What Is Soft Water vs. Hard Water?
The hardness of water depends on the amount of minerals it contains, mainly calcium and magnesium.
Hard water is more common in groundwater where limestone and gypsum are present.
So, if your house is on a private well, it’s more likely to contain hard water.
Soft water, on the other hand, has lower levels of calcium and magnesium and higher concentrations of sodium salt.
Most water softening systems, for example, work by adding sodium ions into the water, which replace the magnesium and calcium ions (more on that in a sec).
- Soft: 0-60 mg/L
- Moderately hard: 61-120 mg/L
- Hard: 121-180 mg/L
- Very hard: 180+ mg/L
Is Soft Water Unhealthy for Some People?
In general, there’s nothing unhealthy about soft water for most people, as long as you get enough calcium and magnesium in your diet from other sources.
However, if you have a history of high blood pressure and other heart issues, you might want to think twice about drinking lots of soft water…
That’s because most water softener devices soften the water by adding sodium to it, and sodium raises blood pressure.
Plus, some research indicates that drinking hard water may improve cardiovascular health by providing essential minerals like calcium and magnesium.
Another potential concern is lead poisoning from old pipes.
Homes built before 1986 may contain lead plumbing components.
Lead is an extremely toxic heavy metal, and soft water is more likely to pick up lead and carry it straight to your tap.
Next, let’s take a closer look at the health benefits of consuming the minerals in hard water.
Calcium is a nutrient that’s vital for bone health.
It’s also a key electrolyte in energy production.
Calcium is important for bone density in children, and it’s also important for maintaining bone density later in life.
For example, postmenopausal women need extra calcium because they lose bone density at a higher rate.
And thanks to its role as an electrolyte, calcium is important for healthy neurological and cardiovascular function.
Calcium prevents blood clotting and maintains a healthy heartbeat.
Calcium supports muscle function too…
The body releases calcium into the muscle to contract it, and pumps calcium out of the muscle to relax it.
Calcium also improves cholesterol levels and may lower the risk of certain types of non-cancerous tumors.
Magnesium Health Benefits
Magnesium is another extremely important mineral, and it’s best known for its calming effects on the nervous system.
It plays a key role in muscle and nerve function, regulating blood pressure, and supporting the immune system.
Unfortunately, most people do not get enough magnesium in their diet.
Low levels of magnesium can increase the risk of anxiety.
In particular, magnesium reduces complications from diabetes by regulating glucose and insulin metabolism.
And when it comes to heart health, reports show that increasing magnesium may lower the risk of stroke.
Doctors even treat heart attack patients with magnesium because it lowers the risk of death.
And like calcium, magnesium is essential to healthy bone formation.
Studies show that getting enough magnesium in your diet improves bone density, bone crystal formation, and lowers the risk of osteoporosis after menopause.
Is soft water unhealthy for your skin?
Actually, quite the opposite…
Most people prefer soft water over hard water for showering and washing their hands.
That’s because hard water can cause dry skin and hair, especially if you use it regularly.
For example, washing your hair with hard water can make your scalp itchy and flaky.
Over time, the minerals in hard water can change the pH balance of your skin.
People with eczema and other skin conditions are especially vulnerable.
When it comes to your home, soft water is best.
Cloudy dishware, white deposits hanging from faucets, soap that won’t lather…
These are all telltale signs of hard water.
A filmy feeling on your hands is another dead giveaway, and you may even notice lower water pressure in your home due to clogged pipes.
In fact, hard water can be quite tough on pipes and appliances.
Calcium buildup inside pipes can make water run less efficiently.
Older homes built before the mid-1970s tend to have more problems with this due to the use of pipes with galvanized steel, which the minerals stick to more easily.
At the same time, it can leave mineral deposits and stains on dishes, sinks, tubs, showers, and toilet bowls.
Appliances, like dishwashers and washing machines, also might not work as well and take on more wear-and-tear.
Households with hard water typically have to replace their appliances sooner.
Plus, clothes washed in hard water can become stiff and dingy, and because hard water prevents soap from lathering, you might have to use double the detergent and rewash clothes.
Hard water can also cause limescale buildup in water heaters, making them work harder and use more electricity.
When all this stuff adds up, it can make hard water pretty expensive!
What Tastes Better? Hard Water or Soft Water?
Most people prefer the taste of minerals in their water.
That’s because mineral content is something that humans evolved to like, and our taste buds are programmed to recognize the presence of these key nutrients.
As water flows through rivers and streams, it picks up minerals from the surrounding rocks and soil.
Soft water, on the other hand, is unnatural.
It’s rare to come across soft water in nature, especially water that’s high in sodium.
If you use a water softener in your home, it may taste a little salty!
How to Test for Water Hardness
Want to know for sure exactly how hard or soft your water is?
There are plenty of at-home tests available to test for water hardness.
You can also hire a professional to test it for you.
In fact, the Environmental Protection Agency has a tool for finding certified testing laboratories in your area.
So, if you notice a reduction in water pressure, your soap won’t lather, or your dishes are stained and dingy, you might want to test it and take steps to soften your water.
Worried that your water might be too hard for its own good?
You have a few options for softening it…
Keep in mind that water softeners don’t filter contaminants – they only remove hard minerals.
If you want to protect every square inch of your home from the effects of hard water, then a whole-house system is the way to go.
Typically, these cost between $1,000 to $4,000.
Water softeners work by running the water through a sticky resin, usually made from certain trees and plants, that’s coated with positively charged sodium ions.
Because these ions have a net electric charge, they replace the magnesium and calcium ions in the water.
Some systems, however, use potassium resin pellets instead of sodium, which is a better option if you don’t like the salty taste.
Other systems use citric acid, magnets, and other methods to reduce calcium and magnesium.
These are best if you have high blood pressure and want to avoid the extra sodium.
Water softening units need ongoing maintenance, and you have to replace the sodium pellets to keep the resin electrically charged.
Plus, bacteria and fungi can form on the pellets if you don’t change them often enough.
How to Balance Minerals and Remove Contaminants Without a Water Softener
Some high quality water filtration systems not only remove contaminants and excess hard minerals, but they also rebalance the filtered water with a healthy ratio of magnesium and calcium.
What are these miracle devices, you say?
They’re called reverse osmosis systems, or RO for short.
Reverse osmosis works by forcing highly pressurized water through a very fine, semipermeable membrane, trapping nasty contaminants and removing them once and for all.
They also combine several other other stages of filtration to leave your water squeaky clean:
- Sediment filters to remove large particles
- Activated carbon filters to remove disinfectants like chlorine
- Ion exchange resins to remove hard minerals
- Polishing filters to remove any remaining contaminants
Cloud Water Filters also use built-in software to track and monitor your water quality 24/7 through an app on your phone.
