Earl Mathieson

Hard Water Comparison Information

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Test Guidline Values Comments
pH<6.5May be corrosive.
<8.4Progressively decreases efficiency of chlorination.
>8.5May cause scale and taste problems.
TD S< 500mg/lRegarded as good quality drinking water based on taste.
500 – 1000mg/lIs acceptable based on taste.
> 1000mg/lMay be associated with excessive scaling and corrosion.
Hardness As Calcium Carbonate (CaCO3)0 – 20mg/lSoft – Possibly corrosive.
21 – 40mg/lModerately soft – Good.
41 – 60mg/lSlightly hard – Possible scaling problems
61 – 80mg/lModerately hard – Scaling problems.
81 – 120mg/lHard – Increased scaling problems.
> 121mg/lVery Hard – excessive scaling problems.
Hardness As Calcium Carbonate (CaCO3)0 – 50mg/lSoft – Possibly corrosive.
51 – 100mg/lModerately soft – Good.
101 – 150mg/lSlightly hard – Possible scaling problems.
151 – 200mg/lModerately hard – Scaling problems.
201 – 300mg/lHard – Increased scaling problems.
> 300mg/lVery Hard – excessive scaling problems.
Salinity> 15us/cmPure rain water.
200 – 800us/cmTown water.
< 800us/cmFreshwater rivers.
800 – 1600us.cmMarginal river water.
1600 – 4800us/cmBrackish water
> 4800us/cmSaline water
Saturation Index (SI)-5Extreme corrosion.
-4Severe corrosion.
-3High corrosion.
-2Moderate corrosion.
-1Mild corrosion
0Balanced.
1Mild scale coating.
2Moderate scale coating.
3High scale coating.
4Severe scale forming.

Soluble ions found in water are:

Cations Anions
Calcium (Ca2+) Carbonates (CO32-) Nitrate (NO31-)
Magnesium (Mg2+) Bicarbonates (HCO31-) Boron (B3+)
Sodium (Na) Chloride (Cl1-) Phosphate (P043-)
Potassium (K) Sulfate (S042-)

Canions – Is an ion with fewer electrons than protons, giving it a positive charge.

Anions – In an ion with more electrons than protons , giving it a negative charge.

Electrical Conductivity

Is an assessment of waters salinity or of all total dissolved salts (ions) but will reliably indicate the degree with which a salinity problem is likely to occur.

Totally Dissolved Solids (TDS)

Total Dissolved Salts is the sum of all the ions present in a sample of water and represents the total salt

Content of the water (1mg/l = 1ppm).

Saturation Index

This gives the relationship between pH, salinity, alkalinity and hardness. It is used to assess the scaling (encrustation) or the corrosive potential of the water. If the index is between –0.5 and +0.5, there is little likelihood of either scaling or corrosion of pipes and fittings.

Total Alkalinity (CaCo3)

If the Total Alkalinity is low the water may be aggressive and cause corrosion to pipe work and structures. If the Total Alkalinity is high the water may more readily promote scale formation.

pH

Measures the acidity or alkalinity of a water sample. This measures if water is acidic (<7, neutral (7) or alkaline (>7).

Bore Water

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Bore water, or well water as it is known in the United States, is rain water that accumulates underground and is drawn up by a pump for household and agricultural use. Because it tends to have very high mineral content, it is usually significantly harder than surface water. Common minerals found in bore water include manganese, iron, and calcium. In addition to accumulating in your pipes and potentially corroding them, these minerals are capable of staining your tile, your bathroom fixtures and anything you throw in your washing machine.

A great way to minimize the effect of bore water on your home’s pipes and bathroom fixtures, is to use a water conditioning system like Turbu-Flow. Turbu-Flow will soften the water and prevent the minerals from accumulating in your pipes as scale. It will also remove scale that has already accumulated and therefore lower your energy bill by allowing the water to move through your pipes and appliances more efficiently. Turbu-Flow is easy to install even on bores and wells, and in most cases, no digging is required for installation.

Though Turbu-Flow is a wonderful solution for hard bore water, even after installation you should continue to have your bore water tested regularly. Bore water may get contaminated with bacteria like e. coli and other dangerous chemicals like nitrate, arsenic, and fluoride making it unsafe to drink, to cook with, or to bathe in.

Salty Water? Not with Turbu-Flow!

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Many water softeners are salt-based and remove the calcium and magnesium ions that cause hard water by replacing them with sodium and potassium ions. Owners of these water softeners are the ones who tend to complain about salty water. Salty water is unhealthy to drink, tastes terrible, and can actually kill your plants if you water them with it for a long period of time. If you choose to replace your salt-based water softener with a Turbu-Flow water conditioning system, you won’t have any of these problems.

