subject: Types Of Water Hardness And Their Solutions [print this page] If the water that is supplied in your house contains a high level of dissolved minerals then it is found to be hard water. Generally the hardness in water is caused because of two important minerals: calcium and magnesium.
Hard water has no health implications but it can lead to the build up of mineral deposits in plumbing, heating systems, kettles, dishwashers and various other domestic appliances. It has very poor performance than soft water when using soap and general detergent products.
When water flows through various rocks and soil, some amount of minerals get mixed with this water. With the increase of calcium and magnesium content in the solution, hardness of water also increases.
The two basic type of water hardness are: permanent and temporary hardness. The level of mineral content in the water determines the type of water hardness. It is quite difficult to eliminate permanent hardness of water by boiling it. The salts that are responsible for causing water hardness includes: calcium and magnesium sulfates and chlorides.
However, despite its name, permanent water hardness can be removed by the use of an ion exchange column, referred to as a "water softener". Basically this removes calcium and magnesium ions from the water and replaces them with sodium.
In order to remove temporary hardness from water, you just need to boil the water. Addition of lime in the water can also remove water hardness. The salts causing temporary hardness are: calcium and bicarbonate ions. At the time of boiling water, these bicarbonate changes to carbonates and due to this, calcium carbonate is removed from the solution and you are left with only soft water.
Try to use a lower temperature setting for your boiler. The greater the water temperature the more mineral deposits will be liberated from the water. These will be deposited in your pipes, water tank and any domestic appliances being fed from the hot water supply.
Finally, if your primary concern is dissatisfaction with the taste of your water then simply filtering the water will usually make a noticeable difference. You can install an inexpensive under sink filter or even get a unit which fits directly onto the tap. Simple and inexpensive jug type filters are also effective if you want only relatively small quantities of filtered water for drinking and cooking.
