What is Soft Water?

Soft water is basically free of dissolved calcium or magnesium. Only a small percentage of homes are supplied with naturally soft water. However, since naturally soft water usually has not been neutralized by passing through mineral layers in the ground, it can be quite corrosive.

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Softening water mechanically, such as with a home water softener, does not make it corrosive, however. Since calcium and magnesium are not present in soft water, no adverse reaction with soaps and detergents is allowed to occur.

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The result is the virtual elimination of soap scum and the corresponding reduction in time spent cleaning. Hair and skin is allowed to "breathe" more readily.

And the School of Consumer & Family Sciences at Purdue University conducted a study which proved that the life of clothing and household textiles was prolonged up to 15 percent when they were washed in conditioned water.

Soap usage can be significantly reduced with soft water. Since the water is already soft, the cleaning agents do not have any hardness minerals to react with and overcome and lather more readily and work more effectively.

In fact, a large proportion of the ingredients in most soaps and detergents consist of chemical "water softeners" added to stop the reaction between the detergent and the hardness minerals present in most water (the reaction that forms a sticky residue or soap curd).

Since such chemicals are not necessary for cleaning with soft water, less soap is required. Soft water households usually experience considerable savings on laundry detergent, dishwashing detergent, bath soap, hand soap, shampoo and many other cleaning products.

Since soft water contains no scale forming minerals, it leaves the inside of plumbing and water-using appliances free of solidified rock.

Appliances operate more efficiently and last longer when using soft water, and of course soft water does not cause any of those unpleasant hard water stains.

What is Soft Water?

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Have Hard Water? - Install a Water Softener

Water, long acknowledged as the purest of elements, has become a little scary in the last few decades. Most people don't feel comfortable drinking straight from the tap any longer. One of the most popular solutions for many homes is a water softener. But how do you know how to choose the right water softener?

water softener systems

Step 1 - Test your Water
Your first step should be to figure out just how hard your water is. Water softeners work by removing elements like calcium and magnesium, so you need to know just how much of these elements you're dealing with and how powerful a system you'll need.

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If you've noticed that you have a hard time lathering soap or shampoo, you most likely have hard water. You can purchase a water testing kit and run the test yourself or hire a professional to come by and assess your water.

Step 2 - How much water do you use?
Once you have an idea of the hardness of your water, calculate your household usage in gallons. The average American can use as much as 50 to 80 gallons of water in a single day! Even when considering that some gallons are 'shared' (cooking, laundry), a household of 4 can still use 300 gallons in one day.

Step 3 - How much time do you have?
Lastly, you should consider how much time you have in your schedule to devote to the cleaning, running and maintenance of your water softening system. There is a wide range in usability and automation when it comes to water softeners. If you're a very busy person without much time on your hands, you won't want a unit that needs to be monitored constantly or thoroughly cleaned regularly. You should choose one that fits in well with your schedule and lifestyle.

Step 4 - Choose a water softener!
With all of this information on hand, you'll be ready to start looking at units. If your water has high levels of calcium or magnesium, you'll need to consider larger, more powerful units.

The 'strength' of a water softener is measured in how many 'grains' the unit can remove from a gallon. Calculating how many grains your household needs cleaned is easy: multiply the number of people in your home by the number of gallons they use and then multiply this by the hardness (or amount of grains) calculated by your water test... Using average consumption and the average grain of water in the United States, the calculation for a 3-person household would look like this:

3 people x 100 gallons each x 10 grains = 3000 grains a day

A household with these results would get by well with a smaller, 24,000 to 32,000 grain water softener. Units can run as high as 100,000+ grains for larger households or harder water. It's as easy as that! By following these few simple steps, you'll be on your way to the kind of water you and your family deserve.

Have Hard Water? - Install a Water Softener

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Does A Salt Free Water Softener Really Soften Water?

Does a salt free water softener really soften the water in your home? Well, not really. Technically it's not softening it but actually conditioning it. Softeners, that use salt, remove minerals in your water that make it hard, like calcium and magnesium, and replaces it with something like sodium. This reduces the hardness making it softer.

water softener resin

A salt free water softener is actually a water conditioner or a descaler. It works with a calcium carbonate crystal structure that pulls out excess dissolved hardness by attracting it to the crystal structure making it bigger. As the crystal structure grows, the flow of water and friction and movement of additional hardness minerals against the crystal structure, will cause small pieces to break off and flow with the water through the pipes.

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The small pieces, that have broken from the crystal structure into the water as suspended particles, continue to attract hardness minerals and prevents them from sticking to the insides of the pipes, water faucets, showers, water heaters, and dishwashers. As they flow with the water they continue to grab the hardness minerals from the water creating micro crystals.

The salt free water softener does not use any electricity and the whole system is made up of water flowing past the calcium carbonate crystal structure for it to function correctly. Unlike a system that uses salt, this method is friendly to the environment without discharging salt into it. Without using salt, a home can be scale free and still have water that is pH balanced and still contain essential minerals like calcium and magnesium needed for a healthy body.

There are also many other benefits with a salt free water softener system. These benefits include soaps and detergents will work better, it does not need electricity to function, and no slippery feeling water. It also is easy to install and will not cause pressure loss to your plumbing system in any way. It also works great for pets, gardens, and pools.

Does A Salt Free Water Softener Really Soften Water?

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