What is water hardness?;

Water hardness or hard water are two expressions that are often heard in a discussion about water quality. But what exactly does hard water mean, what effects does water hardness have on our daily lives and on our health? So let's look at the meaning of these terms, the complications they can cause, and how important water softeners are.

What is water hardness?;

When we talk about water hardness, we are referring to the amount of carbonates, most often calcium and magnesium, that it contains and is measured in mg/L or ppm. The concentration and dissolution of these ions leads to the concentration of salts, that is, it creates hard water which causes problems that may seem insignificant, but in the long run the effects are quite serious. Some of the most common problems are the following:

• Deposition of salts, i.e. their concentration, in pipes and appliances, such as kettles, irons, etc.
• Reduced effectiveness in shampoos and laundry detergents
• Damage to household appliances, mainly washing machines
• Dryness of the skin
• Hair problems, such as dullness or dryness.

Water hardness is now appearing in more and more areas due to climate change and geological changes, but it is easy to deal with, mainly with water softeners.

What do water softeners do?;

The most reliable and safe way to deal with water hardness is to use a softener. Water softeners are designed to reduce water hardness by removing the amount of calcium and magnesium present in the water in various ways, depending on the type of each device. With physical or chemical functions, water softeners protect households and businesses from the complications caused by high water hardness. The most widespread process usually has to do with a system of developing ions that replace those of calcium and magnesium with sodium, thus improving the quality of the water and protecting our body and devices from the accumulation of salts.

What causes hard water?;

Let's first see what mainly causes hard water:

• the presence of calcium and magnesium,
• the dissolution of ions in groundwater as it passes through geological layers,
• The transport of these ions results in the water still remaining in the pipes and taps when it reaches them.

The main consequence of water hardness is salt deposition, i.e. the concentration of salts on various surfaces such as pipes and appliances (kettles, showers, etc.), resulting in a reduction in the efficiency of the appliances, a slowdown in the flow of water and, depending on the exposure, the appearance of other problems in the appliances.

Also, the hard water It affects the action of soaps and detergents, as the salts it contains do not allow the correct reactions of the products, such as the creation of foam, thus limiting their cleaning action. Combined, the salts contained in hard water can concentrate in washing machines, clothes or dishwashers, reducing their function and destroying them.

Finally, water hardness can also cause health problems, mainly skin problems (dryness, dull hair, itching) but also stomach upsets, depending on the exposure time and concentration.

How can I measure the water hardness in my home?;

It is good to know the water hardness in the domestic network, as in our homes we have the greatest water consumption (drinking, cooking, washing, etc.) and there are several ways to measure it, depending on the accuracy we want our results to have. Some ways to measure water hardness are as follows:

• Test strips: a kit with strips that you can purchase and use the color analyzer to see how hard the water you use at home is.
• Chemical test kit: more accurate method as it includes chemical elements that react with the ions, giving more accurate results.
• Inductive measurements: these are portable devices that use induction or reflection methods with even more accurate measurements.

The accuracy of the result for the water hardness in your home will depend on the method you choose, but it will certainly give you a very clear picture of the salts in your home's water supply and, based on this, you can judge whether it is necessary to use water softeners or some other method to reduce the water hardness in your home.

Is there a method of measuring with a bottle of water without a kit?

But beyond all of this, there is an even simpler way to measure water hardness at home using just a bottle of water, baking soda, and following a few steps:

•  Fill a clear bottle with tap water.
• Add a small amount of baking soda and gently shake the bottle to mix the contents.
• Continue adding soda and shaking until a permanent layer of foam forms on the surface.
• Count the number of spoons of baking soda needed to create foam.

Depending on the spoons needed, calculate the water hardness according to the following table:

This process is the simplest way to get an estimate, not a measurement, of the water hardness in your home.

John Giotis

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