Is Hard Water Ruining Your Hair?

Hard water build-up on hair can leave it feeling limp and lifeless. The calcium and magnesium minerals can accumulate on the hair follicles and dramatically reduce the shine of your hair. Hard water deposits on skin have also been linked to conditions such as eczema and acne which are exacerbated as the hard water deposits irritate the skin even further. If all the above was not bad enough hard water minerals can also build up in hair causing it to feel dry, dull and unhealthy.

There are some natural solutions such as using white vinegar with the rinse water you use – but this can be very tedious after a while! Another solution is to use bottled water with low mineral content that should in theory rinse away the build-up of scale on your hair strands. However, buying bottled water just to wash your hair is not great for the environment.

By learning about specific products that are specially designed to deal with hard water you can easily combat the harmful effects. Using the correct shampoo can make the difference between dull, limp, lifeless hair and hair that feels soft and shiny again.

Manufacturer Details:

Malibu 2000 Well Water Shampoo is specifically formulated to cleanse hair that has been exposed to hard water.

Ingredients:

• Ascorbic Acid (Vitamin C) helps protect hair against free radical damage caused by exposure to the sun & air
• EDTA is a chelating agent that helps lift minerals
• Vitamin E Acetate helps protect hair against free radical damage, moisturizes hair and scalp tissue
• Panthenol penetrates the hair shaft to protect hair's strength and moisture

How Does it Work?

Using naturally derived antioxidants and superior nutrients, this shampoo helps prevent build-up of iron, calcium, copper and magnesium. The components of this shampoo have been proven to work time and again by targeting the mineral build-up in hair and the ingredients will guarantee to eliminate unwanted contaminants.

Pros and Cons

This shampoo is not the cheapest and it does not work immediately. However, with regular application this product can have a dramatic effect on the look and feel or hair that has previously been washed in hard water bringing it back to its natural look. Some users have used it regularly to transform the look of their hair, and swear by it as a way to get rid of the stubborn hard water minerals that gradually build up in hair.

Product Comparison

There are other products available such as Ouidad Water Works Shampoo that removes other contaminants from the hair such as salt water residue and chlorine. However, for a shampoo that has specifically been designed to deal with hard water, Malibu 2000 Well Water Action Shampoo is hard to beat. To learn more about this product click on the link below:

http://astore.amazon.com/hard0b-20/detail/B000T2185U

Water Test Kits - WaterSafe Well Water Test Kit Review

The first step to eliminating the effects of hard water around the home is to determine how hard your water is exactly. The best way to do this is to use a well water test kit that provides a good indication of the level of calcium and magnesium minerals in your water - well water typically has higher levels of these minerals in that other sorces of water.

As a guide, 60% of the UK and 85% of the US population live in a hard water area. This is a big problem, as dealing with hard water costs homeowners hundreds of dollars in expensive heating bills, as well as the headache of dealing with water deposits, and scale that forms around heating elements in kettles, dishwashers, boilers and in pipework.

The most common way to test is by using a hard water test strip, which is basically a small piece of specially treated paper that is dipped into the water to be tested, which then changes colour. This colour change is compared against a chart, where the hardness of water is related to the corresponding colour which is affected by the mineral concentration in the water.

A more accurate way is to use a use a water test kit which is usually a small bottle with specially formulated tablets. The idea is to take a sample of your water with the bottle, and then add the tablets to dissolve into the water. Again, there will be a colour change, this time of the water itself, which is compared against a chart indicating how hard the water is.

Probably the most accurate way, however, is to use a test kit which uses liquid drops which are added to the water sample. These have been proved to be most accurate when testing for hard water, and work time and again to reveal the true mineral content in a water supply.

This 4 out of 5 star product (pictured above) is a big seller on Amazon for anyone looking to discover what their home water supply contains. Many people have used this basic test kit with great success to test the hardness of their water which also helps to indicate if there are any other potential contaminants.

Manufacturer Details:

Watersafe Well Water Test Kit was specifically designed to help you test quickly and easily for the most common contaminants found in private well water, including: hardness, pH, iron, copper, lead, bacteria, pesticides, nitrates, nitrites, chlorine. If your home draws from private well water, regular testing (recommended yearly or more) is the only way to ensure the purity of your water and safeguard the health of your family.

