Can a water filter make hard water soft?
Having a water filtration system installed at home is important. As you might already know, there are many types of water filters available in the market. Having the right water filtration systems will help you to remove minerals and other contaminants from the drinking water. The water hardness due to its high concentrations of mineral buildup can make it difficult for not just consumption but for other daily activities as well.
In this article, we will discuss if water filters can assist in the water softening process and the different types of water filtration systems available. Let us get started!
What are the effects of hard water on health and appliances?
Tap water or hard water is not uncommon. Manu homes have hard water and often worry about its effects on the family’s health and other appliances at home. Tap water or hard water can be filled with calcium and magnesium minerals, mineral ions, and other contaminants. It is important to subject drinking water to some kind of filtration process to remove contaminants.
Although one might not notice any serious effects on the family’s health from drinking hard water or filtered tap water, one must remember that the heavy metals and other contaminants in the water must be removed before drinking. Hard water can lead to dry skin, dry hair, eczema, and other skin and hair dryness or allergies.
The mineral deposits and other contaminants in hard water can even cause damage to the fabric. The longevity of your washing machine and the quality of clothes might be reduced when they are exposed to increased mineral buildup. This can also lead to scale buildup eventually.
The solution to prevent hard water effects on health and appliances can be to make use of a good filtration process. There are plentiful filtration systems and water softeners available to assist in a water softening process. Water conditioners can also be used to remove calcium and magnesium minerals, and other mineral deposits to an extent. However, only advanced filtration systems are equipped to remove impurities or to remove contaminants that are hazardous to health. Filtered water or filtered hard water that is free from harmful contaminants and mineral deposits is always the best choice for drinking and for other processes.
How does a water filter work?
There are many options available to filter hard water. The types of water filters and water filtration systems can be opted for to decide your purpose for the filtered water. Here are the basic steps followed to filter water by any common water filtration system.
- The hard water that ensures the water filters will go into a large internal surface in the filtration system. This first portion of the filtration system will physically remove impurities and sediments.
- The next step is carbon filtration. In carbon filtration, there is activated carbon that will function like a magnet for volatile organic compounds as the water goes through this carbon filtration process.
- The last step of the filtration process is a chemical reaction. This is designed to filter water by reducing chemicals like chlorine.
Types of water filters (mechanical, chemical, and biological)
As aforementioned, there are several types of water filtration systems and water softeners. The three wide categories are mechanical filters, chemical filters, and biological filters.
Mechanical water filters employ making use of a filter media that can remove impurities that are larger in size.
A chemical water filter that is most commonly used to remove minerals or other compounds os activates carbon.
Through the process called biological filtration, the action of bacteria is used to break down dangerous ammonia.
The role of water filtration in removing impurities and contaminants from water
It is not just important to filter hard water but all types of water to make them suitable for drinking and other purposes. Drinking water must be free from hardness minerals, hardness ions, harmful VOCs, and other disease-causing microbes like bacteria, algae, fungi, and more.
With the help of an advanced water filtration system, other biological and mineral ions can be removed. When you remove calcium and magnesium, hardness ions, and other compounds, you do not just soften water but also improve the water’s efficiency and nature. Softened water, either by using water softeners or water filters; can also affect water taste. You can get great-tasting water when you subject it to a water softener or any other safe water softening and filtering process.
Can a water filter make hard water soft?
A water filter is different from a water softener. Water filters like a reverse osmosis system which is commonly used in all homes are excellent options to remove chemicals and contaminates that are present in tap water. A reverse osmosis system is a filtration system that makes tap water suitable to be used as drinking water. However, this is not capable of functioning as a water softener.
The difference between hard and soft water
The amount of calcium and magnesium in water determines if you have hard or soft water. Soft water will have less than 17 parts per million of calcium and magnesium hardness ions, sightly hard water has 17 to 60 parts per million of calcium and magnesium hardness ions, and moderately hard water has 60 to 120 parts per million of calcium and magnesium hardness ions.
The texture of soft water and hard water also differs. Hard water will consume more soap as it is difficult to lather. The hardness ions will also affect the water taste.
