Remember that Chemistry Class you took in high school?
WELL IT’S TIME FOR A POP QUIZ! ✏️
How is Alkalinity and pH different?
How do they work together?
What does it mean for your drinking water?
Don’t know the answers? That’s okay, we do and this blog is dedicated to understanding Alkalinity, pH and why it’s important for your water!
Back To The Basics
In order to understand how Alkalinity & pH work together, we must first know what each component does.
What Is pH?
pH (poteHard water stains in your shower giving you a hard time? It’s time to eliminate them for good! ntial of Hydrogen) is a scale that measures if something is acidic, neutral or basic. For today’s blog, we will mainly be discussing liquids.
The levels range on a scale from 0-14
- 0-6 – Low pH – Acidic – This means that the liquid has more Hydrogen ions than water (neutral 7).
- Examples of acidic liquids: Lemon juice, vinegar, coffee, wine.
- Liquids and foods high in acidity can cause erosion, tooth decay and stomach issues.
- 7 – Neutral – Pure Water
- 8-14 – High pH – Basic – This is also called Alkaline (not the same as alkalinity).
- Examples of basic/alkaline liquids: soap, detergents, bleach, baking soda
Basically, pH determines how sour/neutral/bitter something is. So if you’re drinking citrus juice – you will notice the sour/tangy taste, which means it’s acidic (low pH). A soapy or bitter taste means it has a high pH/ is basic.
What is Alkalinity?
First things first, Alkalinity and Alkaline are NOT the same. Similar words, different meanings.
Alkaline means something has a pH higher than 7 (as described above).
Alkalinity is a measure of how resistant water (neutral pH of 7) is to change when it comes in contact with high pH or low pH substances.
Alkalinity keeps water the water pH balanced or stable. Think of it as a shield that protects the water from becoming too acidic or basic (sour or bitter).
How Do They Work Together?
If the alkalinity in water is high, that means a substance with high or low pH won’t disturb the water and it stays stable.
If the alkalinity in water is low, an acidic substance like lemon juice can instantly infiltrate the water and turn it sour.
Alkalinity balances and stabilizes the pH.
What Does This Mean For Your Drinking Water?
Since pure water has a neutral pH of 7, it’s important to keep it that way as it flows from the water pipes of the city to your home. Even though it is stabilized and cleaned in the city reservoirs, it might not be by the time it comes into your home.
Many factors play into what the pH of your water is when it comes through the faucets. Whether it tastes more chalky or tangy, will determine the pH factors.
Since you live in the DFW area of Texas you also deal with hard water which means it mostly likely has a high pH. That is why it has a weird taste and odor and you have hard water stains in your shower, tub and sink.
Let EcoWater Texas Stabilize Your Water
Don’t let pH and Alkalinity affect how crisp and pure your water is. Let our experienced team install a home water filtration system.
The state-of-the-art systems are designed to eliminate hard water, and create a high-quality clean water environment that will flow throughout your home.
To learn more about our advanced water systems, contact our team today! Our service areas include the DFW and beyond!