If you are living in an area or part of the city where there are a lot of problems involving water filtration, then you might know the basics of hard and soft water before water softener installation. Here is everything you need to know about the two.

Hard Water

What Is The Composition?

Hard water is water that contains a heavy concentration of salts. Salts of magnesium and calcium are prevalent in hard water. Soft water also contains calcium and magnesium but it is in sparse quantities. In hard water, these components are in high concentration and they really make the water useless. These salts can’t be seen through the water, but they can be deposited on metals like taps, faucets, and even on metallic dishes.

Hard Water For Everyday Use

Here are some things you should know about hard water.

Hard water cannot be used for cleaning the dishes because it deposits white scales on the dishes, especially dishes made out of China or ceramic, making them even dirtier. It may also hamper the efficiency of your dishwasher and other water-related appliances. Cleaning anything is difficult with hard water whether it’s dishes or appliances like heating and cooling systems.
Hard water doesn’t produce lather at all, so it is useless to use it in washing clothes and even for the shower. You will only be wasting soap and water.
Hard water can stain your clothes very easily and it will be a nightmare to get the stains off. So, it’s better not to use it for washing clothes, as it will not clean the clothes at all.

Is It Safe For Drinking?

Although calcium and magnesium themselves are not bad for you, in hard water, since the quantity of these minerals is too much for the normal body to consume, it is not advised to drink this water until it is purified. These minerals, when taken in huge quantities, can lead to an imbalance of pH in your body and this can lead to electrolyte imbalance and you will feel lethargic. It also makes your skin dry and if you use hard water to wash your hair, then you will see your scalp becoming extremely dry and scaly.

Soft Water

What Is It Comprised Of?

Soft water is any type of water that has minerals and metals in it, but in quantities that are safe for human consumption. Like hard water, soft water also has calcium and magnesium in it, but the quantity of these metals is safe for human consumption and they are also sparse enough to not alter the chemical reactions of water with things like washing powder, detergent, and soap. You can safely use this water for drinking and other uses around the house. It will save you from all of the trouble caused by the water hardness.

Things To Know About Soft Water

Here are some important things to know about soft water.

Soft water produces thick lather when it comes in contact with soap or any other lather-producing agent. The lather is reasonable and thick and it helps to effectively clean anything.
Soft water doesn’t leave behind any sort of residue on things that come in contact with it. So, you don’t have to worry about deposits of scales and white substances if you use hard water, because this doesn’t happen with soft water.
Soft water, if coming directly from the taps, is safe for drinking and you don’t need to purify it further.
Hard water can be softened by passing it through certain processes which reduces the amount of the salts. Some are chemical processes like ion exchange and some are physical methods like boiling and filtration. The end result is soft water, safe for use.

Safe Or Not?

It’s safe to say that soft water is extremely potable. You don’t need to purify it further if there is no visible dirt or suspended particles in it already. But if you still want to, you can boil it and use it for cooking and drinking.

Conclusion

There you have it! This will give you a good and thorough comparison of hard and soft water. Although visibly, there might be no difference, hard and soft water are worlds apart. The easiest way to convert hard water into soft water is by using a water softener system Erie.