Eighty-five percent of U.S. water is considered hard, says Pauli Undesser, Water Quality Association (WQA) director of regulatory and technical affairs. [Note: Ad or content links featured on this page are not necessarily affiliated with WQA and should not be considered a recommendation or endorsement by WQA.]
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Water is hard because of the source it’s coming from, which is typically ground water or surface water. In either case, the water comes in contact with limestone or hard rock in the area, which leaches into the water source itself over time. As the water becomes harder it gathers calcium or magnesium from what’s around it.
While water coming from the municipality is softer than it was originally, adding a water softening system within the home will ideally bring the water to what is actually defined as soft: 0-1 grains of hardness.
Softening water to the proper degree provides homeowners with a number of benefits.
(1) Detergent Savings.
WQA studies have shown that softened water helps detergents work better. “We’ve done testing that shows when using detergents that are non-phosphate based, you can decrease detergent use by up to 50 percent,” says Undesser.
She explains it is the removal of hardness ions, particularly calcium and magnesium, which make this possible. “Calcium and magnesium interact with detergent and keep it from foaming up so that it can do its job,” she says. “By removing those hardness ions you allow the detergent or soap to work as it’s designed to.” An added bonus is that because the hardness ions are removed, they are no longer adhering to fabric and making the fibers more brittle.
(2) Reduction of Water Scum.
Softened water reduces the formation of soap scum and scale on surfaces. By removing hardness ions from water homeowners will see less rings, streaks, spots and stains on sinks, tubs, fixtures, dishes and more.
(3) Energy Savings
Softened water reduces the formation of rock-like hard water scale that encrusts water heaters, hot water pipes, showerheads and water-using appliances. The WQA has studied the benefits of softened water on several appliances and found a number of advantages, especially with hot water heaters. “By removing the hardness, scale doesn’t build up on the heating elements of a water heater so it can function properly,” Undesser says. “When scale is allowed to build up, it’s harder to have heat transfer from the element to the water so it makes the water heater less efficient over time.” This translates into some pretty significant energy savings, she says, noting the WQA study found a hot water heater might use 24-48 percent less energy when water is softened.
For more information, search for "softeners" in the WQA Water Information Library.
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