Water softener

Water is the main source of health, life and energy. It helps make life more pure and beautiful. That is why it is so important to use only quality water. Hard water leads to the formation of scale on the heating element of a domestic water heater, kettle, dishwasher and washing machine, so you can only guess what happens in the human body after drinking such water. In this article, we will look at how to independently determine the hardness of tap water and how water softens.

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What is hard water?

The presence of a high content of magnesium and calcium ions characterizes the hardness of water. In everyday life, the term “hard water” was very often used. Such a concept is applicable to water, in which it is very difficult to qualitatively wash things.

Important! Deposits of limestone, gypsum and dolomites destroyed by natural waters are the main source of magnesium and calcium salts:

• Water with a low degree of mineralization contains a large amount of calcium ions.
• In mineralized waters, the presence of magnesium ions is 1-2 grams per liter. Salt water is characterized by the presence of 10-11 grams per liter.

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Stiffness stiffness strife

There are two types of hard water:

• Permanent or non-carbonate hardness of water, which is determined by the presence in it of various additional chemical components. Silicates, phosphates, chlorides, nitrates and sulfates of calcium, magnesium do not break down during boiling, but are constantly present in water.
• Temporary or carbonate hardness of water - characterized by the presence of calcium and magnesium bicarbonates. The reaction of heating water is accompanied by the decomposition of chemical elements. As a result of this reaction, calcium carbonate and magnesium hydroxide precipitate and carbonic acid is formed, so it is necessary to soften the water.

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Is it worth it to deal with this phenomenon?

Hard water leads to many household problems:

• Pipes, water heaters and household appliances are covered by sedimentary deposits, which leads to serious damage to household appliances and their premature failure or reduced efficiency, increased energy consumption.
• Plumbing and faucets are subject to accumulation of sediment over time.
• In the process of heating on electric kettles a white coating forms.
• Used detergents and soap in hard water are very poorly washed, which reduces the efficiency of the washing process.
• Clothes washed in hard water lose their color scheme, and the period of wearing clothes also decreases.

Important! The water hardness is affected by the composition of the soil and geographical location, since the presence of an increased content of limestone rocks in the ground contributes to a more severe water condition in a given area.

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Optimum water hardness

The stiffness concentration is measured in moles per cubic meter (mol / m3), but other calculation systems are also widely used - milligrams of equivalent per liter (mEq / l) and degrees of stiffness.

Depending on the hardness, water can be:

• Soft - concentration from 0 to 2 ° W.This characteristic is inherent in marshy areas with peatlands, since during the passage of water through peat, the process of its purification and softening takes place. Melt water also belongs to this category. In this case, special water softening is not required.
• Average - indicators from 2.1 to 7 ° F. This concentration is inherent in ordinary tap water. This indicator is considered a generally accepted norm and should not be exceeded, otherwise - the sewer pipes will quickly become covered with coating and become unusable. For medium hardness it is still recommended to use a water softener.
• Hard - concentration from 7 to 10 ° W. In such water there is a huge amount of salts of magnesium and calcium. This dose is considered harmful and dangerous for people, so you should be very careful with hard water.
• Superhard - found only in natural conditions, and the indicator can exceed even 80 ° W. Such water is clearly contraindicated for internal use.

Important! The optimal stiffness is 1-2 ° F, but the concentration should not exceed 7 ° F - this is the extreme value of the indicator, which is not recommended to be exceeded. Thus, you need to use water of soft and medium hardness, so as not to harm the body.

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How to determine the hardness of water at home?

There are several ways to determine stiffness at home, to understand if water softening in your home is necessary at all.

Method 1

The easiest and most affordable way to check the hardness of tap water is to use soap or laundry detergent. Hard water prevents the soap from foaming, and soap used in soft water gives too much foam.

Important! This method gives a superficial picture of the state of water.

Method 2

The increased content of magnesium and calcium salts causes a bitter taste of water. Some people have very well developed taste buds, and they can very easily recognize hard water.

Method 3

The use of hard water during boiling leads to the formation of a persistent coating on the walls of the kettle. When carbonate water is heated, a chemical reaction of decomposition of the compound occurs with the formation of an insoluble precipitate. A further heating procedure leads to the buildup of these particles on the walls of pipes or vessels with the formation of scale.

Such deposits lead not only to damage household washing machines and dishwashers, but also to narrowing the diameter of the heating pipes, which reduces the efficiency of the heating system. According to your own feelings and observations, you can determine whether the work of these objects of engineering systems is just as effective or not.

Method 4

Ordinary tea can also serve as an assistant in determining the hardness of water. The composition of the water affects the saturation of the tea drink and the time of its preparation:

• When using soft water, tea is brewed in 4-6 minutes.
• The use of hard water lengthens the brewing process up to 10 minutes.

In addition, the taste of tea will be completely different. That is why it is worthwhile to soften the water, which will improve the taste of tea and save cooking time.

Method 5

If the house has an aquarium, then a conductometer is also available, which helps to know the electrical conductivity of water. The presence of a high degree of conductivity indicates a large amount of salts in the water, but using such a device it is impossible to immediately measure the level of water hardness.

Important! The principle of operation of this conductometer is very simple: having removed the safety cap, which closes the electrodes, we immerse it in a tank of water. Having determined the indications on the display of the device, the water hardness must be calculated using special formulas and tables.

Method 6

In specialized stores you can find special rapid tests to determine the stiffness and the need for softening water.

