will help eliminate the impurities in your water, giving you peace of mind knowing that your drinking water is safe.
The Benefits of Water Softening
The benefits of a water softener include softer laundry, less build-up on dishes and inside pipes, and longer life for water-using appliances.
A water softener will help to remove calcium and magnesium from the water. When these minerals are removed, the water is said to be “soft.”
Hard water is common in many parts of the country. Hard water is water that has high levels of calcium and magnesium. These minerals can cause various problems in both residential and commercial settings.
