Hard Water, Is It A Concern
Guest Blogger, Kate Jones
Science Fair Project, written November, 2016 as 5th Grader
Have you ever entered your shower only to see white spots on the glass doors? Have you ever noticed your cotton shirt or blouse did not get as clean as you thought it should after washing it? According to the U.S. Geological Survey, over 85% of American homes have hard water.
What is hard water, and how does it affect your home?
Hard water actually isn’t really hard when you think about something being poured over you and hurting you. Hard water refers to the “hard” minerals that are actually trapped in the water in suspension. When water falls to the ground during the “water cycle” it picks up carbon dioxide. When this happens the H2O molecules and CO2 molecules form carbon acid. This weak acid is what we sometimes call “acid rain.” This helps make water become the universal solvent. When it falls to the ground, it enters our lakes and rivers and some of it evaporates back into the sky to do it all over again. But, some of the water filters through the ground. When that happens water picks up everything in its way. Much of the earth’s surface is made up of calcium and magnesium. These two minerals get dissolved in the water. When the water is pumped to the home, either from a well or the city, 85% of the time it contains these hard minerals.
Treating water goes all the way back to 2000 BC. In the early 1900’s water softening was invented utilizing desalination. This is where hardness minerals are removed from water by exchanging them with sodiums or other cations. The benefits of removing the hardness minerals from the water are many. When you “soften” water you remove the minerals that are left behind on your shower door, mirror, faucets, clothes, hair and water removing appliances. Perhaps you have heated water in a pan and left it for a while. What was left on the side was a white film. That is the calcium and magnesium minerals being left behind after the water evaporates. By removing the hardest minerals, using soft water to clean will be more effective than using hard water.
A special note from Gordon Brothers Water.
Making your water better. Concerned about hard water? Gordon Brothers Water offers customizable solutions to give you the best water on tap. Know what’s in your water and have it tested! Call toll free today (800) 331-7611 to schedule a free in-home or in-business water analysis with a water specialist. It’s also the perfect time to spring into savings with our 30-day free trial offer of a customized water filtration system, specialized drinking water filters, and water softeners, including free installation into your home or business. If after 30 days you absolutely love it, you can keep it for only $19.99 per month! Or, visit Home Depot and talk with one of our water specialists on site and schedule your appointment in person. For Home Depot locations, dates, and times check our Facebook page www.facebook/gordonbroswater or the website www.gordonbroswater.com/events. We look forward to meeting you!
A BIG thank you goes out to Kate Jones for this very informative guest blog!
USGS – U.S. Geological Survey Office of Water Quality. “Water Hardness and Alkalinity.” USGS Water-Quality Information:, N.p., n.d. Web. 13 Nov. 2016
http://water.usgs.gov/owg/hardness-alkalinity.html
Perlman, USGS Howard. “Groundwater.”, USGS Water Science School. N.p., n.d. Web. 13 Nov. 2016.
http://water.usgs.gove/edu/earthgw.html
“Water Treatment Solutions.” History of Water Treatment. N.p. n.d. Web. 13 Nov. 2016.
http://www.lenntech.com/history-water-treatment.htm