You’ve probably heard of hard water and soft water before. And if your home has hard water, you probably wish you didn’t. Hard water contains dissolved minerals of the type that are not beneficial to your health or your home. Water like this can be turned into soft water by using sodium, or other methods. The minerals in hard water may make it smell and taste odd, whereas some mineral water is purchased for its health benefits and flavor.

Sometimes after you soften your water, it may have a taste that is a bit salty. So, although this is not ideal, it does help to soften hard water, to alleviate the problems it causes with your appliances and your pipes. Harder water will form scale in your appliances and pipes, and this can clog the pipes and cause your appliances to run inefficiently. Additionally, the scale prevents the proper transfer of heat, so your water heater will have to work harder to supply the hot water you need.

Soap is also harder to lather if your water is hard, since it reacts to the magnesium or calcium in your water. It forms soap scum that hides the finish of your shower or tub, as well.

You can soften hard water by removing its minerals in passing it over a resin that exchanges the ions, or in treating with lime. If you use a salt-based water softener, the water will flow over the resin surface, effectively dissolving the sodium. The magnesium and calcium are captured into the surface of the resin, and eliminated from your water. If your water was quite hard, it may taste saltier after treatment in a salt-based unit.

Most calcium and magnesium from hard water is removed by a water softener, but some ions which are negatively charged may still remain. If this occurs, you can de-ionize your water by using resins that will replace the excess with hydroxide.

Hard water is always high in minerals, even though it’s not usually harmful to your health. In manufacturing plants, it can be harmful to the equipment, so it is closely monitored in these situations so as to avoid breakdowns in cooling towers, boilers or other expensive equipment.

Hard water is defined as water that has a high concentration of metal ions, and they may enter your water after being leached from the surrounding land. Ions in hard water can lead also to what is known as galvanic corrosion, where one metal corrodes when it comes into contact with another metal. When you soften hard water, it won’t increase the amount of corrosion.

Many people with hard water in their homes choose to soften it. Some people soften just the water for their hot water heater or their kitchen sink, while others treat all the water in their house. Sometimes, soft water can make it hard to rinse off after bathing or showering, specifically because it is so soft.

Recent studies have shown possible relationships between hard water and the likelihood of men contracting cardiovascular disease. The full data was not sufficient for the World Health Organization to recommend against hard water use. Other studies have found a possible correlation between children’s eczema and hard water. There have been recommendations released for the minimum and maximum magnesium and calcium levels in water.

Industrial firms have an especially difficult time with hard water. Plumbing fixtures alone may cost a company a sizable amount of money every month, if they have hard water. Seals and valves will need to be replaced. They may even have to replace a boiler. Companies with problems like these work with water softener dealers who can point out how to solve the problems.

The first thing a water softener company will do is check the hardness of the company’s water, which will affect the amount of sludge and scale deposits in the buildings. This causes a lot of the company equipment to run inefficiently, and will lead to its early replacement. Water softener contractors can recommend the best units or systems for taking hard water out of the picture. The companies will notice lower equipment replacement and repair costs, and any linens used will be found to be softer and brighter. Businesses will usually contact several water softener dealers, to find the best equipment at the best price.