From the experts at Watersafe, comes an affordable, easy-to-use and accurate test to determine the safety of your well water! Our new product is an essential addition to every home drawing from private water wells, giving you lab-quality results right in your own home. The EPA recommends testing your private well water at least once a year, so don’t wait! Put your mind at ease and help secure your family’s health with a Watersafe Well Water Test Kit.

How Does it Work?

The kit contains test strips that provide an easy and accurate indication of the water quality being tested. The strips are simply dipped into the sample of water and read off against a chart to provide the amount of hardness, pH, iron, copper, lead, bacteria, pesticides, nitrates, nitrites and chlorine to EPA standards.

Pros and Cons

This product is only a basic version and does not test for every possible component in a water supply. If you are looking to know about every single component that it contains, a top tip is to contact your local water supplier who will ask for a sample of your water which will then be tested in a laboratory environment. The main issue with this is that it’s usually quite expensive and many of the results from these tests can be rather confusing.

If you’re looking to know about the basic components of your water then it’s a good product to get started with. The kit is easy to use and has received good reviews from previous customers who have used it. Well worth a try!

Product Comparison

Other test kits such as the “SenSafe Water Quality Test Kit” provide more information on water quality but are more expensive and probably not really necessary if you’re just looking for a basic kit to start off with.

The WaterSafe Well Water Test Kit is a great way to know the hardness of your home water supply and start to be able to deal with the issues it causes. To learn more about this product click on the link below:

http://astore.amazon.com/hard0b-20/detail/B00028PDO8

How to Choose the Best Water Softener System

One of the most important things to consider when deciding which water softener system to purchase is to find the correct size system for your particular home. There are many systems on the market these days that can treat water from 100 litres up to 1 million litres per day - so it's crucial to pick the correct one that you need!

Many people have fallen into the trap of choosing the wrong type of device for their home which can cause more problems than necessary. An incorrect water softener installed in a home can not just be a waste of time, it can cost a massive amount of money maintaining the device by replacing the cartridges and servicing the system when things go wrong. I have received many emails from people over the years who have installed the wrong device and had very bad experiences with their water supply. If this is you then you're certainly not alone - many people just want an expert opinion on the best water softener system to go for.

How to Choose the Best One For You and Your Family

The best way to decide which one to go for is to use a water softener calculator to accurately calculate the exact system that you home needs. Fortunately, there are some excellent tools available these days that will tell you exactly which one you need to be going for. A powerful and easy-to-use tool is at AffordableWater.us which can be found at the link below:
http://www.affordablewater.us/index.aspx

By inputting the number of people in the household and the hardness of your water supply as well as the iron content, it will provide you with an excellent way of deciding which one will fit your needs. By discovering which device is the best one for your needs you'll be getting the best quality water and the best price. There are several issues to think about when purchasing a water softener but to learn about the 3 critical things to consider, check out the link below:
http://hardwaterstainstips.blogspot.com/2009/04/water-softeners-3-critical-things-to.html

Summary:
Finding the correct water softener system for you and your family is crucial to installing the most efficient device for your home. The products available these days have improved dramatically over the last few years and there are some excellent ones available...as well as not so good ones! But by using the excellent tools mentioned above to discover the best one for you, you'll be using clean, fresh water without any hard water minerals!


If you have any questions about which water softener to choose, feel free to email me at support@hardwaterstainstips.com. I'd be happy to hear from you!

How to Test Water Hardness

If you've been looking for a way to know exactly what is in your home water supply, then I think this post will excite you. That's because I've just created the video below showing you exactly how to do it. It''s really easy! 

Plus there are some really great products available these days to help you discover how much calcium and magnesium is actually in your water. This is then a great starting place to be able to do something about it. Many people have found out that their water supply is very hard and as a result installed a water softener to combat the minerals that the water contains.

This can save hundreds of dollars over the course of a year by reducing dramatically the energy bills for a house. It's the minerals that build up on the elements of kettles and boilers that cause all the problems - it really reduces the efficiency and can lead to costly heating bills.

If you're looking for a test kit to discover the hardness of your water today, check out the products below that have been proven to work to do the job:
















If you've got any other questions or queries about what type of hard water test kit to buy, please don't hesitate to contact me as I'd be happy to help.

New Ebook: Your Questions Answered...

We've had alot of questions from people about the launch of the new ebook that will be coming out soon. Thank you to everyone for your interest and for taking the time to contact us here at HardWaterStainsTips. We thought it only right to respond to the questions we've had by answering them here on the blog so other people can benefit as well. So read on...

