If a lot of scale forms on the bottom and walls of the kettle, if it settles on the heating elements of washing machines or dishwashers, hard water is to blame. What then can be found in the human body when people drink it every day? If in just a few weeks a rather thick layer of scale is formed on the teapot, then this is a signal for action. But what to do in this case? There is a water filter to soften.
Hard water - what is it?
So, the concept of stiffness applies to water. This is a certain amount of calcium and magnesium ions, which are dissolved in a liquid. The term "hard water" was originally used in relation to such water, in which it was almost impossible to wash clothes.
How and where do calcium and magnesium salts get into tap water? The bulk of the salts come here from numerous gypsum deposits and various limestone rocks and dolomites. These deposits are ground with natural water.
There are more calcium and magnesium salts if the liquid is very weakly mineralized. And vice versa - a larger volume of minerals means less calcium. If we talk about magnesium salt, then in water, which is highly mineralized, the volume of ions often reaches several grams per liter. Salty liquid can contain up to several tens of grams of magnesium.
Harmful or not?
It would seem that a water filter for mitigation is not needed at all, and an excessively hard liquid is not as dangerous as it is commonly said. It only causes certain inconvenience. For example, on dishes where water is heated or scale forms in technology. White circles remain on glassware. Due to the increased stiffness, soap and other detergents greatly lose their effectiveness - foam does not form in the required volume. Clothes that were washed in such water will quickly tear and wear out. Just a few washings are enough for colored things to lose brightness.
In addition to all this, the metals of the alkaline earth group, calcium and sodium salts, as a result of heating, accumulate on dishes, heating elements of household appliances. On plumbing fixtures you can see a white coating.
If you wash your face or wash your hair with such water, you can feel how the skin literally contracts, and the hair loses its natural strength and becomes excessively stiff, brittle and dry. Harmful substances, along with liquid, penetrate the body. Most often, salts accumulate in the kidneys and blood vessels. Therefore, a softener water filter is the right tool.
Hard water and calcium-magnesium balance in the body
Today a very interesting situation is developing - on TV, on the Internet, on the radio a huge amount of advertisements are pouring out on people about the terrible harm that excessively hard water can cause to human health, as well as to various household appliances. This is one side.
Another - specialists from the field of medicine constantly insist that an insufficient level of calcium and magnesium will necessarily affect the musculoskeletal system. Poor magnesium content can lead to a heart attack. Maybe the liquid that is intended for drinking should contain enough of these salts?
According to the norms, about 200 liters of water are needed for one person. Most of this volume goes to various household needs. Only about 10 l is used in cooking and goes for drinking. It may be easier not to soften it, but to use a water softener only with household appliances, while consuming and drinking ordinary tap water? After all, there are a sufficient amount of calcium and magnesium salts. But medicine recommends drinking milk for calcium balance. By the way, it is also quite tough.
The organization of health protection on the use of such water does not recommend anything special. Studies have been able to identify the relationship of water with diseases of the cardiovascular system, but conclusions are still not drawn from this.
Methods of softening at home
The easiest way is traditional boiling, but in the process the water loses not only magnesium and calcium, but also other beneficial substances. So, to soften without boiling, you can add soda ash to the liquid. Proportion - 2 teaspoons per bucket. Soda should be thoroughly mixed and then precipitate. This technology was used by the ancient Greeks. Ash was also added to the water.
Today there are other technologies, and it is no longer necessary to buy soda ash or to heat the furnace to obtain ash. A softener water filter can make the fluid better and the body healthier. There are also other softening technologies.
Salt softening
Yes, this is not a typo or a mistake. There are special substances that can soften water. They must be used for dishwashers.
Today, salt to soften water for the filter is used quite often. It is produced in the form of special tablets. With these salts, dishwashers can last longer. Some models of this technique are even equipped with special sensors that show when it is necessary to fill the machine with salt.
Magnetic filters
These devices soften the liquid without the use of chemical reactions. This unit acts on water with a strong magnetic field, which is created by two neodymium magnets. In the process of irradiation of water, a variety of impurities, as well as salts of magnesium and calcium, are removed. Rare earth magnets can be placed outside the pipe.
The manufacturers who designed and created the system claim that it is an effective way to soften any water. But these statements are doubtful. There is a place where with the help of magnets you can achieve significant results - this is a boiler room.
In many shops you can find a magnetic shower filter to soften water. You just need to wind it before a shower head. If you believe what they say about these structures in commercials and on the pages of sites, then magnetic systems saturate the body with vitamins, remove chlorine, soften and aromatize the liquid.
If you look at the packaging in more detail, you can find miraculous properties in general - supposedly water is saved by half due to reduced spatter, its speed and pressure increase. The price of such a solution is low. There are also nozzles with tourmaline, which can reduce damage to hair and skin from hard water.
Jugs with filters
Such a device is a container, inside which a special element is installed. This is a simple and cheap option, but from time to time you will have to replace the filter cartridges. The filter element cleans and softens the water intended for drinking. The cartridges are based on regular activated carbon.
Ion exchange softeners
Hard water is the main reason home appliances fail. Ion-exchange filters for softening water for a water heater do their job well. The principle of operation is ion exchange.
The system consists of two tanks. In the first is ion-exchange resin, in the second is a salt solution. The liquid that comes from the water supply first passes through the resin and is saturated with ions. Then the resin reacts with calcium and magnesium salts and removes them. Further, water passes through saline. Missing calcium and magnesium are replaced by sodium. This softens hard water. These systems are best installed in front of water heaters.
Reverse osmosis systems for softening
It is a reliable enough water filter to soften. It is based on a natural phenomenon - osmosis. The whole point is that through a special membrane, water is purified from various impurities, including magnesium and calcium. But when passing through the filter, useful substances are also lost.
Aquaphor Filters
This company has been manufacturing cleaning systems for quite some time. A suitable option can be selected individually depending on the region.
One of the most affordable models is the Aquaphor Trio. This solution is equipped with a separate crane, the filtering and softening process is quite fast. The system not only softens the water, but also cleans it of chlorine, lead, heavy metals. The cost of the device starts from 1500 rubles. Replacement filter cartridges are also available.
The Norma Trio is a system from the same series. It is also equipped with a separate crane, it is easy to use, and the effectiveness of softening and cleaning is quite high.
In addition, the nozzle for the Aquafore Modern crane is also very popular. This filter combines different absorbents, which resulted in high performance. These Aquaphor filters can remove hardness salts and purify water from chlorine and other impurities. According to the manufacturer, the service life is at least three years.
Barrier Solutions
- A compact size “Extra Barrier” jug is offered, which will be enough for a small family.
- "Barrier Eco" is much more spacious and is designed for 350 liters. It can fit in the refrigerator door.
- The Barrier Smart jug is equipped with a time counter; it does not require purified water to be drained from it.
- The advanced Barrier Expert Standard system includes several levels of cleaning. This solution can be installed anywhere. The filter not only makes hard water soft, but also eliminates odors, as well as impurities of any origin.
Water softener filter: reviews
All those people who have used or are using water softeners notice that there is a positive effect from the filters. Less scum accumulates on the heating elements. After washing, the water stopped tightening the skin.
But when choosing, you should not trust unproven manufacturers. For example, the effectiveness of magnetic filters is almost zero at home. Shower systems also have a dubious effect. Water filters in the conditions of our country are necessary - this is our healthy and bright future without diseases.