What is Hard Water?

Two-thirds of the water on earth is groundwater. As it travels through rock and soil it picks up particles of calcium, magnesium, iron, lead, and other minerals. For 85% of the country, that translates into "hard water." "Hardness" refers to the amount of calcium and magnesium in the water and is measured in grains per gallon (gpg), where a grain is a measurement of weight, or in parts per million (ppm) (17.1 ppm = 1 gpg). The table below shows some hard water levels.

Here is what an analysis in grains per gallon or parts per million means to you, according to the U.S. Department of the Interior and the Water Quality Association standards:

Hard water makes house hold tasks more difficult to perform and use. Hard water is:

Harder on clothes - Clothes washed in hard water tend to wear out 15% faster than those washed in soft water.

Harder on washers - The American Water Works: Association has shown that washing machines that use hard water can wear out up to 30% faster than those that use soft water.

Harder on dishes - Hard water can leave an unsightly film buildup on glasses and dishes.

Harder on you - When you bathe with hard water, deposits are left behind which may dry out skin and leave your hair looking dull. Shaving is also more difficult in hard water. And hard water also leaves a filmy soap ring around bathroom fixtures making bathroom and kitchen cleanup more difficult.

Harder on budgets - Hard water requires much more soap, shampoo, or detergent than soft water, so your soap products don't stretch nearly as far.

What is the Difference between a Water Softener and a Water Conditioner?

There is no difference between a water softener and a water conditioner. Both terms are used interchangeably within the water treatment industry.