Water hardness — interesting facts and figures

Several water hardness test strips in the glass

You've probably heard of hard and soft water. This describes the degree of hardness of the water. The water hardness of water is divided into three hardness ranges: soft, medium and hard. This is referred to as the so-called total hardness. Closely related to water hardness Is the Lime content. Very soft water has a low lime content, while very hard water has a high lime content. But how exactly does the water hardness and the associated lime content arise?

What is water hardness and how is it created?

The water hardness is created in the soil, where the water flows through and seeps away. Depending on the rock, this process dissolves minerals. Among other things, calcium and magnesium dissolve. These two minerals play a significant role in the degree and range of hardness of the water. This is because water hardness indicates the concentration of dissolved alkaline earth salts in the water. If calcium and magnesium are high in water, they can chemically bond with other substances and harden. This chemical compound is visible as lime. Calcium and magnesium are therefore also referred to as hardeners. Water hardness therefore indicates the amount of various minerals in drinking water.
Calcareous soils in particular therefore increase water hardness in a region.

Disambiguation: MMOL, °dH and °fH

In order to divide water into three different degrees of hardness, it is divided into amounts of chemical substances. The sum of calcium and magnesium compounds in water is defined in millimoles per liter, or MMOL for short. Mole is the smallest unit for amounts of chemical substances, meaning that 1 millimol corresponds to 1/1000 mol.


The term °dH stands for “degree of German hardness” and indicates the water hardness in Germany and Austria. In Switzerland and France, the degree of hardness is given as °fH.

  • Soft water contains less than 1.5 millimoles of calcium carbonate per liter. This corresponds to a degree of hardness of less than 8.4 °dH.
  • Medium-hard water contains between 1.5 and 2.5 millimoles of calcium carbonate per liter. This corresponds to a degree of hardness of between 8.4 and 14 °dH.
  • Hard water is considered to be a calcium carbonate content per liter of more than 2.5 millimoles. This corresponds to a degree of hardness above 14 °dH.

How to determine water hardness: two options

There are several ways to determine the level of your water. Because whether you live in a region with soft, medium-hard or hard water is one of the reasons why it is important to know so that you can apply the correct amount of detergent when washing your clothes. The correct dosage of detergent is essential to protect your washing machine.

  • Request from the regional water supplier or waterworks: Each region and every household is supplied by a specific water supplier. According to the Detergents and Cleaning Products Act, they are required to determine the respective water hardness using chemical methods and to provide information about it. If areas are supplied with several wells, only average values of water hardness are often given. You can usually determine the water hardness on the website or the water bill of the respective municipal utilities. In addition, water hardness can often be found in water analysis.
  • Determination using test strips: In pharmacies, test strips can be purchased, which you can use to determine the water hardness yourself. These values are not 100 percent accurate, but they are very close to the actual value. Installers and specialist companies in the HVAC sector often also know the water hardness of the respective region.
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The third way to determine the degree of hardness of water is the chemical method. However, this is not suitable for domestic use because the method is very complex and a suitable titration device must be available.

Hard water — effects and proposed solutions

Hard water by itself is not harmful to humans and does not mean that your water quality is poor. Magnesium and calcium are even important for the body. Even if you live in a region in Germany with very hard drinking or tap water, you can safely cook, clean or drink the water. However, hard water has an effect on household appliances, fittings and the drinking water installation are negative. These can calcify after a certain period of time, pipes can be blocked by deposits and, in the worst case, your electronic devices break prematurely due to calcium deposits. In addition, calcium deposits in the heating system or in the hot water system lead to an increase in energy consumption, as calcium deposits have an insulating effect. Lime is therefore also an environmental issue.

In some cases, hard water can also have an effect on the taste of tea and coffee and adversely affect it. However, you don't have to worry about your health.

What can you do with hard water?

Would you like to counteract hard water and are you looking for solutions? Before you use a lime protection system or softening system, there are other ways to treat the water.

  • Water softening of electrical appliances: Electrical appliances such as dishwashers or washing machines usually have a built-in water softener. This works according to the ion exchange principle. Regular checks in the dishwasher are therefore important and should not be ignored. When it comes to washing machines, detergent or lime protection agent is the decisive factor that softens the water. That is why it is important to know the correct dosage. Basically, hard water requires more detergent than soft water. If a household appliance does not have an integrated water softener, household appliances must be descaled regularly. There are usually special means for this or you use household funds. A mixture of diluted vinegar essence or citric acid is often just as effective.
  • Decalcification in the boiler: boiler must be descaled regularly, as they usually do not contain a built-in water softener. Here, too, there are special means for descaling, or you can hire a specialist company in the HVAC sector to have a boiler descaled
  • Central water softening: At domestic water systems or drinking water installations, a central descaling system or water softening systems be connected. These soften the water through the so-called ion exchange. However, compared to home remedies, these plants can be very expensive and use a significant amount of water and sodium chloride. Here you can find an overview of Disadvantages of water softening systems.
  • Central lime protection system: Become similar to a water softener Lime protection systems installed at the house water connection after the water meter. However, these systems are usually more environmentally friendly.
  • Boil the water: If you taste any effects on the taste of tea or coffee, it may be helpful to boil the water before using it. When hard water is boiled, part of the carbonate hardness precipitates.

The AQON PURE lime protection system as an alternative to water softening

In contrast to conventional descaling systems, AQON PURE not just an environmentally friendly alternative. It is installed in just a few simple steps and does not require any additional consumables such as granulate cartridges. With AQON PURE, you also save yourself regular maintenance compared to a water softening system.

Up and running: Get the offer in just 2 minutes - optional with installation at a fixed price.
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