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A Guide To The Differences Between Water Softening And Water Conditioning

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If you are tired of the spots on your clean dishes and the dry, itchy skin that can never truly be remedied with lotions or ointments, it is important to be aware that it is usually possible to stop those issues from occurring by treating the hard water used in your home. Two options for doing so are water softening and water conditioning, both of which present with their own advantages and disadvantages. When you are ready to implement the necessary changes that are necessary to make the use of water in your home more comfortable, it is a good idea to consider the following information.

Considering Water Softening

Water softening works by removing the substances that are causing the hard water, which is usually calcium or magnesium. It exchanges them for with sodium ions and therefore will obviously cause the treated water to be high in salt. That water is usually unsafe for consumption by babies, diabetics, and many people with health challenges such as high blood pressure.

In addition, some doctors will recommend that even a healthy person should avoid eating or drinking excessive amounts of softened water, since large amounts of any type of sodium is rarely a good idea. Therefore, it is important to note that if you choose to have a water softener installed at home, you may need to arrange for having bottled or other safe water for cooking and drinking delivered to your home.   

Understanding Water Conditioning

Water conditioning can be described as a filtration system that removes the materials that are causing the hard water. There are multiple types of conditioners for water, and it is important to note that there are both positive and negative attributes of each option.

For example, one popular type of water conditioner is reverse osmosis. Reverse osmosis, or RO, sets itself apart from water softening because it doesn't have to add substances to the water or swap a new material out for the problematic magnesium or calcium in order to get the desired results. However, it will use significant amounts of water to provide your home with the preferred water. That means that the use of reverse osmosis is particularly useful for anyone who already has water reclamation measures in place.

Another example of water conditioning is a filtration system. It uses the sand, rock, etc. that occur in nature and can be used in your home to gradually filter the unwanted substances from your water. Unfortunately, this choice is only appropriate or available if you are using well water, so if you use the city or county water supply, you cannot use a filtration system.  For more information on water conditioning, contact a company like Olympic Springs Bottled Water.

In conclusion, hard water is a common problem in many areas that is likely to manifest as water spots on dishes, uncomfortably dry skin, and even as an ugly build-up around faucets. Fortunately, it is possible to correct the issue, and when you are ready to do so, conditioning or softening the water prior to its use are both viable options to consider.  

 

 

 


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