In the UK we’re lucky enough to have tap water that’s safe to drink. Although making a few improvements to taste and quality courtesy of a drinking water filter is highly recommended, not all water delivered across the country is created equal. Whether your water is classed as ‘hard’ or ‘soft’ can make a huge difference to your drinking experience for instance.

In this blog post, we look over the key differences between hard and soft water and give you the knowledge to identify which water type you’re receiving.

What is hard water?

You may have heard the terms hard water and soft water on several occasions, yet most don’t have a clue what they mean. Hard water is generally found in areas that have a chalk or limestone geology. The resulting water is made harder due to this geology as water has to pass through these rocks before being collected and treated.

The degree of hardness varies from area to area, but all contain levels of naturally occurring calcium and magnesium. Whilst there are no health concerns connected to the presence of these compounds, with hard water, the prospect of scale forming is much more likely. This can affect the appearance of your daily brew, and impact how efficiently your laundry is washed.

How is soft water different?

By comparison, soft water contains limited or no extra elements which have its own pros and cons as Sciencing explains:

“Signs of hard water can be detected by the effects it has on plumbing, laundry, dishes, appliances and bathing. In contrast, soft water contains much less calcium and magnesium than hard water. Soft water has less than 1 grain per gallon, or 17 mg/l, of dissolved minerals. Soft water lacks the mineral taste of hard water and does not leave residue on the skin, dishes or appliances.”

Due to the lack of minerals in soft water, many don’t enjoy its saltier taste, but this can be easily rectified with the right products as we’ll discuss later. Having softer water does have its benefits, however.

Households receiving soft water tend to have appliances (such as kettles and washing machines) with longer lifespans. During washing, soft water households generally use less detergent.

Which water type do I have?

Identifying whether you have hard or soft water is a great place to begin if you are looking to adapt your drinking water to your preferred taste. The easiest way to identify whether you have hard or soft water is to contact your local water company. They may already have the data that identifies your water type. If not, your water can be tested to pinpoint whether it’s hard or soft.

There are other signs that you can look out for too. Households with hard water may have increased scaling in their appliances, or on their faucets or showerheads. Clothes washed in hard water may also appear stiffer and duller in appearance.

What can I do to soften my water?

If you’ve identified hard water within your household and don’t like the disadvantages that come with this, then you do have options. Water softeners can be used in houses of all sizes.

We stock a variety of models to ensure you can unlock the benefits of water softening at home. With the right softener, you can save money on detergents, improve dry skin, and protect your kitchen, bathrooms and appliances from scaling.

Shop our range of water softeners now to get started.