Is Hard Water Ruining Your Holiday Baking?
November 20, 2023Learn How Kinetico Water Systems Can Improve Your Baking
As Santa Claus would tell you, baked goods taste better around the holidays! That’s why it’s important to have high-quality ingredients when they roll around. While you may get distracted by pumpkin and peppermint, hard water can turn your baking day into a baking disaster.
For soft sourdough and crispy cookies, Kinetico has your kitchen covered! Our technicians are trained to find the perfect water-softening systems for customers across San Antonio. Read on to make sure your celebrations stay as sweet as can be!
What Is Hard Water?
While you may not see them, many liquids contain minerals that can build up over time. Hard water is caused by high levels of calcium and magnesium, heavy ions that can damage your appliances and your baked goods.
Not only does hard water contain rough particles – it also lowers the acidity level of your water supply. This can create alkaline water, a basic liquid that neutralizes chemical reactions.
Hard Water’s Rocky Effects On Baking
You may wonder why tiny minerals and slow reactions are bad for cooking. It’s a little easier to understand when you think of baking as a scientific process with potential pitfalls. Read on to learn what problems hard water can cook up.
Mineral Buildup
We’ve all seen recipes that warn us not to overmix batter or over-knead bread. Many baked goods contain gluten structures that get tighter and tougher the more you handle them. While a healthy structure yields a soft texture, a dense one will make your final product hard or chewy.
When you use hard water in your bread, the mineral buildup prevents the proteins from doing their jobs and messes with the texture of your baked goods.
Low Acidity
Acid may sound dangerous, but acidity is an essential part of the scientific reactions that make cooking happen! In chemical reactions, acidity helps enzymes speed up the baking process so it can run smoothly.
When you use alkaline water to make bread, the yeast will have a harder time activating without the necessary acidity level. If your yeast doesn’t work, your bread won’t rise or develop the fluffy texture you want!
Not only can poor water quality affect the tastiness of your meal – it can also cause debris buildup on your appliances. To keep your guests and your kitchen happy, take care of hard water before the holiday season!
How To Improve Your Water Quality This Season
Sadly, you can’t fix your water quality with the perfect batch of brownies. However, several appliances can sift away unwanted minerals and save your baking day! Here are tips you can follow to help improve your home’s water quality:
- Install A Water Softener: If you want to prevent extra minerals from going into your cookies, a water softener installation is a great investment! This device can turn your hard water into soft water before delivering it to your sink.
- Invest In A Water Filtration System: For a bigger solution, a water filtration system can help the whole household! At Kinetico, our dechlorinator and neutralizer filters make great additions to your water-softening system.
- Contact Kinetico: If you don’t know what option is right for your home, Kinetico can provide a consultation to assess your needs and find the best solution! You can also trust us for reliable installation services to make sure your system is set up properly!
If any of these solutions interest you, look no further than Kinetico San Antonio! We can help you install and maintain your Kinetico water systems with professional care and quality customer service. During the holiday season, a water softener is the perfect gift that keeps on giving!
Call Kinetico For Soft Water In San Antonio!
Whether you’re baking for a Thanksgiving feast or an office party, Kinetico San Antonio is here to help! Kinetico water softeners and other filtration appliances will protect your water quality year-round. Contact us for great service that will keep you in the holiday spirit!