Turbu-Flow is unique in that it has the same water softening effect as a typical salt-based water softener, but it uses absolutely no sodium or any other chemicals. Instead, when water passes through the Turbu-Flow patented alloy core, the water’s flow is erratically disrupted by the blend of metals in the cylinder. Any mineral particles, including those that cause hard water (calcium, magnesium, copper, and sodium), are then broken up into miniscule, nano-sized crystals. In addition, as a result of this process, nuclei are released into the water and actually attract and remove the scale that has already formed on your pipes. This process is called epitaxial nucleation.

To learn more about the science behind Turbu-Flow, please visit our FAQs Page. You can also contact us and we’d be glad to explain why salty water won’t be a problem if you choose to go with a Turbu-Flow water conditioning system. Keep reading below for more great reasons to choose us for your water softening needs!

Washing Clothes in Hard Water

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Washing clothes in hard water is a challenge. In order to get the best results, you have to make sure the water is at a precise temperature, you have to buy and use an exorbitant amount of specialized laundry detergent, and sometimes you even have to add a second product like Borax to every load of laundry you do. Needless to say then, washing clothes in hard water can be pretty expensive in terms of cash and time. The good news though, is that there is a simple solution and it’s called Turbu-Flow.

Turbu-Flow is a water conditioning system that controls the mineral content of your water as it softens it. It is important to control the mineral content of your water for laundry purposes because the minerals in hard water stick to your clothes and attract dirt and soap, which make your colored clothes appear old and dull. Additionally, hard water is as tough on your clothes as it is on your skin so you’ll find yourself having to replace clothing much more frequently than your neighbor who has soft water.

Instead of adding a water softener to every load of laundry you do, install a money-saving Turbu-Flow water conditioning system. In addition to making your laundry life easier and less expensive, water softened by Turbu-Flow can improve the efficiency and function of all your appliances that use water like your dishwasher, toilet, shower, and more. Stop washing clothes in hard water. Whether you live in a studio apartment or run an enormous hotel, there’s a Turbu-Flow water conditioning system for you. Call us today or keep reading below to see what else Turbu-Flow can do.

Blue Water Syndrome

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If the water coming out of your pipes has a blue or green tint, you may have a problem known as blue water syndrome. While the cloudy water that leaves a powdery film on your glassware is caused by high amounts of calcium in your water, blue water syndrome is caused by too much copper. Like calcium, copper is a natural mineral component that’s often found in water, but rarely are the trace amounts in a home’s water supply enough to cause blue water syndrome. Rather, blue water syndrome most often occurs when copper is one of the metals used to make your home’s pipes.

Copper is an element that the body needs to survive, so it is usually not dangerous for humans to ingest. However, the ingestion of too much copper will cause uncomfortable gastro-intestinal issues like nausea, vomiting, and the like. If you consume high amounts of copper for a long period of time, like those found in blue water, you may be at risk of seriously damaging your kidneys or liver.

Because most household pipes are made of copper, the key to controlling your blue water syndrome and copper ingestion is to control the pH balance of your water. Though water that’s really acidic is the most corrosive to copper pipes, corrosion and blue water can occurs whether your water’s pH balance is too high or too low. If your pipes are being corroded by unbalanced water, a water conditioner that’s chemical and salt-free like Turbu-Flow is the best way to balance your water and correct blue water syndrome for good.

Swimming Pool Hard Water Treatment

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It’s always summer somewhere in the world and you know what that means, pool owners have turned off their furnaces and emerged from hibernation to do their best scientist impersonations. No matter how good of a Bill Nye impersonator you’ve become, amateur swimming pool water treatment can lead to some serious problems. For example, like the pipes inside your home, your swimming pool pipes are also prone to accumulating scale. This is a problem that is often exasperated when homeowners don’t stay on top of the calcium levels and the pH balance of their pool water.

Not only can scale build up in your pool’s pipes and restrict water flow to and from your pool’s heater and filter, it can also accumulate along your pool’s walls and floor causing the water to become increasingly cloudy. Pools in areas where water is particularly hard are especially prone to high calcium levels and as a result, scale buildup. The best way to combat cloudy water and scale is to frequently add fresh water to your pool, scrub the walls and floor often, and choose a water softener like Turbu-Flow that will help control pH balance and calcium levels. Installing a swimming pool conditioner has been proven to reduce calcium build up on walls and equipment, reduce black spot, help maintain a constant pH, improve the clarity of water and reduce back washing. This year, take the guesswork out of swimming pool water treatment. Install a Turbu-Flow water conditioner and leave the science to those who know best, the scientists.

How Do You Know If You Have Hard Water?

Download this 9 point checklist to diagnose if you are affected.