When we say “hard water,” what we really mean is the concentration of calcium and magnesium salts—the higher the concentration, the harder the water. If you live in Perth, for example, your home probably has hard drinking water, especially if the water comes from a groundwater supply.
While the Australian Drinking Water Guidelines confirm that Perth’s water supply is safe to drink, it may not taste the best—and it can certainly damage your appliances. To avoid the most common (and costly) hard water issues, we recommend filtering your water, and there are a few options available to do so. Let’s take a closer look at those.
What is hard water?
Hard water is water that has a higher than average concentration of dissolved solids like calcium and magnesium, both of which are common around our head office in WA. These natural minerals build up as water moves through soil and rock, and while mineral-rich water might sound positive, it can actually be a frustrating problem.
Hard water is usually a one-way ticket to limescale, which quickly builds up in your pipes and appliances, in your basins, and even on your clothing and skin. Not only does this lead to expensive repair bills and having to replace your clothes, but your ongoing maintenance costs will likely be higher too, with your water-using appliances having to work harder and harder until they eventually break down.
The benefits of filtering hard water
Needless to say, hard water can cause all sorts of problems if left untreated. Filtering your water, however, is a simple way of avoiding these issues and bringing numerous benefits, including:
- Maximising the performance and lifespan of your appliances (while minimising your housework!)
- Protecting your plumbing
- Having healthier, less dry skin and hair
- Enjoying fresher, cleaner-tasting drinking water
- Minimising impurities when cooking
What is the best filtration system for hard water?
Water softeners
The most common way to treat hard water is with a water softener—a water filtration system that uses a bed of resin to filter out the calcium and magnesium minerals. The resin bed traps the minerals as they pass through, before an ion exchange happens and the minerals are replaced by sodium ions. Because of this ion exchange, water softeners need salt to function properly, which in turn requires its own storage tank (known as the brine tank).
Water softeners essentially work through a regeneration process, where water from the brine tank carries the sodium ions into the water softener tank, flushing out the hard minerals and cleaning the water. While water softeners work well for hard water, they don’t remove other contaminants—which is why they are often paired with other filtration systems.
Reverse Osmosis filtration systems
Reverse osmosis filtration systems are highly effective hard water filters, typically used for drinking water, using a semipermeable membrane that removes particles far too small for other water filtration systems to catch.
These systems are super effective because they use pressure to force water through a series of filters, removing up to 99% of contaminants, including unwanted bacteria, minerals, chemical substances and other impurities.
Pre-filters and post-filters are common filtering stages that remove contaminants and dissolved solids while allowing water molecules to pass through. Water is forced to travel through the membrane from the concentrated (contaminated) side to the less concentrated side due to pressure. The fresh water it produces is known as permeate, and the wastewater it produces is known as brine.
Complete Home Filtration systems
If you’re looking for a whole house solution, the most effective filtration method is to install a Complete Home Filtration system, which eliminates the need for any other filters in the home. This means that not only is your drinking water filtered, but your bathroom water too—perfect for fresh, clean showering.
The Complete Home System (CHF-6000) is our flagship model. Unlike other home filtration systems on the market, we designed it specifically with Australian homeowners in mind. The CHF-6000 softens and filters your water supply, delivering clean water filtered to 1 micron and softening the water with up to 98.5% chlorine removal (along with other nasty chlorine by-products and heavy metals).
Looking to Soften Your Water?
If you’re looking for a highly effective filtration system that also softens your water, the Complete Home Filtration System is the perfect way to get clean, fresh, rejuvenating water for your home—while protecting your plumbing and appliances from limescale buildup.
To find out more about our filtration systems, read our comprehensive guide or to speak directly to an informed member of our team. Contact us today.
