Hard Water Versus Soft Water

If you’re looking to add a water softener into your household, you no doubt are familiar with the terms “hard water” and “soft water.” It’s a common misconception that all water is the same. There is actually a significant difference between hard and soft water and how they can affect you and your household. The chart below from diffen.com highlights some major differences between these types of water.

Differences between hard and soft water.

So now that you are familiar with hard and soft water, how can you tell what type of water is in your house? The easiest way to determine the hardiness of your water is to look at the suds formation whenever you are using soap. Less lather is produced when hard water is present. Instead, you will probably get a white looking precipitate, which is soap scum. Another way of telling what type of water you have is to look at your pipes and shower heads. If you notice any white deposits building up, this is an indicator that there is calcium and magnesium in your water.

There’s another simple and free way to see if your home has hard water. Kinetico San Antonio offers free water tests. We’ll examine your water and tell you everything that is flowing through your pipes.

How does hard water affect you? While hard water does not have a harmful effect on human health, it can leave film spots on dishes and tubs and potentially damage household appliances if the deposits begin to build up. If you’re looking to tackle those calcium and magnesium deposits, let Kinetico San Antonio help you get started with one of our affordable water softener systems!