1. Why are we doing this now?: Well, we like to help people the best way we can, and the last survey results revealed that 94% of people wanted to know more about the useful hard water combating products that are available on the market these days. So we decided that the best thing to do would be to put together a comprehensive ebook that people can refer to for the latest, up-to-date guide to the best products that will help combat hard water issues around the home.The results of the survey can be found at http://hardwaterstainstips.blogspot.com/2009/10/survey-results-2009.html 
2. How big is the ebook?: The ebook guide is 23 pages and contains powerful, actionable advice on the top 10 products that can transform a hard water supply into a water supply that everyone craves - tastes great, good for bathing and showering, leaves no spots on dishes or cars after washing and does not produce limescale in boilers and heaters which can significantly increase energy bills.
3. How much does it cost?: We are not sure at the moment how we are going to price the ebook, but we will give our early bird subscribers a BIG discount. Fill out the form below to get on the list today and be the first to be notified when it's available!
4. Will you be able to contact us for extra advice if you are interested in the products in the ebook?: Of course! We will provide free advice to all our subscribers if you want to purchase any of the products you see in the ebook. They are all available from our Online Store and there are links to each product.
5. Is there a guarantee with the ebook?: Yes there is, we provide a 30 day risk free guarantee. If you don't think that any of the products have given you any ideas for improving your lifestyle by combating your hard water then we will refund your money. No questions asked.
6. Will we be offering other products like this in the future?: Quite possibly! We have some great feedback from our subscribers on other ebook guides or products that may be of use. If you have any ideas feel free to email support@hardwaterstainstips.com - we'd be happy to hear your thoughts.

I hope that has answered any of the questions you may have about the new ebook coming out soon. It will be worth the wait and I'm sure you'll like it when it arrives...I look forward to having you as a happy customer soon.

Exciting Info on Our New eBook...

We have been working hard over the last few days putting the finishing touches to the new, practical ebook we will be launching soon!

We've had lots of questions and great feedback from our subscribers and we really appreciate the positive responses we've been getting from people about how excited they are about the availability of the ebook. We are so glad you are all interested in this because it is based on the surveys we sent out recently, which indicated that basically many people are sick and tired of having to deal with all the annoying hard water issues that come with living in a hard water area.

...this ebook is specifically designed to help people with this. It's the top 10 best products available on the market these days that will help people reduce the impact of the calcium and magnesium minerals in their water supply. The goal of the research we did was to find the most helpful products for the areas that people have the most difficulty dealing with. We are confident we've got all these down in the new ebook, but we have also included some alternatives to consider in the ebook which act as are good product comparisons.

Check out the quick video below for more info:


Create your own video slideshow at animoto.com.

To get on the early bird list for a substantial discount, fill out the form below:

What The New Ebook Covers...

The new ebook from HardWaterStainsTips is based on the feedback we got from our subscribers in the last survey we held. It told us that our hard water stains tips subscribers wanted to know more about the products that will help them around the home. 

Well we have listened here and our team has put together the best of the best into this ebook, the number one products that will have you hard water supply begging for mercy! Well not quite...but you get the message!



The brand new ebook "Top 10 Hard Water Products" has all the information for you to benefit by:

1. Learning all about the best way to test your hard water supply for calcium and magnesium minerals - this is crucial to know and will provide excellent information for you and your family.
2. Discover the path to soft, shiny hair by using one of the most trusted shampoos for getting rid of hard water build up on hair follicles. This product has some unbelievable customer reviews!
3. Achieve a soft, smooth shave with the number one, proven-to-work shaving cream for hard water areas. Which means no more nicks and cuts in the morning, and will help to achieve the perfect shave every time.
4. Get fresh, cool water that has been specially purified for you and your family with the water pitcher that has advanced filtration processes that treats your water by removing unwanted minerals and by-products. It's also great to use this water for a better tasting coffee!
5. Relax in the knowledge that the water from your shower is perfectly treated with the easy-to-fit shower head that people have been raving about!
6. Discover the deluxe, whole house filtration system that has helped so many people get the clean, pure water for the WHOLE house that everyone deserves. Say goodbye to hard water minerals because this baby will destroy them. Easy-to-install as well, plus it meets National Sanitation Foundation standards.
7. Learn about the effective product that eliminates up to 95% of the calcium and magnesium found in a hard water supply.
8. Number 8 in our "Top 10" best hard water combating products is the dishwasher that has been specifically designed to deal with hard water. It has a built it softener that prevents ugly white spots on dishes and glassware and produces sparkling results.
9. Save potentially hundreds of dollars on heating bills by using this easy-to-use solution that safely removes that build-up of limescale in boilers and keeps your boiler in top working condition.
10. Get your car looking great using this wash system kit that has helped many people in hard water areas reduce the white stains that can occur after washing your car. Proven-to-work and has received some outstanding reviews.

