Hard Water Vs. Soft Water: What’s The Difference?

Have you heard of water referred to as hard o r soft? What does that mean and how does it affect your home? Different compositions of water affect your appliances, your body, and how your home functions as a whole. In this blog, we will break down what makes water hard or soft, how hard water can harm your home, and how you can handle your hard water issues.

Working with a professional plumber will ensure that you soften your water correctly and that your plumbing system is properly maintained and safe. S&B Plumbing helps with hard water and water softener installations for homeowners.

The Makeup Of Water

We all know that water is made of molecules (Hydrogen and Oxygen) but the water you drink and use to wash your clothes has minerals in them. Calcium and Magnesium are the most common minerals found in water, and the content of each is counted to determine how soft or hard your water is.

Water picks up these minerals as it passes through geological formations like limestone and clay. The minerals can then build up and cause the water to be harder or softer depending on the mineral count. It is usually measured in parts per million. Soft water typically ranges from 0 to 3.5 PPM, while hard water ranges from 4 to 180 PPM.

Water chemistry runs along a spectrum and can change depending on where it is coming from, city to city, or if you have a water softener system in place. The hardness of your water can change depending on the year or how long you have been using a water softener.

The Effects Of Hard Water Around Your Home

Water with high mineral content can have risks for your home, your health, and your personal items.

Water Softener System Willard Utah Water Softener For Your Home

Hard water can affect the following areas:

Clogged pipes
Deposits on your faucets
Damage to your appliances
Dull your hair
Itchy skin and scalp
Reduced effectiveness of cleaners
Increased energy consumption
Wear to your fabrics

Depending on the amount of minerals in your water, the damage or effects to these areas will vary. If you have extremely hard water, you may notice your appliances working harder or your fabrics starting to wear down faster. If you begin to notice any damages or effects that could be caused by hard water happening around your home, look into installing a water softener.

Do Hard Water And Soft Water Taste Different?

Hard water can have a more distinct taste because of the dissolved minerals. It can have a more chalky or mineral flavor than softer water. Minerals can also change the flavor and texture of certain beverages like coffee or tea.

Soft water typically has a smoother taste and almost no taste of minerals. Some people can not tell the difference between soft and hard water tastes. Some people like the taste of hard water over soft water. Consider what type of water is best for your drinking and cooking needs.

How Do You Treat Hard Water?

If the risks of hard water are not for you and the taste is unnerving to you, you can take steps to soften the minerals in your water. They may be able to even remove the minerals from the water altogether.

Ion exchange is a technology that uses physical and chemical processes to filter the water in your home through resin or zeolite. Positively charged sodium ions are used to pull the minerals of carbon and magnesium from your water.

S&B Plumbing offers Hydrotech systems to help improve your hard water. Water softener systems need to be installed by a professional in order for you to get your money’s worth. After improving your water quality, you will start to notice lower energy bills, cleaner clothes, and healthier skin and hair.

Water softeners also need to have regularly maintenance in order to work properly. Over time clogs and scum build-up can cause your water softener to struggle, so ensure that you have annual plumbing maintenance.

Plumbing Services From S&B Plumbing

S&B Plumbing offers straightforward pricing, timely service, and years of experience when we come to your home. We are a family-owned and locally operated business that has been serving Box Elder, Davis, Weber, Salt Lake, and Morgan counties for over 25 years.

Obtaining services from our team will give you peace of mind about your home or business. Don’t let plumbing issues affect your daily function, call S&B today!

Experiencing hard water in your home can be damaging to your health and appliances. Many homes install water softener systems to help combat this problem. Before you install a water softener in your home, it is best to do research and find the best water softener for your home.

Just like with any home appliance or system, what works for one homeowner, will not work for everyone. Here are some factors to guide you through your purchasing process. When choosing a water softener system, make sure you have a plumber install it to ensure it works properly for many years to come.

How Does A Water Softener Work?

Water softeners work to remove minerals from the water which make your water hard. These minerals like calcium and magnesium can build up in your pipes, cause deposits on your faucets, and damage your hair and skin. People install water softeners to help decrease the amount of minerals in their water or remove them completely.

Water will pass through a resin and essentially be filtered. The calcium and magnesium minerals are attracted to resin, so they are then sucked out of your water, making it softer and easier on your health and appliances. Sodium ions are also released into the water, which helps to increase the softness.

Know The Hardness Of Your Water

Knowing and understanding the hardness of your water will help you choose the right water softener for your home. Many hardware stores or self improvement stores offer water testing kits to tell you how many pounds per million of certain minerals are in your water. Purchasing a softener comes down to choosing the one that can handle your unique water demands.

Consider Your Budget Before Making A Purchase

More advanced systems can help filter the hard water in your entire home, but they can be costly. It can be beneficial to look at your budget and your wants and see which areas you absolutely don’t want to sacrifice on. This will help you narrow down which options are best for you and your family.

Looking at specific brands can also impact a price. It is best to set a budget first and only look at water softener systems in that range.

