Hard Water Questions & Solutions for the Summer
Hard water occurs year-round, especially in geographic areas with high mineral deposits. However, you may be curious about why your water is harder every summer. The Gunther Salt is ready to answer your questions and provide hard water solutions for this summer.
Why is water harder in the summer?
First and foremost, heightened temperatures generally increase water solubility. Heat speeds up the molecular structure of water, making it easier to disrupt the forces holding other molecules together. Once water encounters minerals like magnesium and calcium, it absorbs them.
Additionally, rainfall is less common throughout the summer. As a result, fewer minerals are flushed out of our water sources — making them more concentrated until the next storm. If you don’t take steps to stop hard water, it will lead to noticeable problems in your home or business.
What are common hard water problems?
Hard water poses several problems for business owners and homeowners alike. Without effective hard water solutions, it will significantly impact the overall living experience — and create costly repairs. Some of the most common hard water problems include:
Clogged Pipes. Minerals may gradually build up in pipes. The buildup may lead to clogs that may require professional cleaning or replacements.
Appliance Damage. Minerals may coat appliances like washing machines, dishwashers and coffee pots. This results in problems such as decreased performance, higher energy consumption and a shorter appliance lifespan.
Dry, Itchy Skin. Minerals in water interfere with your skin's natural moisture barrier. Additionally, it lessens the effectiveness of soap — leading to itchy, dry skin over time.
Frizzy Hair. When showering with hard water, minerals may attach to hair shafts. Without effective hard water solutions, the water will create a film that prevents moisture from penetrating your hair, leaving it prone to frizz.
Soap Scum. Hard water reacts with soap. If you don’t stop hard water, it will leave a soapy residue in showers and sinks that is hard to remove.
Hard Water Stains. If your home or facility has high mineral content, you may encounter some unexpected hard water problems: stains. Water may stain surfaces with a chalky white or reddish-brown residue once it evaporates.
How can I stop hard water?
Water softening systems are the best way to combat hard water throughout the summer. These systems utilize the best water softener salt to remove calcium, magnesium and other minerals from your water supply.
But how does it stop hard water? Water softening systems have three key components: a resin tank, a brine tank and a control valve.
The resin tank is where the water-softening process takes place. This component consists of resin beads that capture minerals and replace them with sodium ions.
The brine tank stores a salt solution used to regenerate the resin beads. Saltwater is pumped into the resin tank to wash out the accumulated hardness minerals, prepping it to soften water again.
The control valve manages the water flow, initiates the regeneration cycle and controls the timing of the process. Essentially, it acts as the brains of the operation.
With these components working together, you will dramatically reduce hard water problems over time. These hard water solutions are low involvement — all you need to do is replace its salt supply every four to six weeks.
Where can I get the best water softener salt?
Gunther Salt Company offers some of the best water softener salt products. For the best combination of purity and affordability, we recommend solar salt, sourced from the Great Salt Lake in Utah. We also offer evaporated water softening salt, pellets and cubes.
Our brands stand out for both quality and experience. We strive to make a consistent salt supply as easy as possible — offering water softener salt delivery across the Midwest in full truckload quantities.
Ready to stop hard water in its tracks? To place a bulk order, visit our Bulk Ordering page and provide your product and delivery information. To request a custom pallet delivery, visit our Other Ordering page and contact a representative.