All the products that we recommend to achieve these amazing benefits are detailed in our new ebook that will be out soon!

Be sure to opt into the form below if your interested in getting a substantial discount on our new ebook (a limited number of discounted purchases will be available).

Get Ready for a Brand New eBook From HardWaterStainsTips

When we surveyed our subscribers a few months ago, the feedback we got was that overwhelmingly people wanted to know more about the amazing, useful products that are available these days that would help them deal with hard water in their home.

So we have been hard at work at HardWaterStainsTips and researched as many products as we possibly can and come up with a definitive Top 10! These are the best of the best, no doubt about it. They are the most useful and helpful products we could find that combat hard water issues, and dramatically reduce the impact of your high level mineral water supply.

It was clear that many of our subscribers valued a good quality product but didn't have the time to spend carefully researching each one in turn - and this is where we come in! With our expertise in helping people with hard water, we decided to go further than any other hard water sites on the internet and and do it all for you. We have spent weeks sorting through the many types of products that are on the market these days.

And lets to honest, not all of them are great. In fact many products that are purchased are a complete waste of money and should be avoided at all costs. However, there are a few that have the ability to transform your lifestyle by reducing the impact of the calcium and magnesium minerals in your water supply. All of these are in our brand new ebook!

I'm confident we have found the best...the most useful products available on the planet for each category we have...which we will get to in a minute. But first why not watch the video below for a quick taster of what is to come!


Create your own video slideshow at animoto.com.

To be updated straight away when our new ebook becomes available, fill out the form below to get on the "early bird" list for an exclusive discount:

Discover Why Your Home May Have Low Water Pressure

One of the big problems with the design of modern faucets is that they do not work well with hard water supplies. The modern faucet design easily traps hard water minerals, blocks the water flow and causes low pressure problems. 

Years ago many standard kitchen, bath and shower faucets had rubber and plastic washers that contacted a circular valve seat inside the faucet. When the faucet was opened, the washer created a large area for the water to pass through. In some ways it was probably too much as the amount of water that passed through was huge. This is not good in the modern era of water conservation.

These days many modern faucets have no cartridges inside the body of the faucet. These cartridges replace the washers that were in the older type of faucet. Many modern faucets also have an aerator or a flow restrictor inside as well which have very small holes to add air to the water. The only problem with these new cartridge type faucets is that they create a very small area for the water to pass through and consequently trap any sediment of hardness minerals.

This often creates low pressure from the faucet as small pieces of sediment or other debris clog the passageway within the valve cartridge and/or the tiny orifices within the aerator and or a flow restrictor. This is an extremely common problem for many homeowners.

These low water pressure and flow problems are very common just after a water main break in a municipal water system. Sand, dirt and other debris can enter municipal piping systems when a water main fractures. Once the water main is repaired, this debris is transported through the water system and can end up in your home.

Any debris in the main such as sediment, soldering flux or shavings of pipework can end up in reaching faucets which again can block the flow. This causes a reduction in water pressure and allows hardness materials to build up.

A great way to deal with this is to consider a water filter. The industry standard these days is the reverse osmosis water filter than effectively removes nearly all of the unwanted sediment and debris as well as up to 95% of calcium and magnesium minerals. This not only helps to provide you and your family with pure, clean water but also prevents stubborn hard water stains from forming around the home.

If you require any help deciding on what water filter is the best one for you and your family, drop me an email at support@hardwaterstainstips.com and I'd be happy to point you in the right direction.

The Difference a Water Softener Can Make

The decision on whether to install a water softener just on your kitchen sink or throughout your entire house is often made with finances at the front of your mind. The price difference can be substantial, but there are some other things to consider as well. 


Taste
This is the primary reason homeowners are now turning to softeners for their homes. They start with a small jug that is placed in the refrigerator to give a more refreshing taste, but since those have to be continually filled up and allowed to chill the idea of having a softener placed on their kitchen faucet eventually sets in. If this is your only goal in having the softener in your home, then just a kitchen unit will be adequate.

