6 Signs You Need A Water Softener
Although some may not prefer the use of sodium in a salt-based water softener or the taste of excessively demineralized water, the pros of a water softener trump the cons!
If you’ve started to witness the signs mentioned below that means acquiring a water softener is a necessary step that needs to be taken!
- Increased Staining- Soft water is also beneficial for your water-based appliances because they don’t leave behind any mineral buildup or scale. The presence of hard water minerals starts forming scaly and soapy residue. This decreases the life expectancy of your appliances.
- Increased Use of Detergents and Soaps- If scaling persists, you’ll eventually increase your cleaner usage. This means you’re using more stop and detergent to combat the residue. Hard water makes it difficult to lather the soap scum and scale left behind.
- Increased Staining on Bathtubs and Sinks- Any surface that will come in contact with hard water repeatedly will also stain! That goes for your bathrooms as well!
- Appliances and Pipes- Hard water is pumped into your kitchens and bathrooms via pipes that connect the water supply. Scaling can hinder flow rates in pipes if there’s drastic day-to-day buildup.
- Clothes Start Losing Color- Hard ions extract the color out of your clothes thus fading them. Coupled with increased use of detergent, clothes washed with hard water fade out their color.
- Skin and Hair Get visibly Drier– The benefits of a water softener for showering result in hydrated and softer skin. This is because softened water doesn’t contain the heavy metals that adversely dry out hair and skin.
Understanding The Classification Of Hard Water
Hard water can be classified into four water categories; softest water, moderately hard, hard, and very hard water. Hard water can be tested by laboratory kits or DIY test kits.
Water hardness tests are interpreted on the amount of calcium carbonate present in the water. Calcium carbonate is measured by parts per million(ppm) or milligrams per liter (mg/L).
According to this, to check the degree of water hardness, all water categories have a range based on which water hardness levels can be classified.
The softest water has between 0-60 ppm of mineral concentration. Moderately hard water has a mineral concentration between 61-120ppm. Hard water has a mineral concentration range of 121-180 ppm and hardest water is interpreted by any number above 180ppm.
7 Benefits Of A Water Softener
1) Healthy Skin And Hair
Hard water strips your skin of its natural moisture resulting in drier skin and scalp that becomes difficult to moisturize. This is because minerals like calcium and magnesium in water form a slippery layer on your skin.
Once you install a water softener, you’ll notice considerable changes that benefit your hair and skin. Softened water will result in softer skin that is easier to moisturize.
Shower water filters are a great substitute for water softeners for washing and cleaning if you want the benefits of water softeners only in your bathroom while saving money.
2) Less Use Of Soap And Detergents
In this case, water softeners reap multiple benefits. Hard water leaves behind scale in washing machine systems which require more use of laundry detergents. The consistent use of hard water results in faded clothes.
Using a water softener results in easier cleaning without excessive use of laundry detergents or fabric softeners.
3) Lesser Staining On House Items
That annoying scaly buildup you keep seeing on your bathtubs and utensils is because of hard water. For lower costs you can get a water softener system that will prevent scaling, to begin with!
Accumulation of scale buildup is very unpleasant and can’t be cleaned easily. It also decreases the life of other household appliances. Installing a water system will make your house items last longer and eliminate problems left behind by hard water.
4) Lower Energy Bills
One of the major pros of having a water softener is the reduction in energy consumption. Soft water will benefit other water treatment systems too!
If you have a water heater, soft water will improve the water heater’s exchange efficiency. An improvement in the efficiency of water heaters means you’ll reduce water wastage and won’t need a lot of hot water for washing and cleaning.
A reduction in wastewater will lead to lower energy and water costs. Salt-free water softeners, for instance, don’t require electricity to function at all thus reaping benefits for your electricity bills!
5) Softer Clothes That Don’t Lose Color
At first glance, this doesn’t seem like a big issue, however, water filtration systems alone don’t help fabrics retain their natural texture.
Calcium and magnesium also have an unfavorable effect on clothes because it makes them stiff. Like the adverse effect hard water has on skin, it also makes clothes dry, itchy and faded.
Using soft water eliminates the problem since the water doesn’t have the qualities of hard water anymore.
6) Unusual Tap Water Flavor And Scent Removed
You must make sure that your home water is safe and healthy for drinking. Hard water is mostly supplied through the municipal system which doesn’t mean it’s 100% safe for consumption.
There’s a taste gap between normal tap water and hard water that’s easily deduced. Water softeners are efficient to remove any unpleasant taste or scent left behind by hard water. This makes soft water safe to drink.
Although if you go for a salt-based water softener, you might not like the slight taste of sodium present in softened water. However, reviews show that most salt-based water softeners consumers don’t have a problem with the slight taste of sodium present in the water.
Another alternative is the salt-free water softener since it neutralizes hard water minerals and retains them in the water. This way you can reap the benefits of healthy neutralized minerals free of displeasing scents or taste that’s perfectly good to drink.
7) No Problems With Plumbing And Pipes
Pipes are the framework of your water supply system. Several geological surveys show that a regular flow of hard water running through pipes can cause buildups.
Scale buildup can cause blockages that can hinder the flow rate of running pipes. Since pipes are the internal framework of a housing system, it’ll cost you money to get rid of any plumbing disaster caused by this.
Water softeners eliminate these potential problems before you can think about a plumbing-induced problematic situation.
Conclusion
By eliminating water hardness, water softeners benefit your hair, skin, appliances, and clothes. Furthermore, water softeners conserve energy and reduce wastewater.
As mentioned above, the benefits of water softeners are countless and make your life easier. Who wouldn’t want that?