Different Types Of Water Softeners

Not only will you need to determine what you can spend, but you will also need to asses your homes needs and narrow down the types of water softeners that are available. Here are some of the types of water softeners for your home and more about what they do.

Salt based

These are also referred to as ion exchange systems. This is the system that uses resin to filter the minerals out of your water and puts sodium back into the newly softened water. Some systems put out a higher salt content than others. These are the most popular option for water softeners because they come in multiple sizes and portable options.

Salt free

Uses a template assisted crystallization system to neutralize the minerals rather than remove them. These systems are relatively maintenance free which makes them a popular choice for busy homeowners. If the hard water in your home has a large PPM, salt free systems are not the best choice for you.

Dual tank

Have a large family that uses a lot of water? Dual tank water softeners are the best choice for you! This system uses salt but has double the power to help give you softer water on demand. A higher volume of water can be run through one resin filter, while the other tank goes through a salt regeneration cycle. The only drawback is that dual tanks take up more space in your home.

Magnetic

Magnetic systems work to descale you water, which means the water leaves less deposits inside your plumbing system. This will prevent clogs in your pipes but it does not completely remove the minerals from your water. So the water will only be soft for a few days at a time. Some magnetic softeners can be plugged into an outlet, while others will need to be hardwired into your electrical system. The system itself is around $300-400 but you will need to factor in installation and connecting it to your electrical as well.

Reverse Osmosis

Reverse osm osis systems are typically placed under your sink and are used for your dishwashing and drinking options. These are not typically used to filter your whole home because of their small capacity. They typically have 3 cartridges that fit under your sink giving you softened water in a specific place.

Shower head softeners

Similar to reverse osmosis systems, a shower head softener helps soften the water in just your shower. This will help prevent unhealthy hair and itchy skin that can often come from hard water.

Measure Your Available Space

Depending on the demands of your home, you may need a fairly large water softener. Take into account where the system will need to be installed and how much room you have to work with. Take accurate measurements and consult with a plumber if you have any concerns.

S&B Plumbing can help you determine what water softener is right for your home and install it correctly. We install reverse osmosis systems and a variety of other full home water softeners.

Residential wells on your property can be more complex than you might realize. Digging a well and utilizing the water may take longer than just one day when you work to install it yourself. If you are wanting a residential well, your plumber may be able to help with the process.

Some plumbers may know more about well installation and well pumps more than others, but we will discuss the pros and cons of having a plumber work on your residential wells below.

Should I Have My Plumber Install My Well?

Finding a plumber that specializes in residential wells will give them the experience and peace of mind about your well. Not all plumbers have the resources to make a good well, but finding one that has years of experience or specialized experience should mean your well will work properly.

Find a plumber with the proper licensing and certifications before just hiring any plumber to install a residential well. Plumbers will be able to tell you if they offer that service when you first call and possibly recommend another company or contractor that can help if they can not.

Water well contractors only focus on the installation and maintenance of residential wells, so if your plumber does not offer this service, look for a contractor next.

What Residential Wells Do For A Home

There are many reasons why you would want a residential well and there are benefits when the well is installed correctly. Plumbers can help you reap all the benefits of wells and proper plumbing by maintaining them.

One of the biggest benefits of having a residential well is helping you save money on water. Since your well will fill with groundwater or irrigation water, it is not supplied by the city. This could lower your city’s water usage and keep your monthly bill low.

Residential wells can help you better control your water too. Using less water, knowing what is in the water, or keeping it free of chemicals can all be done with a proper well and filtration system. This can help your health, reduce wear on your sinks and tubs, and limit allergies. This will also help improve your water quality and give you healthier and cleaner water to drink and use.

Properties with residential wells are more valuable than other properties. Wells will help drive homebuyers because they know they can get the above benefits and save themselves some money in the long run.

Water Lines From A Plumber

Many homes can have multiple water sources and water lines that they utilize. Plumbers can work on water fixtures and install water lines with only a few years of experience. All plumbers and plumbing companies should know at least a little about main water lines, so if you are installing a residential well, working with a plumber to connect it to your home water line or directly to your home can make the project much less daunting.

If your reason for installing a well is that you are having water pressure problems or higher water bills, there may be another solution. Some main water lines can see clogs, root intrusion, or pipe deterioration, so having a plumber inspect your water line may save you money on installing a well in the first place. Having a plumber inspect your water line before installing a well will help the project go smoothly.

Multiple Services From S&B Plumbing

Our plumbers are always ready to serve homeowners with any service we can. S&B Plumbing offers multiple services for plumbing, water lines, and sewers including drain cleaning, faucet repair, main water line inspections, sewer repair, new construction plumbing installation, and more.
No matter what project you need for your home or business, S&B Plumbing will do its best to help or recommend others who can complete your job. We have been serving Utah residents for many years, and continue to expand to serve more cities and residents. We now serve Salt Lake County cities and want all across the state to have proper plumbing. Contact us to schedule an appointment, or keep our number on hand for a plumbing emergency.

Hard Water Vs. Soft Water: What’s The Difference?