Important! Such indicators are sold in the departments of goods for laboratories, hospitals, schools, universities and pet stores.

Additional observations:

• When using a coffee maker, the filter clogs very quickly - this also indicates the use of hard water.
• The process of stewing vegetables in hard water lasts quite a long time, and if you cook the meat, it turns out to be very tough.

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How to soften hard water?

There are several ways to help soften water. Consider the most affordable and effective ones.

Option 1

The most common and generally accessible process is boiling water. This method requires frequent cleaning of the dishes, because over time, white calcareous deposits form on the walls of the container.

Option 2

Soda ash also copes well with water softening. The use of two teaspoons of baking soda for a bucket of water helps to make it softer, because a chemical reaction occurs in the process, which helps to convert hard salts into insoluble compounds.

Option 3

Return osmosis method. The process of liquid passing through a transparent diffuser helps to remove hard salts and imparts softening properties to water. One hundred percent effective water purification takes place.

Important! With this method, a variety of bacteria and viruses are filtered out, but also, along with destructive components, some generally useful compounds are eliminated.

Option 4

Salts for softening water. The presence of a dishwasher requires the use of this method. Tableted emollients are thrown into the dishwasher, which improves the condition of the water and extends the life of the dishwasher.

Option 5

Filter for softening tap water. A three-liter jug-shaped container with a replaceable filter cartridge inside is one of the commonly available methods of water softening. In addition, in the process of using the filter, water is purified from harmful impurities.

Important! For a good effect, it is necessary to regularly replace the filter cartridge, and the change frequency is determined individually - depending on the hardness of the water and the volume of fluid consumed.

Option 6

Magnetic filtration method. The magnetic method does not use chemistry. For this process, it is necessary to use only two small magnets located outside the water pipe.

When hard water passes through the created magnetic field, all harmful components, as well as alkaline earth metals of calcium and magnesium, are eliminated.

Important! This method is very effective for pipes in the boiler room. The use of a magnetic field contributes to the effect of loosening of the layers in the pipes, and then they are removed.

Option 7

Ion exchange water softening system. Using hard water in dishwashers and washing machines will damage expensive equipment. To soften the water, an ion exchange system is used, which consists of two containers:

• one tank is filled with a special ion-exchange resin;
• the second is filled with a salt solution.

When tap water passes through a container with a resin, a chemical reaction of the interaction of resin ions with magnesium and calcium salts occurs. As a result, water is purified from hard salts and other harmful impurities.

After that, the water enters another tank, where a chemical reaction occurs with a salt solution, due to which the missing magnesium and calcium ions are replaced by sodium ions and the water becomes soft.

Option 8

The filtering device Keosan. Heavy metals, chlorine and mechanical compounds are cleaned with a Keosan filter system.

For this system, several cleaning degrees are used, as well as an additional process of mineralization and structuring of water:

1. The primary water treatment involves a high-strength filter made of diatom ceramics.This filtration process helps to remove chemicals, heavy metals and unpleasant odors, and beneficial components are not removed, but stored in water.
2. The next stage is the process of mineralization and silver saturation, in which oxygen enrichment occurs. As a result, all microbes disappear.
3. Filtered water is passed through a special magnetic tap, since passing through a magnetic funnel, the water molecules take the form of a hexagon and the biological properties of the water are enhanced.

Important! This filter device with hard water helps to soften it, and if the condition of the water is too soft, it helps to normalize it.

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What is hard water harmful to health?

Many people do not even suspect that using too hard water can cause irreparable harm - both to household appliances and to humans. Therefore, it is worth taking care of a water softener for the home, in order to avoid unnecessary problems.

When using hard water, such damage is caused to household appliances:

• the inner surface of the dummies is covered with plaque, they become unusable;
• used filters are clogged, which requires constant cleaning or washing;
• the dishwasher and washing machine, as well as the plumbing, are very quickly damaged and malfunction.

Problems with home appliances are usually freely solved, but with health everything is much more complicated. The use of hard water affects the human body:

• The first blow takes on the skin. When washing, the skin undergoes a drying effect - clogging of the pores occurs, the natural fatty protective layer disappears. Skin diseases also appear that contribute to dryness, irritation, rashes, dermatitis and other problems.
• The use of hard water adversely affects the hair and scalp. After washing the hair, the hair does not seem clean, it looks dull, brittle, naughty. In addition, itching, dryness and dandruff appear.
• The constant use of hard water is detrimental to the whole organism as a whole, since insoluble salts of magnesium and calcium, accumulate in the body, clog vessels, and lead to the formation of kidney stones. As a result, urolithiasis, joint problems arise.

Important! Continued use of water with a high level of hardness leads to irreparable results.

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What is soft water good for?

Softening the water helps get rid of a number of troubles, and is also a mandatory procedure. The use of soft water has significant advantages over hard water:

• up to 40-60 percent can be saved on detergents, since soft water contributes to the instant soaping procedure;
• soft water favors the quality process of cooking food and drinks;
• extends the life of the dishwasher and washing machine, as well as plumbing fixtures, which helps to save the budget;
• items washed in soft water do not change the color scheme, do not deteriorate;
• there is no danger of urolithiasis and other serious diseases.

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Stock footage

Soft water not only helps to significantly save budget costs, but also creates a comfortable living environment, so hard water must be fought. And what kind of water softening to choose for you, now you can easily decide, because you own information about all the optimal methods from this article.