COMMON
WATER PROBLEMS
Understanding
Water Hardness
Water
softeners can benefit most of the United States. There is no doubt
that water hardness is one of the most common of all water problems.
Its presence costs industry and consumers millions of dollars
annually in equipment and plumbing maintenance and replacement.
A U.S. geological survey study shows that hard water is found
in 85% of the United States.
U.S.
Water Hardness Map
What
IS Hard Water?
Water
in the home may be "hard" or "soft," depending
on its mineral content. Water that contains more than one grain
of calcium and magnesium per gallon is said to be 'hard."
A
grain is defined as a unit of weight equal to 1/7000th of a pound.
Another way to think of it is that a common aspirin tablet is
approximately 5 grains. A household with a water hardness of 10
grains per gallon would have the equivalent of the weight of 2
aspirin tablets dissolved per gallon of water.
1
Grain = 1/7000 of 1 lb.
An average household of 4, with water hardness of
7 grains per gallon, would have the equivalent of 146 lbs. of
rock in their water supply in a given year.
Water
is soft when it falls from the sky as rain. As it travels through
rock and soil, it picks up particles of calcium, magnesium, iron,
lead and other minerals. Untess you have a private well, your
tap water is processed by a municipal water treatment plant to
remove some of its mineral content and other impurities. Depending
on the type and amount of processing, water softness will vary
from place to place. Still, in most of the United States, water
is relatively hard when it leaves the treatment plant.
Hard
Water Problems
Calcium
and rnagnesium are the two primary hard water culprits. Because
of them, water becomes hard, reducing the ability of soaps to
suds and clean, leaving a dingy gray residue on clothes, and spots
on dishes.
- Hard
water is more abrasive than soft water. The tiny mineral particles
combine with soap curd or detergents to become like little pieces
of rock pounding away at clothing fibers and fragile glassware.
Over a period of time, the structural integrity of the product
is weakened. This means glasses can become etched and the life
of clothing can be reduced.
- Skin
and hair are affected by hard water. A greater amount of shampoo
and soap is needed to clean, and hard water doesn't rinse as
well as soft water. That means soap residues remain, leaving
skin susceptible to blemishes and hair less shiny.
- Hard
water is tough on plumbing. It can cause scale to build on water
heaters and pipes, limiting the water flow, reducing the life
of the product and increasing operating costs and maintenance
on water-using appliances.
What
Hard Water Figures Mean To Consumers
0
to 2 Grains
Hardness |
No
softening agents needed. Pure soap effective in cleaning
up. |
2
and 5 Grains
Hardness |
Detergents
with softening agents not completely effective in cleaning |
5
to 9 Grains
Hardness |
Detergent
with softening agents not completely effective. Some scaling
will occur in pipes and appliances. |
9
Grains
and Higher Hardness |
Detergents
with softening agents not effective. Dishwasher impossible
to use without producing film on dishes. Scaling in pipes
and appliances. |
Water
Softening
Water
hardness is corrected by the use of a water softener (often referred
to as a conditioner). The hard water is passed through a tank
containing resin beads coated with sodium ions or, in some cases,
potassium chloride ions. The calcium and magnesium ions are exchanged
for the sodium ions, thus softening the water. When the beads
have trapped all the hardness they can hold, the unit is regenerated
with salt brine to replace the hardness ions with sodium ions.
The unit is then ready to soften water again.
Studies
have found that soft water saves time and money in the home.
-
Soft
water activates detergent or soap to make a smaller amount
(up to 55% less) work more effectively.
-
An
Ohio State University study found that softened water cut
the time required for housecleaning from almost 4 hours to
less than 2½ hours.
-
Home
water heating costs can be reduced by as much as 20% with
softened water, costly plumbing repairs can be reduced too.
-
Sheets
washed in soft water last a lot longer than those washed in
hard water. Sheets washed in soft water can take 32% more
washings.
To
Rate The Hardness Quality Of The Water In Your Home, ConsIder These
Questions:
- Is
your hair/scalp:
a) limp, lifeless, itchy
b) flyaway (hair), somewhat dry or
c) shiny and clean
- Are
your white clothes/linens:
a) gray
b) off-white
c) bright-white
- Do
the bathtubs and sinks have:
a) heavy rings
b) light rings
c) no rings?
- Are
the drains:
a) clogged
b) partly clogged
c) clear
|
WATER FACTS
WATER TESTING