Debunking Hard Water Myths
There is always a great debate about whether to choose hard water or soft water. There are a lot of misconceptions about hard water too! Let’s discuss hard water myths in detail.
Oceanus, a Plumbing Concepts Company, believes in providing the best water treatment systems. However, we also believe in the right awareness regarding the same amongst everyone. So we are here to bust some popular myths regarding hard water and tell you why it is not all that bad.
High mineral content water is referred to as hard water. Hard water is produced when water seeps through chalk, gypsum deposits, or limestone, which are mostly made up of magnesium carbonates, calcium, sulfates, and bicarbonates. Drinking hard water may offer some health advantages.
In the United States, 85% of water is, in fact, hard water. However, many households and industries take the help of water softeners to convert hard water into soft water.
Hard water myths
Hard water clogs up pipelines.
This urban legend first appeared when homes were constructed using galvanized steel plumbing. Magnesium and calcium may be present in hard water; since these minerals stick within steel pipes, they can clog them.
Copper pipe, which is present in modern homes, works well with hard water. Hard water is not dangerous if your house was constructed after 1975 or if the pipes in an older house have been replaced. Soft water might be better for your plumbing if your house was built between the middle of the 1940s and the middle of the 1970s and has not been re-piped. It’s crucial to avoid oversoftening your water, too, as this can make it more corrosive and reduce the lifespan of your home’s plumbing.
Hard water minerals are contaminants.
Minerals are present in hard water, but they are not contaminants; they are nutrients. It is healthy for people to drink water that is high in necessary minerals like calcium and magnesium. Drinking water that is mineral-rich helps people maintain their health and can reduce their risk of heart disease and stroke. It’s not harmful to your health to drink hard water that is rich in necessary minerals! According to the World Health Organization, hard water that is high in calcium and magnesium can potentially help prevent heart disease and stroke.
Hard water tastes bad.
Hard water gets a poor rap because people assume it’s contaminated when it’s actually rich in minerals, as mentioned above. Soft water, on the other hand, may not be as pleasant. Water tastes better when it has minerals; you can even buy upscale mineral water. Soft water not only lacks minerals but can also taste slightly salty after the softening process. It is because potassium or sodium ions are utilized to remove magnesium and calcium.
Soft water gets your body cleaner than hard water.
Given that it doesn’t leave behind the same mineral residue as hard water does, soft water is a better cleaner for laundry and household cleaning. However, soft water might not always be the best cleaner for your body.
Hard water’s minerals provide soap with a surface to adhere to, allowing for simple rinsing. The compromise? Scale is a mineral build-up in your shower. Because it doesn’t bind with soap the way hard water does, really soft water, which can be found in areas like Seattle and NYC, can leave your skin and hair feeling like there is a product left behind after a rinse. Some people claim their skin feels slippery after taking a shower with soft water.
Rainwater is hard water.
In fact, rainwater is soft as it falls. As it moves through and across the land, taking up minerals along the route to join waterways and finally into the ground to replenish aquifers, this natural water flow hardens. Because it comes in constant contact with subterranean rock formations like limestone for a longer period of time than surface water, groundwater is often significantly harder than surface water.
Water softeners are equal to filtered water.
In actuality, water softeners don’t filter any water at all. Ion exchange is a technique that softeners use to convert sodium ions from water minerals. Water softener systems transform “tainted” tap water into water that is suitable for drinking, cooking, showering, doing laundry, washing dishes, and other uses.
The water that goes through a water softener is NOT filtered. Also, depending on a variety of different factors, it may frequently taste salty. You can fit a point-of-use filter in faucets to take the saltiness out of the water after it has been softened.
Water softeners are completely unnecessary.
Hard water has a lot of benefits. But the percentage of minerals is not the same in all sources of hard water. We require water softeners to balance out the minerals and have the optimum amount of minerals in our water. The minerals in the ground are the source of hard water. As a result, the hardness or softness of water differs from city to city.
The majority of water utilities provide hard water. You may check the hardness of your tap water by purchasing hard water test strips. Increased energy expenses, deposits of minerals on glassware and dishes, itchy and dry scalp and skin, stiff or dingy laundry requiring more detergent and fabric softener. Scale build-up in tubs, faucets, appliances, and sinks are all signs of hard water.
Conclusion
These are all hard water myths that need consideration. As discussed above, despite the benefits of hard water, water softeners are necessary, especially for the American population. Oceanus provides the best of water softeners that will help you soften the hard water.
