There are benefits to water softening in one's home. Here are some things to think about.
Many homeowners have opted for water softening appliances in their homes. While hard H2O isn't dangerous for humans or animals to drink,
it does create problems for some of the items within the home. For example, the harder a liquid is, the more chances that it will create plumbing problems because it clogs up pipes and makes certain machinery grind to a halt. Certain municipalities have more minerals and debris in their water supply. The residents in these regions opt for softeners and filters more often than not. Here are some things to think about:
- What makes the liquid hard? While liquids aren't actually harder, per se, they have minerals and substances in it that are harder. Typical items that are contained are calcium, iron and magnesium.
- What do calcium, iron and magnesium do? These minerals are safe for human and animal consumption, but they build up on pipes, appliances and even clothing after being laundered in this H2O. In certain household items, this buildup and scum can be detrimental to the workings of certain appliances. For example, a hot water heater will get filled up with the sludge and conk out because it can't drain and emit liquids as it needs to. Drip coffee pots stop working fairly quickly when the hard waters are poured through because it clogs up the works over time. Faucets and dishes get a layer of the built up sediment which are very hard to clean up properly, unless you get your water treated with water softening.
- How does water softening take place? The technique that a softener performs to rid the household of tap-water with high mineral content involves removing the calcium, magnesium and iron. This is done in a chemical adjustment that involves adding balancers. Items that will balance or soften the liquid include potassium and sodium, otherwise known as salt. There are various ways to add rock, solar or evaporated salts via these systems.
- After the chemical adjustment, is it still safe to drink? While softening systems aren't typically designed to treat the drinking liquids, they're not harmful. In certain situations, the sodium content would be too high to be considered a healthy beverage. Baby formula, for example, shouldn't be mixed up with the chemically adjusted waters.
- Treatments for drinkable fluids: Many households have an alternative treatment process for their drinking source other than the softeners. In order to purify it, there are filtering systems, reverse osmosis, under-the-counter devices to screen sediment and other alternatives. It's crucial to have a safe source for human's and pet's consumption.
- Testing for quality: Many companies will come to residences or businesses to test the tap water supply. If it's found to be too hard or contain contaminants, there are various appliances to remedy the problems.
The H2O in a household or business facility is crucial for drinking, cooking and all plumbing. If it's too filled with minerals such as iron, magnesium or calcium, this can be problematic with appliances and plumbing pipes. Altering it chemically with sodium and potassium can change the composition. Filtering devices can purify the beverage for consumption, as well.
