Water in Ohio generally ranges from hard to very hard. That’s a big concern for homeowners, as it can lead to significant maintenance costs and major hassles. Let’s explore what you should know about water hardness and what you can do about it.
Water Hardness
The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) defines water hardness as the amount of calcium carbonate in water. The USGS measures hardness in milligrams per liter (mg/L) and categorizes it into four levels:
- Soft: 0-60 mg/L
- Moderately hard: 61-120 mg/L
- Hard: 121-180 mg/L
- Very hard: 180 mg/L and up
Hard Water in Central Ohio
The average water hardness in Ohio is 155 mg/L. If you look at the USGS water hardness map for Ohio, you’ll notice a lot of diversity in the central area. Soft water is uncommon. Very hard water is common, and hard and moderately hard water aren’t far behind.
Well Water and Municipal Water
Homeowners can have hard water whether they have a well or get municipal water. Much of the municipal water for Central Ohio comes from the Ohio River and local reservoirs. Some of it comes from Lake Erie, but that water is hard as well. In addition, the municipal water utilities don’t treat the water to adjust hardness.
Water Testing
While the USGS map can be helpful to estimate your water hardness, it’s no guarantee. Even within a pocket of very hard water, you could have moderately hard water. The better approach is to schedule a water test. Professionals can test for hardness and water quality issues. Some companies local to Central Ohio even provide that testing at no cost and without obligation.
The Impact of Hard Water
While hard water is generally safe to drink, it can have a wide range of negative effects. They can affect your quality of life and your home maintenance budget.
Impact on Quality of Life
Hard water can make showers less enjoyable. That’s because the minerals coat your skin and clog your pores. You may feel less clean than you’d like. Soap often won’t provide a thick lather. The hardness can result in bad hair days and hair that’s more prone to breakage. It makes dish and laundry detergent less effective. Water hardness can give drinking water an unpleasant texture. It’s also harder to cook and mix drinks with. That’s because the calcium causes chemical reactions, which are often more pronounced when heat is involved.
Plumbing Maintenance
The Department of Energy estimates that hard water costs the average household $800 annually in additional maintenance. One reason for this is the impact it has on pipes, valves, and fittings. It accumulates in pipes over time and can lead to various types of corrosion and other deterioration.
Low Water Pressure
The layers of scale that form in a pipe are microscopically thin, but they add up over time. As they build up, the pipe diameter shrinks. Less water can move through the pipe, and that results in lower water pressure from faucets and showerheads.
Reduced Appliance Efficiency
Tank water heaters and hot water boilers require regular flushing and anode rod replacement. Tankless water heaters require regular descaling as scale can build up and undermine components. Scale also acts like an insulator, which decreases efficiency and causes operating costs to rise.
Decreased Appliance and Fixture Lifespans
The Water Quality Association (WQA) performed extensive research into how water hardness affects appliances and fixtures. What the WQA found was a significant loss of expected life in almost all cases. Boilers and water heaters lost about half their expected lifespans. Dishwashers and washing machines lost three to four years. There was also a dramatic loss among kitchen faucets, bathroom faucets, showerheads, and toilets.
Hard Water Solutions for the Home
Hard water in Ohio isn’t a problem you have to live with. There are cost-effective solutions for households both small and large.
Local Anti-Scale Devices
Even households with moderately hard water may want to protect their water heaters and hydronic heating systems. Anti-scale devices are local solutions. You can add an anti-scale device to your water heater, boiler, dishwasher, and other systems. These devices function through template-assisted crystallization (TAC). In other words, they change minerals into crystals that cannot form into scale as easily. This approach preserves energy efficiency, protects components, and extends the life of the system.
Whole-House Water Softeners
You may see TAC devices referred to as “salt-free water softeners.” There are TAC systems large enough in scale to provide water softening for an entire home. That said, salt-based water softeners are generally more effective. They are cheaper to purchase and maintain and can provide a higher volume of softened water.
Traditional home water softeners work by exchanging the calcium carbonate in the water with either sodium or potassium chloride. Sodium chloride is generally cheaper. Potassium chloride is a bit more environmentally friendly. It’s also a better option for households that must be very careful with their salt intake for health reasons.
Salt-based systems use salt-saturated resin beads to facilitate the ion exchange. When used up, the system needs to recharge. Single-tank systems will generally go offline during the night for one to two hours. Multi-tank systems don’t have to go offline. They can recharge the exhausted tank while providing softened water with another.
Whole-House and Point-of-Use Water Filtration Systems
Point-of-use (POU) water filters improve drinking water from a single tap or for a coffee machine. Point-of-entry (POE) water filters provide healthier, better-tasting drinking water throughout an entire home. Both POU and POE water purifiers can have conditioning stages along with their filtration stages. There are conditioners to lower water hardness. That may be suitable for households with moderately hard water but usually not hard or very hard water. Some systems also have conditioners that can adjust the pH of the water up or down.
Whole-House Reverse Osmosis Systems
A reverse osmosis (RO) system is a specialized type of water purifier that reverses the natural osmosis of water. In doing so, the water leaves behind up to 99.99% of other substances. That means RO is effective for both water purification and softening. That makes it an all-in-one solution for households that need both protections.
There are considerations specific to RO systems. One is that they remove all the beneficial minerals. To compensate, most systems for the home finish the process with a remineralization filter. Also, the RO process can waste much more water than it delivers. Homeowners should target an efficient system from both a cost and environmental perspective. RO systems with the WaterSense label use 2.3 gallons or less for every 1 gallon delivered.
Hard Water Solutions in Central Ohio
At WaterBird Home Water Solutions, we believe “water is life; treat it right.” We’re a family-owned and -operated business with over 40 years of experience in Bellville, OH and the surrounding areas. Our team performs free water quality testing for area households. We also install and service whole-home water softeners, water purifiers, and RO systems. You can also count on us for local always-fresh drinking systems and anti-scale devices. Contact us today to learn more about our products and services and to set up your free water quality test.
