Do You Need a Water Softener?
Many homeowners wrestle with this question, in some cases, for many years, and they still don’t reach a definitive decision. After all, what is the difference? We all rely on a supply of water, but is soft water really worth the associated costs required to remove the hardness?
The decision is ultimately a matter of personal preference, but this decision could have a dramatic effect on the quality of your life and many aspects of your home.
Understanding Hard Water
Hard water contains elevated levels of calcium and magnesium. This hardness is added to the composition of the water as it passes through layers of rock and soil. Hard water causes several detrimental effects on you and your home. The mineral content inhibits the creation of soap suds leading to less than optimal laundry performance. When you wash with hard water, a thin film of mineral content is left on the surface of your skin, leading to skin dryness, soreness, and even tangled hair. This is the same material that you can see on the surfaces of your plumbing fixtures as scale. But, the scale that you cannot see poses a more severe problem because that material is inside your plumbing pipes and water using appliances. Scale makes these systems less efficient, breakdowns are more frequent, and the useful lifespan is shortened.
How Does a Water Softener Help?
The most effective method of water softening that we currently have is known as an ion-exchange process. This system exchanges the mineral ions that cause hard water with benign sodium or potassium ions that are softer. The mineral ions are left on the surface of a resin bed, and they are then periodically washed into the drain during a regeneration cycle. The size of water softener that you need can vary depending on a number of factors, including how many people are in the home, the volume of water used daily, the geographic conditions, and more. For this reason, it’s a good idea to consult your local water treatment for expert advice before you go ahead.
What if I Use City Water?
Many people believe that city water is softened, but this isn’t true. Rural water users are often supplied with well water, and this is usually hard, and this means these homes typically have a water softener already. City water users will have varying levels of water quality and hardness due to a large number of factors. Around 80% of all homes are supplied with hard water, and this probably includes your home too.
Switching to Soft Water
Most homes use around 25 gallons of water each day, so it’s important to determine how hard your water is before you decide to make a switch. Depending on the size, model, and manufacturer, a water softener can cost up to $2,500 and will usually last around 15 years. Most people notice an immediate improvement after making the switch, and it makes good economic sense in the medium to long term.
Interested in switching to soft water? Contact Aqua-Life, or purchase our AquaSana Water Softener