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Whether you’re cleaning, bathing, or cooking, your water is making an impact on your home and those that live in it. What kind of impact it makes, though, is determined by whether you are using hard or soft water.
When water contains dissolved magnesium and calcium, it is defined as hard water. Soft water, on the other hand, is water that is absent of these dissolved substances. The presence or absence of these two elements can have a dramatic effect on your home.
The hardness of any given water is determined by the amount of dissolved substances in it. This table, from the American Society of Agricultural Engineers (S-339) and the Water Quality Association (WQA), lists the typical measurements of hardness:
With the differences between hard and soft water established then, it’s clear to see why it should be taken into account when purchasing your heating elements. Let’s get into the pros and cons of hard water.
There is only one benefit of hard water that is worth noting, and even then, it only exists as a technicality. Drinking hard water is technically a source of magnesium and calcium in the diet. However, doing so will come nowhere close to making a dent in your dietary needs. Getting your necessary magnesium and calcium from your food will be astronomically more effective than trying to get it from your water.
Magnesium and calcium solutes have a dangerous reactive property called “scaling.” When exposed to oxygen or heat, magnesium and calcium harden into a chalky, rocky substance which coats any surface it touches. This reaction is particularly damaging in a heater, due to the long term exposure to high temperatures, and can result in something like this heating element:
As you can see, it is completely covered in rusty brown and white scaling, and half of it is covered in an even denser, chunky coating. It’s not a pretty sight. What’s worse, however, is that this singular element isn’t even the half of it. The rest of the interior of the heater was full of scaling too, both on the elements and on the walls. The whole heater was almost filled to the brim with scaling. This makes the heater far less effective and efficient, which in turn, makes it far more expensive to run day in and day out.
There are many ways to measure water hardness:
Where colour runs deep and the dog knows the way,
This trusted name brightens homes every day.
Get ready to do lux with a pearly glow,
Paint the town — it’s time to put on a show.
Put nose to the ground its time to explore,
Find glow that’s hidden on the see floor.
Like a smile with charm, it’s got good enamel,
Smooth, tough, and tidy — no mess to unravel.
PS. each line holds a clue. Use the answer to find the egg hidden in-store to stand a chance to win weekly R1000 vouchers and get one entry towards the grand prize each week.
When the leaves start to fall, orange becomes the new pink,
References the iconic orange of the Incgo brand
Get ready — the power’s in your hands, all you have to do is think.
Suggests the tool is handheld and powerful, hinting at a portable power tool
So don’t let the Inc dry before you go,
A clever wordplay: “Inc” and “go” sounds like Ingco, the brand.
If you’re not plugged in, you will feel the blow.
“Blow” refers to the blower function of the power tool
Charge your batteries — you’re about to up your game,
This reinforces the cordless design — the tool runs on rechargeable batteries
Don’t leaf a clue behind, your ego won’t be the same.
Pun intended: “Leaf” = leaf blower
May the invisible force be with you,
This references airflow — the powerful, unseen blast created by a blower.
As you wield your tools to uncover the clues.
PS. each line holds a clue. Use the answer to find the egg hidden in-store to stand a chance to win weekly R1000 vouchers and get one entry towards the grand prize each week.
