You may have heard the terms “hard water” and “soft water” before and wondered what they mean. It can be a worthwhile thing to know, as the quality of the water in your home can differ greatly depending on what you have. You may want to consider having a water softener installation in Springfield Missouri but first let’s answer a few questions.
What is Hard and Soft Water?
Simply put, whether your water is soft or hard depends on the number of dissolved materials it contains. Rain falls as “soft” water. As it goes through the ground and into waterways, it gathers up minerals like magnesium and calcium. The presence of these minerals changes water from “soft” to “hard.”
The question then is, why would someone prefer one over another? The magnesium and other minerals in hard water not only affect the flavor but how the poorly water reacts well to soap. This is often the cause of film and soap scum on bathtubs, spots on dishes, and wrinkled clothes after washing. As far as plumbing goes, hard water can also lead to clogged and corroded pipes.
Since soft water works better in various cleaning tasks, you don’t have to use as much of it. This saves you energy, time, and money—particularly when it comes to your plumbing fixtures.
Does My Home Have Hard or Soft Water?
85% of the water that flows through household pipes is hard, but you can find out for yourself by performing a simple test. Fill around a third of a water bottle with water from your tap, add ten drops of liquid soap, and shake. Then, check your results.
As said, the minerals in hard water don’t react well to soap, leaving behind film and spots. If your water looks cloudy with little to no suds, you have hard water. If there are lots of suds at the top and clear water at the bottom, your water is soft.
Do You Want a Water Softener?
The benefits of having soft water in your home are undeniable, from cleaning to plumbing to drinking. With a water softener installed in your home, its filtration system can filter out the minerals and leave nice, soft water flowing through your plumbing. We at United Plumbing are experts on both water softener installation and water softener repair in Springfield Missouri, so if you’re unsure where to begin in tackling your water softening needs, give us a call today.