The limitations of water filtration in removing hardness minerals from water
A reverse osmosis system is designed to give salt-free water. You can get water that is free from salt, manganese, iron, fluoride, lead, etc., as these minerals have molecules that are larger than water. Water filtration can sometimes remove healthy mineral present in water and decrease the pH levels. This equipment can be expensive and also waste more water than what they filter.
Alternative methods for softening hard water (such as water softeners)
If you are looking to soften water without using water softeners, you can do that with water conditioners. Any salt-free water conditioner can be a suitable alternative to a water softener.
The difference between a salt-free water conditioner and a salt-based softener is that the former does not dematerialize water by removing minerals using a chemical process. There is also the absence of any salt waste in the environment at the end of the process. Moreover, a salt-free water conditioner comes with scale control media technology. This reduces the mineral building up of plumbing fixtures and other water-using appliances.
Which filter is best for drinking water?
As you might have already known, the number of water filters available in the market is plentiful. Here we have the best water filter on the market that is best for drinking water.
The iSpring RCC7AK is the best water filter to rely on. The 6-Stage Reverse Osmosis System is designed to provide protection against 1000 different types of contaminants. An Alkaline Remineralization filter is built in to restore healthy minerals back into the water to give you great-tasting water.
The iSpring RCC7AK has a leak-free system and the company provides lifetime support. If you are looking for the best water filter to purify water for consumption, we highly recommend the iSpring RCC7AK.
The importance of understanding the hardness of your water
Understanding water hardness is important for various reasons. Hardness minerals can be crucial for industrial uses because water hardness forms scale buildup in heat exchange equipment, boilers, and pipelines. One must remember that a certain level of water hardness is necessary for plumbing fixtures to prevent corrosion.
When the hardness minerals are in excess that is when troubles with stubborn soap scum and corrosion of hot water heaters and other water-using appliances take place.
The role of water filtration and softening in improving the quality and safety of your water supply
Using a water filter or a water softener to improve the quality of water is important. Having a whole-house filter or whole-house system to remove the total dissolved solids and heavy metals from the water will make it suitable for drinking and other functions.
A water softening process or whole house filter works to reduce the ion exchange, sodium ions, or hardness ions. There must be an equal amount of minerals in water and not high concentrations.
Water softeners that are added manually or make use of resin beads or a resin tank and other processes soften water. The effects of water softening are helpful to reduce soap scum and use less soap and also make water suitable for drinking and less corrosive.
Frequently Asked Questions:
1. Does a UV water purifier soften hard water?
A UV water filter is designed to filter water by killing disease-causing germs, bacteria, algae, and other pathogens. A UV water filter does not soften water like a specially designed-water softener.
2. Which chemical is used to convert hard water to soft water?
Water softening is done by a process called ion exchange. In this, the hardness ions like calcium and magnesium are collected by tiny resin beads. The resin bed or resin bed is charged with sodium ions and potassium ions.
Chemicals to soften water include ammonia, borax, calcium hydroxide (slaked lime), or trisodium phosphate, usually in conjunction with sodium carbonate (soda ash). For small-scale water softening, these chemicals can be added to hard water.
3. Which water softener brands are the best? {Culligan, Pentair, Aquasure}
Finding the best water softener brand can be a challenge with all the options in the market. After careful analysis of the customer reviews and feedback on various water softener brands, we have identified that the best water softeners on the market are Culligan, Pentair, and Aquasure.
4. How do you convert hard water to soft water by boiling?
Boiling water on the stovetop or in a hot water heater can give you softened water. Boiling water can cause calcium and magnesium to settle down in the water. This can be drained off before use.
You must remember that boiling water is not as effective as using a water softener.
5. Can showerhead filters change hard water to soft water?
No, showerhead filters cannot soften water. You require a resin tank or resin bed to soften water, along with other chemicals. This cannot the achieved by a showerhead filter.
Conclusion
That’s a wrap on the article. We trust the article cleared your doubts about using water filters and water softeners and the individuality of both. We hope you will be able to find the ideal water softener or water filter to meet your needs.
About The Author
Judith— a passionate water treatment specialist — is a waste water management enthusiast, clean drinking water advocate, and someone with deep personal experience and knowledge about various water equipments. Her work was mentioned in countless notable water associations. Previously she was an editor at Water Alliance.