Does a whole house filtration system help with hard water? Let’s explore popular forms of hard water treatment for homes.
Hard water is a prevalent issue in many regions, especially in the Southeastern US, where the majority of water comes from groundwater rich in crushed rock particles. This poses numerous challenges for homeowners including long-term damage to pipes and other home infrastructure. These particles cause limescale buildup in pipes and appliances, reduce the effectiveness of soaps and detergents, and leave spots on dishes, fixtures, and glass surfaces.
This problem is particularly acute in central Florida, where an influx of approximately 900,000 Americans has occurred since 2020. In this post, we will discuss the impact of hard water in central Florida and explore three distinct types of hard water filtration systems: water softeners, water conditioners, and reverse osmosis systems for drinking water.
Our home water tests in central Florida show that local tap water often exceeds the threshold for “very hard water” by double. This makes it even more crucial for homeowners to consider effective filtration solutions.
Home Water Systems
Water Softeners: These systems are the original water technology from over 100 years ago. They replace the calcium and magnesium ions in the water with sodium ions through a process known as ion exchange. The resin bed in the water softener traps the minerals, ensuring that the water running through your home is softened.
Water softeners provide numerous benefits, such as reducing limescale buildup and enhancing the lifespan of plumbing systems and appliances. This improves the efficiency of soaps and detergents. However, it’s important to note that water softeners do not filter water, they just make it soft.
Water Conditioners: Water conditioners address hard water and have an additional filtration function using a carbon filter. This removes a majority of the chlorine and lead in the water.
Reverse Osmosis Systems for Drinking Water: Water softeners and conditioners address hard water issues throughout the house. Only reverse osmosis (RO) systems focus specifically on providing purified drinking water. RO systems use a semi-permeable membrane to remove impurities, including minerals, from the water. The resulting purified water is ideal for drinking, cooking, and other household uses that require high-quality water.
Installing an RO system provides clean and refreshing drinking water, free from the minerals and contaminants commonly found in hard water. However, it’s important to note that RO systems are typically installed as point-of-use systems, meaning they only filter water at specific faucets or areas in the house.
Finding the Right System
Getting the right system includes testing your water to understand what’s in it.
Purity Bay specializes in a wide range of home water solutions. This includes water softeners, reverse-osmosis systems, whole home water filtration systems and anything in between. Whether you need help selecting a water system or servicing an existing system, our experienced teams can help you out!
