Water softening methods
Table of content
Hard water is water that contains high mineral content in it; magnesium and calcium ions to be precise. These minerals have the potential to build up over time and clog up your pipes, limit the effective performance of soap detergents, stain your tiles and glass, spoil your clothes, mess up your showering experience, and leave your hair looking dull, dry, and tangly.
Clearly, hard water isn’t pleasant to use for any household and if you’re having a hard water problem in your home, you need a fast solution for it, and that is to soften it.
Water softening is the process of removing calcium and magnesium ions from water to eliminate the negative effects of hard water mentioned above.
Applying The Ion Exchange Method
This is the oldest and most conventional method used to get rid of magnesium and calcium ions from water. It achieves this by exchanging each magnesium and calcium ion for two sodium ions.
Inside an Ion Exchange Whole House System, there is a mineral tank which contains small zeolite or resin beads that are negatively charged. Calcium and magnesium ions are positively charged and are therefore attracted to the beads and end up clinging on to them as the water passes through them.
Sodium ions similarly are positively charged but with a less charge compared to that of calcium and magnesium ions and so the higher charged magnesium and calcium ions displace sodium off the beads, and as a result, sodium gets into the water. This water softening method is quite efficient and will allow your detergents to quickly lather on water.
Using The Reverse Osmosis Method
Another more efficient water softening method is Reverse Osmosis that helps you attain highly purified water that you can use for cooking and drinking. Minerals are removed within the Osmotic Membrane Chamber which has very small pores that only allow water molecules to pass through them.
A pressure averaging around 35-40 psi (Pounds Per Square Inch) is set to drive the water molecules through the chamber. Other substances like magnesium and calcium ions are left out, and the final end result is soft water.
Employing The Distillation Method
Distillation is another more efficient water softening method. It involves heating up water in a container to the point of vaporization. This vapor is then redirected to a different container where it cools up and forms back to a liquid state.
It effectively eliminates magnesium, calcium, and other forms of contamination from the water, leaving you with soft pure water that is good for drinking.
Conclusion
Hard water has more harm to it than good but with the above tips, you can have softer water in your premises. One very effective product in the market right now that will offer you a quick and easy solution to the hard water problem you’ve been experiencing is the Scaleblaster Water Conditioner. Get it today and put an end to your water predicament.
About the author – John Barnes
Handyman tips website was created by John Barnes from Phoenix, Arizona, in February 2014. John wanted to share with the public his 20 year experience in home improvement as a contractor and avid woodworker. John noticed that there aren’t many expert advice online and he wanted to help the public to get true expert tips and estimates. What started as a hobby soon became a full time job as Handyman tips website became very popular because of the quality of tips it provides. After a few years John has introduces a couple of new content creators into Handyman tips team but he is still the main content creator on Handyman tips website.



