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What’s the Difference Between Hard Water and Soft Water?
A common misconception is that water hardness relates to how water feels when touched. In reality, it refers to the chemical compounds that are found within the water.
It’s important to understand that there are some differences between hard and soft water. Almost all water would be classified as hard water because it contains many minerals.
The majority of these minerals consist of magnesium and calcium, and these are two minerals that are important for optimal health. The minerals found inside of hard water do not cause contamination. They’re actually viewed as healthy water components.
How Soft Water Is Converted To Hard Water
A great example is rainwater. Since it has some carbon compounds, rainwater can be slightly acidic. The rainwater gathers the carbon compounds from air pollution.
If rainwater falls onto large deposits of limestone rocks, calcium deposits dissolve into the water. After the water absorbs the magnesium and calcium ions, it becomes hard water. It’s important to understand that there are different levels of hardness.
Some water might contain significantly more minerals than another type. It’s impossible to spot hard water just be looking at it with the naked eye.
What’s The Difference between Hard Water and Soft Water?
If you’re trying to find out if your home has hard or soft water, there are some simple signs that you can watch for. When compared with soft water, hard water won’t lather with soap easily. Unlike soft water, hard water can leave significant mineral buildup on sinks and bathtubs, which is also called scum.
When hard water is boiled, it can leave lime scale residue. Over a long period of time, this residue can block pipes, so hard water isn’t good news for homeowners.
It’s not uncommon for hard water to have ferrous irons inside of it, which can leave brownish, red colored stains on bathroom surfaces and clothing.
A lot of people say that they prefer the taste of hard water over soft water, and there are many studies that show hard water is good for your teeth and bones and can reduce the risk of heart disease.
Softening Hard Water
After finding out they have hard water flowing through their pipes, many homeowners wish to soften hard water, which can be permanent or temporal.
Calcium bicarbonate is the main cause of temporal hard water, and this type can be softened through the process of boiling. By boiling the water, the carbonate is converted into insoluble carbonate.
Permanent hardness is almost always caused by several other salts. The good news is that both types of hard water can be softened. These are some of the differences between hard and soft water and what to do about hard water.
Knowing about the water in your San Mateo, CA home is important. Call James Caccia Plumbing at (650) 442-1470 to learn more about treatment options!