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Lisa Scholl

Lisa Scholl

Wasserfilter-Expertin

Water hardness classification

The shampoo can hardly be distributed, the expensive washing machine goes on strike and white residues float in the tea water: Some regions of Germany have hard drinking water. As a result, household appliances calcify and care products cannot be used optimally in the shower. But what is meant by "hard" and "soft" water and what is the significance of the degree of hardness? How does water hardness differ in the various German states and is soft drinking water actually beneficial? What water hardness is gentle on household appliances and reduces the amount of cleaning required? This article provides answers!

Are you annoyed by badly calcified household appliances? Then your region has “hard” tap water. But what is the meaning of the terms “hard water” and “soft water”?

The so-called water hardness, a term from chemistry, is the measured mineral salt concentration of the drinking water. Depending on the region and the nature of the local soils, this measured value varies.

If rainwater seeps into the ground, it reaches the groundwater via the various rock layers. Along the way, the water is enriched with minerals from the soils.

But acid rain or lime fertilization can also contribute to changes in the mineral content of groundwater. Waterworks then treat the groundwater. The high quality standards are regulated by the Drinking Water Ordinance.

Since 2007, there has been an official classification of hardness levels as part of the Washing and Cleaning Agents Act (WRMG). A specific unit of measurement is used for this: Degree of German hardness, in short °dH. Since 2007, the unit “very hard” has also been deleted.

Water with a high calcium and magnesium content and traces of strontium and barium is referred to as “hard”. Colloquially, the composition of calcium and magnesium is titled “lime”. Calcium is considered to be the hardness component, as magnesium compounds only contribute a small proportion of the water hardness.

Meaning of the degrees of hardness

Hardness range “soft”: <1.5 millimol calcium carbonate per liter (8.4 degrees German hardness)

Hardness range “medium”: 1.5 to 2.5 millimoles of calcium carbonate per liter (8.4 to 14 degrees German hardness)

Hardness range “hard”: >2.5 millimol calcium carbonate per liter (from 14 degrees German unit)

Overview: Hardness per state

°dH Brandenburg: 17.00 degrees of German hardness

°dH Berlin: 18.00 degrees of German hardness

°dH Baden-Württemberg: 15.00 degrees of German hardness

°dH Bavaria: 17.00 degrees of German hardness

°dH Bremen: 8.00 degrees of German hardness

°dH Hesse: 16.00 degrees of German hardness

°dH Hamburg: 16.00 degrees of German hardness

°dH Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania: 20.00 degrees German hardness

°dH Lower Saxony: 14.00 degrees of German hardness

°dH North Rhine-Westphalia: 14.00 degrees German hardness

°dH Rhineland-Palatinate: 15.00 degrees of German hardness

°dH Schleswig-Holstein: 13.00 degrees of German hardness

°dH Saarland: 10.00 degrees of German hardness

°dH Saxony: 11.00 degrees of German hardness

°dH Saxony-Anhalt: 22.00 degrees of German hardness

°dH Thuringia: 15.00 degrees of German hardness

WATER QUALITY: IS SOFT WATER BETTER?

Many users ask themselves the question: is hard or soft water better? The answer is very short: Soft water is beneficial. This is because water with a low calcium carbonate content is gentle on household electronic devices as well as faucets and shower fixtures.

The advantages: Soft water from the pipes tastes great. In this way, users can consume enough tasty water every day – in keeping with the water culture in Japan.

At the same time, low water hardness levels without lime can result in more money left over at the end of the month. This is because soft water reduces the consumption of care products and cleaning agents.

Taste

Anyone who is thirsty dreams of a sip of crystal clear, pure water. It is not for nothing that the low-calorie liquid is considered a recommended thirst quencher. In doing so, many households rely on a water filter to increase water quality and taste.

Alternatively, consumers can use mineral water bottles. But here too, depending on the source, the taste of the water differs. The disadvantage: mineral water is often offered in plastic bottles.

Users are therefore right to ask themselves the question:
Is mineral water healthy
? Initial studies have already been able to detect microplastics in the human body. If you don’t want to take the risk, opt instead for a high-quality water filter for home use.

But the taste of coffee and tea specialties can also change if the concentration of minerals in tap water is adjusted by an effective filter system. This ensures that the inherent taste of the lime-containing water does not distort the flavor composition of a product.

Sustainability

Awareness of our environment is growing. Those who want to act sustainably, for example, rethink their consumption behavior. But hard water can cause consumers to use high amounts of personal care products such as shampoo and shower gel when showering.

With an optimal water hardness level, consumption decreases. The consumption of detergents and cleaning agents can also be reduced by the optimal water hardness.

In addition, energy can be saved if the equipment does not have calcification. Energy-efficient appliances are not only easy on the wallet, but also have a positive impact on the environment.

Save costs

When white rims adorn the faucets and shower stall and bits of lime float in the cup, it’s time for a thorough descaling of the bathroom, kitchen and appliances. This process not only requires a lot of time. Rather, calcified equipment can trigger costs that can be avoided with the right tips.

Coffee machines, kettles, dishwashers, washing machines and irons work only moderately when calcified. In addition, the service life of the equipment decreases, which means that new utensils have to be purchased within a few years. Consumers can therefore save money by installing a water filter. Order limescale filter now!

WATER HARDNESS FOR THE HOUSEHOLD

The good news first: Neither too soft nor too hard water is harmful to health. Nevertheless, it may be worthwhile to create an optimal water hardness. According to experts, this lies between 8.3 and 8.4 degrees of German hardness.

In this area, the risk of limescale formation decreases. In this way, household appliances such as washing machines and kettles are spared. Houseplants also prefer softer water.

In addition, bathroom and kitchen fixtures benefit from medium water hardness. In addition, there is a high solubility of soaps. This means that they foam well, but do not settle in the sink. The latter is true when very soft water is present.

To adjust the hardness of the tap water, it may be worthwhile to install a filtration system. This is a method of water treatment.

The advantage: the assembly of the practical system is quick and easy. At the same time, the filters achieve a noticeable effect. Furthermore, the filtered tap water can be used for drinking and cooking.

If you are not sure what the water hardness is, you can have the water tested. In addition, this is an option if the residential property has old pipes that can contaminate the drinking water.

Legionella

How dangerous are legionella?

Legionella in drinking water is not uncommon. Basically, bacteria in low concentrations are inevitably an integral part of any freshwater. However, Legionella can cause flu-like illness in humans.

But what are legionella bacteria anyway? How are they transmitted and what danger do they actually pose? All this and how you can protect yourself from infection with legionella, you will learn in this article.

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