Home Maintenance
Hard water makes maintaining the plumbing as well as your sinks and bathtubs much harder than it really should be. The minerals that are in the water accumulate into lime scale which is harmful to your pipes and a real pain to scrub from between the tile around your shower. This is why so many homeowners now see the value of softer water when it comes to keeping their home lime-free and functioning efficiently.
When you place a water softener in your home its primary job is to take those rough, larger sized minerals and break them down. A high quality system will reduce their size to the point they dissolve back into the water, which creates a "wetter" water consistency which does not create the accumulation of lime scale like hard water.

If you use a softener system which doesn't put salt into the water you will have much less lime scale in your home than if you use a salt based product.

Of course, you cannot get the relief from lime scale unless the softer water is flowing to all areas of your home. You may enjoy the better taste of soft water in your kitchen, but in order to help maintain your plumbing you will need a system that covers your entire house.

Hair & Skin
The minerals in hard water also collect on your hair and skin and fail to rinse out all of your hair product, leaving behind a film which you may not be able to see or feel but which affects the health of your skin and hair regardless. When you use softer water you will wash away this film and allow the natural health of your hair and skin to come out.

Everyone is searching for a way to get vibrant, shiny hair and fresh, youthful looking skin, but few people realize the biggest piece to that puzzle is in the water they use for showers! To get the full benefits for your skin and hair you will need a whole house softener.

Laundry
The minerals in hard water are unable to push out all of the detergent and dirt from your clothing when you put them through the wash! This is why homeowners who install a whole house water softener marvel at how much longer their clothing lasts and how much clearer their fabric colors are!
To get the most benefits from your softener system it is clear that you will need a whole house system. When weighing the cost of a kitchen and whole house water softener also weigh the benefits!

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Allen_Taigom 

Water Softeners - Among the Very Best Energy Savers!

Softeners are among the “very best” household energy savers, says a new independent study released by the Battelle Institute, commissioned by the Water Quality Research Foundation.

Released yesterday, the study found that water softeners help preserve the efficiency of water heaters and major appliances and keep showers and faucets unclogged.

Among some of the key findings of the study found that water softeners helped in a number of ways:

1. Gas storage tank household water heaters operated on softened water maintained the original factory efficiency rating over a 15-year lifetime. On the other hand, hard water can lead to as much as a 48 per cent loss of efficiency in water heaters.
2. Up to 30 pounds of calcium carbonate rocklike scale can accumulate in electric water heaters over time. The life of the heating element will be shortened due to scale buildup because of increased operating temperature of the heating element.
3. Tankless water heaters failed to function because of scale plugging in the downstream plumbing after only 1.6 years of equivalent hot water use on 26 grains per gallon (gpg) hard water, and softened water saves 34 per cent of costs compared to operating on 20 gpg and saves 47 per cent compared to operation on 30 gpg hard water.

If you are fed up of hard water stains around your home then installing a water softener will also help in a number of other ways. Here at HardWaterStainsTips we are constantly looking to find the best ways to help people with their hard water stains, and water softeners are simple to install and provide a wealth of other benefits as well.

If you are thinking of buying a water softener make sure you read the blog post about the 3 critical things to consider before buying a water softener. Any questions feel free to email me - I'm happy to help!

Best Way to Remove Hard Water Deposits from Faucets and Dishes

A recent series of tests found that hard water deposits are formed more easily when hard water of varying pH levels mix. This was causing a local town to suffer from bad smelling water as well as large amounts of hard water stains on dishes and faucets.

Public Works Director John Powell expects the interconnect will open around April 26. The city of Burnsville has made a number of other improvements to its Surface Water Treatment Plant over the last few months. Powdered activated carbon is being fed and granular activated carbon has been installed in the filters at the plant to aid in taste and odor concerns that were discovered late last summer due to decaying algae that was producing organic compounds in the surface-water reservoir and inconsistent dosages of chlorine at the treatment plant.

Powell said extensive monitoring and testing will continue to ensure the new treatment is effective. He is requesting the public’s patience is requested during this period as it is expected to take some time to achieve the correct balance.

"Burnsville will be conducting water tests at about a half dozen locations in Savage, Powell said, to stay on top of any water quality issues. A study by a national water consultant has found that differences in pH levels, combined with hard water, are causing water shared between Savage and Burnsville to leave behind a white film and residue. After months of water quality testing and analysis, it was found that the film and residue is calcium carbonate that is produced when hard water of varying pH (acidity) levels mix. Additionally, many dishwashing detergents provide a pH boost which can exacerbate the issue.

