When water passes through the earth, it accumulates minerals. These minerals affect the characteristics of the water that ultimately arrives at our faucets. Calcium and magnesium, specifically, create hard water.
The Effects of Hard Water
Detergents and soaps will not dissolve completely in hard water, becoming a soapy gel that is counteractive to cleansing. You may notice spots on dishes, a film covering the shower, or that clothes seem stiffer and dingier. Worse yet, hard water decreases the efficiency of appliances and in some cases, causes total equipment failure. When heated, hard water produces
a scale of minerals that can clog pipes, water heaters, and plumbing, reducing water flow until replacement is necessary.
Measuring Water Hardness
Hard water is measured in grains per gallon (GPG) or milligrams per liter (mg/l). U.S. Department of Interior and Water Quality Association provides the following classifications:
- Soft water: up to 1 GPG (or 17.1 mg/l)
- Slightly hard water: 1 to 3.5 GPG (17.1-60 mg/l)
- Moderately hard water: 3.5 to 7 GPG (60-120 mg/l)
- Hard water: 7 to 10.5 GPG (120-180 mg/l)
The Solution for Hard Water
To correct hard water, calcium and magnesium must be removed. This is accomplished using a commercial water softener. Water softeners are mechanical appliances that are plumbed directly into your water system. They perform an ion exchange in order to remove these minerals from the water before use.
How Do Water Softeners Work?
In a typical water softener process, hard water flows into a mineral tank that is filled with small beads that carry a negative charge. Since calcium and magnesium carry positive charges, these minerals cling to the resin. Sodium ions, which also have a positive charge, are then introduced into the tank to displace the hard minerals. Water softeners include a separate salt tank to create a brine solution for this purpose.
3 Step Process:
1. BACKWASH: Water flow is reversed to flush dirt from the tank.
2. RECHARGE: A sodium rich solution is pushed from the brine tank to the mineral tank. The sodium displaces the calcium and magnesium, which are removed and flushed down the drain.
3. RINSE: The mineral tank is flushed to remove excess brine and the brine tank is refilled.
Do You Have Hard Water?
ConServ professionals can test your water to determine whether excess minerals are negatively impacting your water supply and if so, provide you with water softening solutions that make sense for your facility. Commercial water softeners can reduce energy consumption, minimize repair costs, and extend the life of appliances and plumbing fixtures. Contact a member of our team to learn more.
ConServ Building Services, LLC provides excellent commercial HVAC, refrigeration, plumbing, and general construction services to businesses across the Southeastern United States. To learn more about ConServ, visit www.conservonline.com.