What is a water softener and is it good for your health?

Most of us think that all types of water are the same. This can’t be further from the truth. you may generally distinguish water into two broad categories, freshwater and saltwater. But not all freshwater is the same. You must have noticed a slight difference in the taste of drinking water from one place to another. It is generally due to the TDS level and the overall natural mineral content of the water. And depending on the concentration of different minerals and salts, the property of water changes a lot. They also behave and react to things differently from one another.

What is hard water?

Hard water has large amounts of mineral content in them. While they have no serious health problems, they can become a contributing reason for dry skin as well as hair loss. This high mineral content can also lead to PH imbalance for your skin.

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What is a water softener and how does it work?

A water softener can provide you relief from hard water. It is primarily a filtration system that works to remove high concentrations of calcium and magnesium from your water. It contains resin beads inside, which trap excess minerals, mainly calcium and magnesium. Once they are full of calcium and magnesium, a highly concentrated solution of salt or potassium removes the calcium and magnesium from the beads. This chloride solution then becomes a part of the waste stream and goes down the drain.

Advantages of water softeners

1. It will get rid of the hardness of the water so it will be more suitable for your skin and hair health. It won’t create itchy scalps either.

2. Since the water is not rich in calcium and magnesium, there won’t be chalk build-up everywhere.

3. It will also lead to the use of less water for cleaning as it doesn’t cause soap scum or mineral stains.

4. Also, it won’t damage the fabric or the colour of your clothes.

There is inherently nothing wrong with the consumption or usage of soft water or hard water. The only difference between them is the mineral content. If there are no harmful impurities present in the water in the form of heavy metals, poisonous chemicals, or microorganisms, both can be used. It all comes down to your preference and whether hard water is giving you any trouble. It is advised that hard water be avoided for certain usages. On the other hand, you should also be careful not to let your water softener make the water too soft. Otherwise, it is okay to use water softeners as well.