Properties of Soft Water

What are the properties of soft water? Soft water is high in sodium and has low percentage of hardness minerals such as magnesium and calcium. Few households in the United States receive soft water. Most of them receive hard water. The hard water is formed when water seeps into the ground where it dissolves minerals. The water may taste fresh, but it is contaminated with minerals which cause plumbing problems, scum formation and issues when using soap.

Properties of Soft Water

Water Basics

Water is the best universal solvent which can be used to solve many substances. As water passes through substances, it will tend to pick particles along the way. It will pick up naturally occurring minerals and other man made impurities such as chemicals and pesticides. Public water supply undergoes treatment which removes unwanted particles hence making it suitable for consumption. Common minerals which are produced up by water include magnesium and calcium. The levels of the minerals lead to hardness of water. If the concentration is high, water is termed as hard and less concentration is referred to as soft.

Chemical Composition

For water to be referred to as soft, it should have 0 to 17.1 ppm (parts per million) of the hardness minerals. Due to the absence of hardness minerals, soft water tends to have high sodium content. After using a water softener by Clear Water Concepts, the minerals from before are available in very small amounts or even absent in some cases.

Indications

Soft water will tend to feel slippery. It may taste salty due to high levels of sodium. It will not lather up if detergents are used. Soft water will not leave mineral deposits in your bath, shower or dishes. Highly soft water will tend to leach metals such as copper and lead from plumbing fixtures. The leaching effect leads to metallic odor and taste in the water. If the metal content exceeds EPA guidelines, it may cause health problems to your body.

Benefits

Soft water comes with several benefits. It removes the level of hardness minerals from water. Hard water is associated with producing dingy laundry, scale, water spots and soap scum. Software eliminates the problems. It is also effective in increasing efficiency of plumbing fixtures performance. It eliminates buildup of scales in the pipes. It is also effective in improving efficiency of the water powered and the water filtration appliances. You will require less cleaning detergents to clean the utensils. The absence of hard minerals in the water makes it easy to remove impurities because machines will have less to do when trying to clean the water before drinking.

Detriments

If hardness minerals are absent in water, the presence of sodium tends to increase. People who suffer from respiratory issues, heart disease and sodium intolerance are discouraged from drinking soft water. If you decide to install a water softening system in your home, it is not recommended to use the softening system on water which will be used in irrigating plants, lawns and gardens due to high sodium content.

Bottom Line

The above are properties of soft water. High levels of calcium and magnesium lead to formation of hard water. Soft water will have lower levels of minerals that can affect your clothing, hair and skin. Soft water is also less damaging to appliances.