Probably the most common water problem found in the home and responsible for bathtub rings, a collection of scummy residue on shower walls, and a filmy substance left on the hair and skin. Hard water is high in dissolved minerals – calcium and magnesium being most prominent. Left untreated, hard water can result in mineral buildup in plumbing pipes and on fixtures, inefficient water heater performance and increased maintenance or early failure of water appliances. Hard water also causes poor detergent and/or soap performance.
Hardness is measured in parts per million or grains per gallon (GPG). One grain is 1/7000 pound. One GPG is equal to approximately 17 PPM.
Treatment
Water softeners pass supply water through a bed of resins. The negatively-charged sodium ions are exchanged with positively charges calcium and magnesium ions producing softened water. With use, the resin beads gradually loose their effectiveness and must be regenerated. Regeneration is achieved by periodically flushing the resin beads with a salt brine solution.
When iron levels in water exceed 0.3 mg/l red, brown, or yellow staining of laundry, household fixtures such as sinks and bathtubs, dishes and glassware may occur. Offensive odors and a metallic taste oftenoccur, and plumbing pipes may become clogged or restricted. Iron is classified in two main categories: Soluble (Clear Water), and Insoluble (Red Water).
Treatment
Small amounts of iron may be removed with a water softener. Higher concentrations require treatment with a specialized filtration system such as the Iron Curtain System ® which is designed to remove dissolved and precipitated iron in high concentrations and automatically increases pH of acid water on type 'A' systems. -
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