A water softener is a fairly common household appliance that offers homeowners SO MANY awesome benefits. Once you live with softened water you may wonder how you lived so long without one. However, some people don’t really know how they could benefit from soft water.
The EPA regulates the quality of tap water and there are national standards for more than 90 drinking water contaminants. However, hard water does not pose a threat to human health, therefore it is not regulated, even though most U.S. homes do have some level of hardness. Because of that, we hear a lot about water softeners and their benefits. The biggest question is always whether or not it is worth the investment in YOUR home.
Signs You Have Hard Water
- Stains on sinks, bathtubs and fixtures which are the result of water evaporating and leaving behind soap scum (calcium and magnesium usually.)
- Stains and spots on glasses and silverware can be embarrassing when white spots still exist even after washing them.
- Shampoo and soap, no matter if you use double, just don’t seem to lather. This leads to extra money spent because you tend to have to use more.
- Rough and faded towels and clothing.
- Dry, dull hair and skin.
- Scale and clogs in pipes and household appliances that use water. This scaling is the biggest (and usually the most costly) issue caused by hard water. Eventually, pipes or appliances wear out and break, requiring repairs or replacement. The lifespan of your appliances tends to be less with hard water and energy bills are higher!
The Benefits
Well, truthfully, those signs of having hard water listed above go away and that is HUGE. There are financial savings that are pretty great, too, as you can see in our image below. We offer a variety of water softeners to meet the needs of any home or business. Studies have shown that in using softened water with your water heater, the energy cost savings amount to 24.2% over a life cycle of 15 years.
The Cons
We want to keep this real, so there are a few things you may wish to consider.
- Some traditional water softeners have a negative impact on the environment – they use a LOT of water (and waste a lot) during regeneration and pollute a lot of excess sodium. Be sure to choose a home water softener that is eco-friendly and efficient, having the least environmental impact you can find. You should also check to make sure your city allows for them.
- It is an investment and there are purchase, rental, operating and maintenance or repair costs.
- Drinking soft water can increase your sodium intake (unless you have a salt-free unit) which may not be recommended for some people due to health risks.
- Maintenance and repairs will need to happen throughout the unit’s lifespan.
- You’ll need to get used to the “slippery” feel of your skin.
We are excited to help you choose the best water softener for your home. We see consumers enjoy the benefits on a daily basis and know that softened water is a huge asset to any home, apartment or business! Give us a call to learn more or get started!
