Is A Water Softener Worth It? What Are The Benefits?
If you’ve ever been bothered by scum stains in your sinks, stains on your dishware, finding that you’re using more soap just to get a lather, clothes fading quicker, scale deposits building up on your appliances, or dealing with perpetual dry hair or skin – it’s time to consider a water softening system.
85% of homes in the US have hard water.
Classifying what makes water harder or softer is the amount of calcium carbonate in the water. While the softest water has 0 to 60 parts per million (ppm) in its concentration of calcium, moderate hard falls between 61 and 120 ppm, hard water between 121 and 180 ppm, and very hard water above 180 ppm.
A water softener works by removing minerals from hard water using a process called ion-exchange. Mineral ions that cause buildup and result in hard water are trapped in resin within the system, and are exchanged with sodium and potassium ions.
Once you learn how a water softening unit works, you also realize the maintenance is rather minimal, only demanding occasional addition of a bag of salt pellets to your water softener.
Benefits of a Water Softener
While drinking hard water isn’t bad for you, there are still other crucial benefits from water softening that are noticeable in your home life. Having a water softener in your home might do more for your appliances, plumbing system, and dishware than for your overall health. But, once you’ve noticed you’re not having to deal with things like clogged pipes or other plumbing or appliance issues, you can appreciate the benefits in investing in a water softener to relieve the headache and costs of having to replace the things ruined over time by hard water.
Saves Money
Because hard water contains minerals that cause buildup in plumbing and appliances, having soft water can save you from making more frequent repairs or replacements.
Plumbing: Minerals in hard water stick to your pipes, forming scale buildup that can clog over time. With severe hard water compositions, there can be irreversible damage that calls for costly repairs and complete replacements. By installing a water softener, you can treat your hard water before there’s enough build up to do any damage.
Appliances: The scale that builds up over time in your appliances shortens their lifespan by lowering the quality and efficiency they perform at. Purchase a water softener to help avoid mineral buildup in the first place and you will reap the benefits of longer lives and reduced maintenance for your appliances.
Gas and Electric Bills: When scale builds up in a pipe, it creates a narrower path for water to flow through. Over time, the water pressure has to increase to push through these narrowed pipes. These restrictions cause a cascading failure to efficiently transfer heat as well, so your water heater ends up overcompensating for that heat loss by working harder as well. These issues impact your energy usage and directly contribute to higher gas and electric bills.
Soaps and Detergents: Soft water dissolves soap better, meaning you’ll get a better lather and more suds when cleaning your body, clothes, or dishes. When using hard water, you often have to use twice the amount of cleaning product that you would need when cleaning with soft water. Typically, hot water is used to remove mineral deposits and to help dissolve detergents better, but with soft water you can successfully use cold water for your clothes, not only saving you detergent but heating costs as well.
Less Detergent Use
Soft water dissolves detergent more effectively, because it fuses with the soap and detergent more completely, which gives more lather and better cleaning action. Rewashing is all-too-common when using hard water. When you notice a cloudy haze or scale on your glassware, you know you’re dealing with hard water in your home. With a water softener, your clothes will have a softer feel and a better clean instead of mineral deposits that cause colors to fade or white clothes to appear dull.
Household Cleanliness
Hard water buildup can cause utensils, cookware, showers, faucets, and sinks to all appear dull and have a soapy film. Leftover calcium and magnesium from hard water after washing can leave noticeable white scaly spots, and even contribute to an odd taste when in use.
You’ll spend much less time cleaning with a water softener, as it prevents chalky lime and soap scum buildup in your bathrooms and kitchen. Since soft water works better with your soap and detergent, there’s more cleaning power with your washing and cleaning routines, and less wasted product along the way.
Benefits to Skin and Hair
Calcium and magnesium do not mix well with soap, which can cause buildup that clogs pores and leaves an uncomfortable dry film on your skin. If you have struggled with acne and products don’t seem to be working efficiently for you, hard water could be the source of your problem.
Rinsing with hard water also potentially aids in developing eczema, or can even worsen your symptoms, due to minerals in the hard water that removes your skin’s natural oils and dry out your skin, as well as your hair.
Soft water can help balance your hair’s pH levels, as well as keep your hair color lasting longer between hair color appointments.
Choosing the Best Water Softening System for Your Home
The type of water softener that you need depends on what you intend to use it for, as most are used for areas where you use water the most like bathrooms, kitchens, and laundry rooms.
On Time Home Services located in Bakersfield, CA can help you decide what water softener fits your home needs at a reasonable price. We’re here to answer any questions you have about your water, plumbing, filtration, and more!
With 25 years of experience, you can enjoy peace of mind year-round knowing we’re here to keep you and your family comfortable and keep your water pure. Our expert staff are trained on the latest innovations in the plumbing and HVAC industry, so from maintenance to emergencies, we’re here to work hard in finding you the best solutions.
Contact us today if you’re in need of a Bakersfield water services expert you can trust. Our technicians have the knowledge, equipment, and resources to get the job done right, and on time.
