First Time Living With Hard Well Water? Install Water Softening Equipment

Posted on: 27 July 2022

Well water typically tastes a lot cleaner and better than city water. However, well water is usually harder than city water. The reason for this is due to well water getting naturally filtered through the soil and picking up minerals, such as calcium and magnesium. These minerals in the water can create problems that you do not have with city water. Here's what you need to know about what hard water can do and how to remedy the issues with water softening. 

What Hard Water Can Do 

Hard water can cause several things to happen, which you will begin to notice shortly after relocating to a home that is served by well water rather than by city water. First, you'll likely notice that soaps, shampoos, and detergents do not lather as easily when you use well water. This is due to the hardness of the water and the minerals that are dissolved in the water. 

When the molecules of soaps and detergents come into contact with calcium and magnesium, they cause a chemical reaction that creates magnesium stearate or calcium stearate. These substances result in more of a waxy texture than a lather. In other words, the reaction creates soap scum instead of lather. While it's possible to use enough soaps and elbow grease to create a lather to wash with, you'll end up using far more product than you did when you had softer city water. 

You'll also start to notice hard water scales, which are mineral deposits that are left when the water dries. These mineral deposits can be difficult to remove from your plumbing fixtures and could create a buildup on appliances that use water, such as your water heater and your coffee maker. Therefore, if you continue to use hard water in your appliances, you could reduce their life expectancies. 

Install Water Softening Equipment

Fortunately, water softening equipment can be installed in your home to soften the water so you will use less soap and prevent mineral deposits on your fixtures and appliances. There are different types of water softening equipment available and they range in size from point-of-use (such as at the kitchen sink or for the shower) to whole-house systems that soften the water of the entire home. The selection you make for your home boils down to your personal preferences as well as your financial ability to install and maintain a water softening system. 

Contact a local water softening service to learn more. 

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