Water is essential to everyday life, but not all water is created equal. Depending on where you live, your home may have either hard or soft water. The type of water flowing from your taps can significantly affect your health, your home’s plumbing, and the longevity of your appliances. Along with water quality testing, understanding the key differences between hard and soft water empowers you to make informed decisions about water treatment options.
Identifying Your Home’s Water Type
Your home already has either hard or soft water. Professional testing can identify which kind and what level you have. However, some telltale signs will give you a clue about what’s coming out of your fixtures.
Hard Water
Hard water has dissolved minerals in it at higher levels than soft water. Magnesium and calcium are the primary minerals in question. Minerals in hard water naturally occur in groundwater when they pass through deposits of gypsum, chalk, or limestone. Water’s specific hardness will vary based on its source and the region you live in.
If your home has hard water, there are certain indications you might notice on your own before professional testing. Your showerheads and faucets might get limescale, which is a chalky white buildup. Your dishes and glassware might also have water spots on them, even after you run your dishwasher. Clothes that you put through the laundry could feel stiff or not look as clean as you want. When you shower or bathe, your shampoo or soap might not lather well, and you might have an issue with dry, itchy hair and skin.
Soft Water
Soft water has few dissolved minerals. Regions with fewer mineral deposits around water sources are more likely to have homes with soft water. It’s also possible for a household to artificially make their water softer with systems or technology that remove extra magnesium and calcium using an ion exchange process.
If you have soft water, you are unlikely to experience dry hair or skin after showering, and shampoo and soap will lather easily. Your home’s appliances and plumbing won’t have as much scale buildup, if any. Glassware and dishes shouldn’t have spots or residue left, and your laundry should look brighter after it’s done. Clothes should also feel softer when you wear them.
How Water Hardness Impacts Homes and Health
Hard and soft water both have their own pros and cons, and they have different effects on homes and the health of household members living in them. Knowing the details can help you decide what’s right for your home.
Home Impact
Water hardness can impact several facets of home life, including plumbing, cleaning, and personal care. Your home’s plumbing, fixtures, and appliances are often the first parts of your residence impacted by water hardness, but it happens in different ways. Hard water can result in mineral deposits building up in your pipes, water heater, and any connected appliances. Over time, this buildup can clog your pipes and damage appliances.
Laundry and cleaning can be more challenging with hard water because the high mineral content interferes with soap, causing it to form a filmy residue instead of lathering. This can leave clothes feeling stiff, make detergents less effective, and result in soap scum buildup on surfaces. Alternatively, soft water lets soap lather effectively for cleaner surfaces, dishes, and clothes.
Personal care is also impacted by water hardness. Mineral residue from hard water dries out skin and makes hair appear dull. If you want to retain natural moisture for smoother skin and more manageable hair, soft water is more likely to help.
Health Impact
While there are many differences between hard and soft water, you should know one thing they have in common: they’re both safe to drink. However, they can have different health influences based on their mineral content. Hard water rich in minerals can help you meet your dietary needs for calcium and magnesium. They benefit heart and bone health. On the other hand, hard water might worsen certain skin conditions; anyone with eczema might suffer skin irritation in a hard water home.
Soft water has fewer minerals. This is generally not problematic, but some individuals prefer to drink mineral-rich water for health reasons or the taste. If your home has a water softener using an ion-exchange process, small volumes of sodium are added to the home’s water. Anyone on a low-sodium diet might have to watch out for this.
Should You Soften Your Home’s Water?
Adding a water softener to deal with hard water may seem like a simple decision, but several important factors should guide your choice. One factor is the degree of hardness in your local water, but you also need to weigh your personal preferences and household needs. If your home has really hard water, you might benefit from choosing a water softener. A water softener can be a smart investment if you want to extend the longevity of your home’s plumbing, appliances, and fixtures.
On the other hand, your home might not need a water softener if the water is only moderately hard without causing substantial issues. If you’re worried about additional sodium intake or you like your drinking water to have natural mineral content, then a water softener might not align with your preferences.
A professional can test your home for hard or soft water in several ways. A soap test is a simple method involving mixing up pure soap with water; hard water won’t produce much lather, but soft water will easily foam. Hardness test strips can provide a quick assessment by changing colors based on mineral concentrations. Precision results might involve water hardness test kits, digital meters, and laboratory analysis.
More Impact Than You Might Know
Choosing between hard water or soft water can impact your daily life in more ways than you might have realized. Hard water is a drinking preference for many and is a rich source of minerals, but it can also cause buildup in appliances and pipes. Alternatively, soft water is better for cleaning and easier on your plumbing, but it might not be great for anyone wanting mineral-rich water. Whether you want to embrace hard water’s natural qualities or invest in a water softener, it’s best to be aware of how water hardness influences your health and home. With this information, you can pick the right water for your household’s needs.
Contact the Professionals
At WaterBird Home Water Solutions, we are a family-owned business that has proudly served the residents of Bellville, OH, and the surrounding areas for over 40 years. Our team is committed to identifying water quality issues and providing expert solutions to keep your family safe and healthy. We install high-quality water softeners and salt monitoring systems to address hard water problems. You can also count on us if you need a water purification system to improve your home’s water quality. Contact us today to schedule an appointment with one of our experienced professionals.
