Hard vs. Soft Water

[PWMDMD]

I have and prefer hard water for showers - I hate the slimy feeling of soft water and soap.

I prefer soft water for appliances and plumbing because it's a lot easier on them.

 

[ecotourist]

On our farm we had a hand dug well - maybe 20' deep. Excellent tasting but hard water.

A small digression -

When I said "hand dug" I mean dug by a man, using a shovel. That must have been extraordinarily dangerous. They used to put wooden cribbing in the well but I think that was put in afterwards. But I was just a kid so I don't remember exactly.

I've never heard of it, but there must have been deaths from cave-ins while digging those things. One of our neighbour's sons died during that era from a cave-in in water or sewer work in a nearby city, and that would not have been anywhere near as deep.

 

[Pablo]

It would be used as a disinfectant. Maybe a shallow well where bacterial contamination is a concern.

This or possibly an oxidizer for sulfur compounds/H2S.

 

[walterjay]

Texas hill country where I live, you can tell as soon as you get in the shower. Soap does not lather up all that well.

When I spend a week in NY with soft water I can tell from the later right away.

Interesting fact. New York city has some of the highest quality water in the nation. It comes from the lakes in the Adirondack mountains. It is pure and free of contaminants.

 

[hrv]

I had a Enting Water softener for many years until it went bad....It was the older style that you set the days to regenerate....mine was on every 5 days. I did like the soft water. you use much less soap thats for sure...what I did not like was it used around 30 gallons of water during the regeneration plus the salt you had to purchase. When it wnt bad after about 12 years I did not replace it...I got used to the harder water. I will say the newer type water softeners now are able to regenerate only when needed and use less salt and less water to do it...

 

[walterjay]

I had a Enting Water softener for many years until it went bad....It was the older style that you set the days to regenerate....mine was on every 5 days. I did like the soft water. you use much less soap thats for sure...what I did not like was it used around 30 gallons of water during the regeneration plus the salt you had to purchase. When it wnt bad after about 12 years I did not replace it...I got used to the harder water. I will say the newer type water softeners now are able to regenerate only when needed and use less salt and less water to do it...

The newer ones which regenerate only when necessary easily save many people 70% of salt usage.