The consultant has recommended that polyphosphate be integrated into the treatment process in Burnsville to alleviate this issue. The commonly used approach will keep the calcium carbonate in a solution form, preventing the residue and film from accumulating on dishes."

One of the best ways to eradicate issues like this is to consider a water softener or a reverse osmosis water filter than effectively removes hard water minerals as well as alot of other unwanted contaminants from the water supply.

Have you ever had bad smelling water? Have you ever noticed deposits on your dishes? If you have let us know about your experiences and we'll try to help you overcome it and find the best solution for you.









http://www.savagepacer.com/news/city-news/water-interconnect-open-end-month-104

Remove Hard Water Stains on Car

When hard water stains get on your car, they can make it look really ugly. Those white spots on the windshield and the bodywork just don't look good. 

Fortunately, there are some really easy ways to get rid of them using simple ingredients - check out the video below to see how to remove hard water stains on your car...



I hope that helps you get rid of the stains on your car - the simple techniques are always the best to remove these type of stains. You can use expensive products but simple white vinegar does a great job as well.

If you have any tips to remove hard water stains from cars, please feel free to add your comments below.

More Benefits of Softening Your Water Supply...

It can be a great idea to invest in a water treatment solution for your home as it can provide better drinking water for your family and softer working water for your home.

People often ask me what actually are some of the benefits of softening your water supply. Well see below for a run down of the main reasons why it can be a good idea.

• Cleaner kitchen and bathrooms with much less cleaning work

• Clear glasses and dishes

• Cleaner, softer laundry

• Smoother, more luxurious skin and hair

• Appliances work more efficiently and last longer

• Use less detergent, saving you money and helping the environment

• Never-ending supply of cleaner, safer drinking water

• More flavorful coffee and drinks

• Healthier alternative to sodas and sugary drinks

• Less expensive and less hassle than buying bottles of water

• Helps the environment by keeping bottles out of our landfills

If you have any others, please feel free to make a comment below and let everyone know why you prefer soft water to hard water. I look forward to your thoughts!

Save Water - Discover How to Save Water

There are some easy ways to save water around the home that could reduce your water consumption considerably. This not only helps the environment but if you are on a water meter it could save you hundreds of dollars in water bills over time. 

1. Ensure none of your taps/faucets are dripping. As soon as a tap starts to leak, get it fixed as not only is a dripping tap wasteful, it will cost you more on your water bill.

2. Try to imit showers to four minutes. It's also a good idea to invest in a water efficient showerhead ideally with a filter to remove hard water minerals. It will make showering easier as well as saving water and money. Check out this amazing water saving showerhead from Evolve:
Evolve Showerheads SS-2202CP-SB Water Lily Water Saving Rain Showerhead, Chrome Polish

3. Another way to save water is to wash only full loads in your washing machine. Do not just wash one or two items of clothing as most machines use the same amount of water whether you wash a full load or not. When buying a new washing machine, buy the most energy efficient model you can afford. It will save you more than the extra you pay over the life of the machine.

4. When peeling vegetables do not peel them under a running tap. Fill a bowl or the sink with water and rinse them as you peel.

5. Not overwatering your garden is a great way to save water. Plants need to seek water underground to establish a strong root system. Over watering encourages weak root growth and a weak plant.

6. Another water saving tip is to consider using grey water on your garden. Grey water is the water used in washing your clothes, dishes and showering. You can buy diversion kits nowadays that connect to the outlet of your plumbing and divert the water to the garden.

7. Do not use your dishwasher unless it has a full load. Perhaps even consider not using the dishwasher unless you have a party or special occasion where you use more than your usual amount of dinnerware.

For a great Energy and Water Savings Calculator, click on the link below to find out how much water and energy you could save.

http://www.itseasybeinggreen.com/conservation-calculator

If you have any comments about this post and ways you have saved water, feel free to post them below.

Carbon Media - Ancient Water Treatment Works the Best!

One of the most powerful ways to deal with unwanted water contaminants and hard water minerals these days is to consider a water treatment device that contains carbon media (you can see me holding a spoonful one some in the image on the left). They have come a long way since they first appeared decades ago and are probably the way forward in the years to come as they have been proven to work time and again.

