The terms “hard water” and “soft water” are used quite frequently, but often misunderstood. Hard water contains a much larger quantity of minerals, such as calcium or magnesium, which have been dissolved but that are still present. Soft water, on the other hand, is water that has been treated through a water softener or a water filtration system, and the end result is water that has these minerals removed.

What Difference Does Mineral Removal Make?

The removal of minerals to create soft water can be important for a few reasons. To begin with, hard water is the culprit for leaving those unfortunate residue deposits in your homes, such as the rings in your bathtub. It’s also responsible for water many describe as ‘bad tasting’ tap water.

Soft water reduces the amount of housework required for cleaning, both of bathtubs and sinks, but also in regards to silverware, glassware and so on.

Also, on a more personal note, soft water leaves one’s skin much smoother and one’s hair cleaner and smoother than hard water. The same can be said about the impact of soft water on clothing. Soft water preserves the life of all appliances that use water, such as dishwashers, laundry machines, coffee machines, water heaters and even your plumbing system.

Finally, water filtration systems can remove minerals that can actually be harmful to the body. Some minerals found in unfiltered water can lead to health problems such as kidney stones, gall stones, hardening of the arteries, and so on.

Common Minerals Removed

A good filtration system will remove a variety of minerals by absorbing, filtering, and changing the ions within the water.

The most common minerals found in water that a good filtration system can remove are Calcium Sodium and Magnesium. It may sound like those are good minerals, but you get them through your food, rather than absorb them through you water, so the benefits of ridding your water of them are plentiful.

Additionally, water filtration will remove other minerals, such as Chlorine, Hydrogen Sulfide, Manganese and so on. It can also remove pesticides.

Significantly, water filtration can help beyond removing minerals by removing various forms of bacteria and viruses, such as E.coli, Coliform Bacteria and other microbes that should not be present in your water.

If you are need of a drinking water filtration system, Imagine Plumbing is among Alberta’s premier professional plumbers and offers premium water filtration systems. Contact us today for more information.