You’ve likely heard the term “hard water” and thought nothing of it. It’s something people across Canada deal with, but few do anything about.
By definition, hard water is water that contains a high amount of mineral content. This normally occurs after the water passes through deposits of limestone and chalk. Then the water becomes filled with magnesium and calcium carbonates.
But hard water isn’t the only concern families have to worry about today. There’s also the fact that faucet water contains chlorine, lead and a variety of other toxins that can harm you over time.
If you’re on the prowl for better water, then it’s a good idea to invest in a water system for your home. There are different options available.
Let’s review them, so you can make a sound decision on which will provide better water for your home.
Water Softeners vs Reverse Osmosis
Now, there’s a lot of talk about hard water and water softeners. But there’s also mention of reverse osmosis systems, both of which can be installed in your home.
The two are growing in popularity, so it’s important to know the difference between the two.
Reverse Osmosis = Filtration
One way to look at reverse osmosis is as a filtration system. It’s installed in properties with wells or public water. Most homeowners opt for this because they’re looking for better water that is healthier and tastes great.
With the reverse osmosis system, the minerals and contaminants in the water are removed using a filter. You can have this installed for your entire house, filtering all the water.
Water Softeners = Conditioning
Unlike the reverse osmosis system, water softeners use a process called ionization. This removes calcium and magnesium ions and replaces them with potassium or sodium ions (or salt).
Hard water contains a large amount of dissolved minerals, such as calcium and magnesium. Replacing these makes the water less destructive to your skin and appliances.
How to Tell if You Need a Water Softener
There are various warning signs you can watch for to determine if a water softener system’s required in your home. The indicators are easy to spot, and you may have already seen a number of them.
Let’s do a quick review.
Your Appliances Have Scale Buildup
You can spot scale buildup on just about everything, including your pots and pans, coffee pots and silverware.
If the scale is building upon these visible items, imagine what’s going on with your pipes. This buildup can lead to plumbing clogs, making them less effective at passing through water. And fixing defective plumbing can be quite expensive.
Scale or limescale comes from calcium and magnesium bicarbonate. This is why you’ll see chalky white buildup.
Your Skin and Hair Are Very Dry
It’s not uncommon for folks bathing in hard water to have itchy dry skin and hair. Your soap and shampoo can only remove but so much of the magnesium salts.
The leftover sits on your skin and hair, drying it out. The residue can also lead to irritation, making your skin rough and leathery. Your pores eventually become blocked, which can lead to inflammation and blackheads.
Washing Clothes Leaves them Gray and Faded
Another telltale sign of hard water is clothes and bed sheets that become faded a little too quickly. They may also feel scratchy and hard due to the extra mineral content in the water used to wash them.
One way to overcome this issue is to get better water using a filtration system. This way, you can keep your clothes and bedding longer.
What Are the Benefits of Installing a Reverse Osmosis System?
Getting better water in your home is possible when you have a reverse osmosis system installed inside. It comes with a host of benefits that make it a great investment.
If you’re considering installing one into your house, then you’ll get the following results.
Better Water Taste
One of the top benefits osmosis systems offers is an improved water taste. If you’ve ever tasted city water, you’ll notice a chemical smell and taste. This normally comes from the chlorination process municipal water districts use.
But not everyone’s taste buds are the same – some find the water tastes better when it goes through the system multiple times. That’s the great thing about the osmosis system – you can choose how often you want the water to run through it.
Some believe the water taste’s better when it runs through the system five or even seven times.
They’re Energy Efficient
These systems do a lot for your water filtration, but don’t require a lot of energy. This is especially true when you compare the reverse osmosis system to other similar systems.
The newer models have even better energy efficiency, thanks to the development of membrane materials and energy recovery devices.
They Take Up Little Space and Are Expandable
Some people choose to have only their kitchen water filtered with the osmosis system. If they choose to include their bathrooms later on, the system can be easily expanded.
This allows you to test out the system before committing to a full house installation.
Maintenance is a No-Brainer
You’d think that the maintenance of a reverse osmosis system would be difficult, but it’s not. In fact, you only have to replace the filter every six months or so.
Of course, this depends on how much you use the system and how much pollution is in your water.
Save Money On Water
How great would it be to pour a glass of water from your kitchen sink? This means no more purchasing bottled water to drink.
The amount of money you save each year can be impressive, depending on how big your family is and how many bottles you typically go through.
What Are the Benefits of Water Softeners
About 85% of the American households have hard water. So the likelihood of you having it too is quite high. Of course, you can always have it tested to make sure.
If you test positive for hard water or you see some of the warning signs, then you could definitely benefit from a water softener.
For instance, you’ll witness the following.
Easier to Clean Dishes
Once you have a water softener installed, you won’t have to worry about the unsightly white spots, soap residue and streaks the minerals can leave behind.
Appliances Last Longer (And Your Plumbing)
The water used inside of your washing machine, dishwasher, water heater and other water appliances will last longer. The buildup caused by hard water can shorten the lifespan of these products.
And the same goes for your pipes – these won’t suffer from clogs and damage caused by the buildup.
Quicker Water Heating
So it seems it takes longer to heat up hard water compared to softened water. And if this is the case for your home, you can witness savings in your energy bills.
What Are the Benefits of a Water Distiller
Here’s a third option for those looking for better water – water distillation. This too offers multiple benefits to homeowners.
Here’s a quick breakdown of those benefits.
Remove Bacteria and Viruses
With the water distiller, your water cleanses in two ways – boiling and vaporizing. The high temperatures kill the active viruses and bacteria. Then when the water enters its steam state, the remaining viruses and bacteria stay behind.
Get Rid of VOCs
Most chemicals eliminate during the distillation process. This includes volatile organic compounds, or VOCs. The filters and vents used for the colder-than-boiling gases are what removes them.
In fact, you won’t find any unnecessary contaminants or minerals in distilled water.
Help Your Body Cleanse Itself
Drinking distilled water can actually help your body cleanse itself. Minerals can build up in your joints and cells, which can lead to inflammation and arthritis. These toxins, minerals, and chemicals flush out with distilled water.
Your Water is Fresh
Hands down, the distilled water in your sink is fresher than store-bought versions. In most cases, distilled water in stores has been sitting on shelves for weeks.
And worse, they’re inside of plastic bottles the entire time. In some cases, you can taste and smell the plastic in the water when drinking it. With your own distillation system, you have access to fresh water anytime.
Building a Better Water System
So which of the aforementioned water systems do you need to get to achieve better water for your home?
Well, the smart move would be to use all three. You can combine all three systems to get the best possible water for your family.
All work together to filter out minerals and VOCs and soften your water. You can’t get water that’s any better than that.
At Home Water Systems, we have quality distillation, reverse osmosis and water softening products at reasonable prices. These systems are ideal whether you have well water or city water coursing through your pipes.
Contact us to get better water in your home today. A free 30-day trial is available, so you can test our filtration systems before committing.