Carbon filtering is a method of filtering that uses a piece of activated carbon to remove contaminants and impurities using a process known as chemical adsorption. Each piece of carbon is designed to provide a large section of surface area, in order to allow contaminants the most possible exposure to the filter media. One pound (454g) of activated carbon contains a surface area of approximately 100 acres (1 km²/kg). This carbon is generally activated with a positive charge and is designed to attract negatively charged water contaminants. Carbon filtering is commonly used for water purification, but is also used in air purifiers.

Carbon filters are most effective at removing chlorine, sediment, and volatile organic compounds (VOCs) from water. They are not effective on their own at removing minerals, salts, and dissolved inorganic compounds and are usually used in combination with other filter media to remove hard water minerals.

Typical particle sizes that can be removed by carbon filters range from 0.5 to 50 micrometres. The particle size will be used as part of the filter description. The efficiency of a carbon filter is also based upon the flow rate - When the water is allowed to flow through the filter at a slower rate, the contaminants are exposed to the filter media for a longer amount of time.

Carbon Filters in ancient Times

Carbon filters have been used for several hundred years and are considered one of the oldest means of water purification. Historians have shown evidence that carbon filtration may have been used in ancient Egyptian cultures for both air and water sanitization.

2000 B.C. Sanskrit text refers to filtering water through charcoal (1905 translation of "Sushruta Samhita" by Francis Evelyn Place) The first modern use of a carbon filter to purify potable water occurred in 1862. Carbon filtration was further advanced in the mid 1970's by H. Allen Rice and Alvin E. Rice when they first manufactured a porous carbon block for drinking water use.

Carbon Filters in Homes Today

Currently, carbon filters are used in individual homes as point-of-use water filters and, occasionally, in municipal water treatment facilities. They are also used as pre-treatment devices for reverse osmosis systems and as specialized filters designed to remove chlorine-resistant cysts, such as giardia and cryptosporidium.

As described above, carbon filter media is granulated carbon that works by trapping unwanted water contaminants in the microscopic cracks within the granules to remove them from solution. It is also know as activated carbon media and is the basis for may water filters and reverse osmosis water filters. 

If you are looking for the best type of water treatment device, reverse osmosis water filters are hard to beat - the one opposite is by Watts and is worth considering if you want one that's been proven to work. They contain all of the necessary stages to provide ultra pure water and are great if you're looking for the piece of mind for you and your family.

Reverse Osmosis Water Filters - The Industry Standard

Reverse osmosis water filters are used alot in the water industry these days, especially on water treatment works. They can really help to reduce hard water stains from forming around the home. Just the other day at work I saw one being installed on a lead rig...

It was added to remove the unwanted contaminants from the water so that the lead rig could  accurately detect the lead composition in the water. They usually contain two types of filter which remove different components from the water. Culligan reverse osmosis water filters are a particularly good manufacturer to go with if you are looking for a reliable source.

You can see from the picture that this one has two cartridges that filter out all kinds of unwanted minerals and produce water that is about as clean as it is possible to get these days. In fact they are the industry standard and are also used in homes by people who want to be sure that their water is the best it can be.

If you are interested in preventing hard water stains and limescale from forming around the home they can be a great addition to the water supply. They are easy to install and once set up they remove about 95% of the calcium and magnesium minerals responsible for the ugly white stains found on faucets, sinks, bath tubs, shower cubicles and in toilets.

If you've got any questions about reverse osmosis water filters or are considering purchasing one, feel free to email me at support@hardwaterstainstips.com. I'll be happy to point you in the right direction and help you out.

Any comments about this post, again, let me know your thoughts below...

Water Softening Benefits to be Studied...

The effect of hard water around the home can increase heating bills by hundreds of dollars a year. Simply adding a water softener is a great way to combat these effects and reduce the build-up of limescale and hard water stains.

The effects of softening water are now being studied at WQA Aquatech USA. The conference and exhibition will be held at the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando, Florida, March 9 - 12, 2010.

One of the best water filters around at the moment is the Pelican PC600 Premium whole House Water Softener. Click on the image below for more information...

The results of the conference will be very revealing and I'm sure will confirm that hard water continues to be an ever increasing evvironmental issue due to the extra energy is costs to heat homes and businesses.

The full article about the conference can be found at http://www.watertechonline.com/news.asp?N_ID=73367

If you have any comments about this post feel free to add them below - I be happy to hear your thoughts.