The Northern Virginia area is no stranger to hard water and mineral build up. Whether you are a resident in Aquia, VA or Sterling, VA chances are your household water is hard. Well water is pumped from the earth. During this process it comes in contact with a various mineral deposits. Naturally water has the properties and agents present to dissolve these minerals. Calcium and magnesium have a large presence in the mid-Atlantic region. Well owners should not be alarmed, the calcium and magnesium levels in your water are not high enough to affect the taste. In some areas, the calcium and magnesium levels may produce a distinct odor. The levels are high enough to cause calcium buildup in piping, showers, and sinks as well as create a thin, slimy film when put in contact with dish soap.
SES may not be able to get rid of hard water in your home or commercial space but we can suggest ways to alleviate the problem. The current viable option to hard water is either to filter the water by reverse osmosis in or through the use a water softener. The installation of filtration systems in residential homes is extremely expensive and is usually only reserved for commercial spaces.
The technology behind a water softener is quite simple. Water is circulates through a prism that replaces the water calcium and magnesium ions present with sodium ions. Since sodium is not responsive to piping material and does not react poorly with soap, both of the effects of hard water are resolved. The filter is filled with plastic beads that are charged with sodium ions. This matrix of bead is called zeolite. Once the zeolite has lost its sodium ions, the filtration system will be filled with nothing but traces of calcium and magnesium. To regenerate the zeolite, the beads are soaked in a brine solution of salt. Once the beads have been regenerated, the calcium and magnesium that once collected on the beads is flushed out a drain along with the remainder of the solution.
SES is Northern Virginia’s premier septic tank system and well water testing company. Since 1987 we have been serving residential and commercial customers alike. SES stands by private wells. They offer an excellent source of safe high quality drinking water and if regularly tested, can provide water quality that surpasses that of public drinking water systems. Contact SES today for more information on well water and well water testing.