About Water Hardness
Water hardness refers to the level of certain minerals, particularly calcium and magnesium, found in your tap water. Basic, or hard water, is not considered a health concern - but it can be a nuisance. Hard water can shorten the lifespan of water-using appliances, cause scale buildup on sink fixtures and surfaces (e.g., showers, tubs, sinks, and toilets), increase energy requirements for heating water, and reduce the efficiency of soaps and detergents. Water softeners are a common intervention for adjusting water that ranges far outside of the ideal neutral pH of pure water.
Water hardness refers to the level of certain minerals, particularly calcium and magnesium, found in your tap water. Basic, or hard water, is not considered a health concern - but it can be a nuisance. Hard water can shorten the lifespan of water-using appliances, cause scale buildup on sink fixtures and surfaces (e.g., showers, tubs, sinks, and toilets), increase energy requirements for heating water, and reduce the efficiency of soaps and detergents. Water softeners are a common intervention for adjusting water that ranges far outside of the ideal neutral pH of pure water.
WQRF Research
A 2009 study commissioned by the Water Quality Research Foundation (WQRF) and conducted by the Battelle Memorial Institute found that adding a water softener helps water heaters and major appliances operate as efficiently as possible, while preventing clogs in showerheads, faucets, and drains.
A 2009 study commissioned by the Water Quality Research Foundation (WQRF) and conducted by the Battelle Memorial Institute found that adding a water softener helps water heaters and major appliances operate as efficiently as possible, while preventing clogs in showerheads, faucets, and drains.
- In the study, researchers ran dishwashers and washing machines for 30 days and 240 wash cycles. They ran softened water through half of the units, while using a hard water source for the others. At the end of the month, the washers using softened water were nearly free of scale buildup, but the washers using hard water required scale removal to work well.
- When water heaters were used with softened water, researchers found that the units maintained their original factory efficiency rating for as long as 15 years. Running hard water through the units cut efficiency by up to 48 percent. Scale buildup shortened the lifespan of the heating elements inside electric water heaters, and some tankless water heaters using hard water failed after just 1.6 years!
- The researchers also found that showerheads performed well on softened water, but those running with hard water lost 75 percent of their flow rate in less than 18 months.
- When running hard water through faucets, the strainers on the faucets clogged within 19 days.
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