We all know that clean and healthy water is essential to our daily lives and the continuing health of our families. When you consider the importance of fresh and clean water, and what impact the installation of clean wells and clean water sources has on the health of communities, it becomes clear that a source of clean water in our homes is vital to our quality of life.
The Problem with Hard Water
Typically, the water that is piped into our homes for bathing, washing and cleaning is treated with harsh chemicals like chlorine and anti-fungal agents to keep it healthy. As our water is piped to us, it comes into contact with lime scale deposits and ends up having a high mineral content. This high mineral content means that it becomes harsher on the skin and can cause other problems in the home. In essence, it becomes hard water. This is not ideal water for home use.
Hard water contains mineral deposits and causes the formation of lime scale deposits in our sinks, our pipes and our machines. This causes the following issues:
- Increased cleaning required to descale and get rid of unsightly stains
- The formation of scale deposits on the insides of pipes, which causes them to become inefficient over time
- A decrease in water pressure as water struggles to flow through plumbing and pipes normally
- An increase in utility bills as people take longer showers in order to counter the lowered water pressure
- Damage to plumbing and machines that use water on a daily basis, including washing machines and dishwashers
A Better Life with Soft Water
Hard water clearly causes untold problems around the home, and being able to change the mineral content of the water itself is an ideal solution to the problem. It is possible to install descaling equipment that does not use salt or harsh chemicals. This eliminates much of the mineral content of the hard water and converts it to soft water. In contrast to hard water, soft water offers the following benefits:
- Hard water can cause skin to dry out and lose its moisture content. In turn, this can cause outbreaks of eczema and can worsen skin conditions like psoriasis. Soft water does not contain the same level of harsh minerals and does not irritate the skin.
- Bacteria can form in lime scale buildup and can enter water supplies. Clearly, this has implications for users’ health.
- Soft water is actually much nicer to bathe in. It feels nicer on the skin and even enables a better lather when using soaps and shampoos, due to the changed mineral content. Because of this, it may even contribute to shorter bathing times and saving money on soaps and water!
- Lime and scale buildup is significantly reduced in plumbing, meaning fewer repair costs.
The benefits and advantages of soft water for home use are clear. We might not think about it a lot, but our water quality is about more than just having a constant and reliable source of clean water. The mineral content of water can have a huge impact on our health and our environment, and the capacity to reduce these impacts by installing water treatment equipment in the home is well worth considering.
