Benefits of Home Water Softeners
Water softeners are used to remove minerals that make water hard. Hard water has high levels of two soluble minerals: calcium and magnesium. If your water is hard, it can cause problems in your home that may go unnoticed.
Problems Caused by Hard Water
Soap is less effective in hard water. This is because soap is made with sodium and potassium compounds like sodium stearate. Calcium compounds in the water react with sodium stearate to make calcium stearate. While sodium stearate dissolves in water, calcium stearate does not. As a result, soaps produce less lather and leave behind more soap curd.
Soap curd can leave a film on your skin that clogs the pores and causes your skin to feel dry and rough. The film can also make your hair brittle and dull-looking.
The soap curd can clog pipes and make it difficult for soaps and detergents to dissolve, resulting in water spots being left behind after cleaning. As scale accumulates within the pipes, your water heater will work less efficiently, needing more energy to heat your water and causing your utility costs to go up. Overall, the buildup will shorten the life of any appliance that uses water.
In addition, the minerals in hard water can become attached to the fibers of your clothing, covering them with residue and causing them to feel stiff. To properly clean your clothes in hard water, you will need to use more detergent and wash at higher temperatures. Both of these measures can significantly increase the cost of doing laundry.
By softening your water, you can prevent damage to your home and to your appliances. The benefits of softer water include:
Healthier Skin and Hair
Your skin is likely to become smoother after you start to soften your water, and your hair may become softer and shinier as well. Not only will you need to use less soap when showering and less shampoo for your hair, but you also may find that you do not need conditioners at all.
Easier, More Thorough Cleaning
One of the most visible benefits of water softening includes the reduction of scale on cookware, silverware, and plumbing fixtures, which means fewer water spots. The chalky accumulation of soap curds in your shower and bathtub will be reduced or eliminated, so your bathrooms will be easier to clean. Furthermore, because minerals won’t attach to fabrics, your laundry will need less detergent, get cleaner and cost less to wash.
Longer-Lasting Appliances
Not only will soft water save you money, but it will reduce your carbon footprint by as well. Because you won’t have to replace your appliances as often, you will be reducing waste and helping to conserve the energy used in the manufacturing process.
If you are dealing with the effects of minerals in your water, the right water softening and filtration system can help. The technology has been around for decades and is considered reliable. You have several options, so when choosing a water softener for your home, consider such factors as the size of the unit, the amount of time it takes to soften your water, and the volume of salt the system adds to the water coming into your home. You may want to look at a salt-free unit, which would be a better choice for homeowners who want to avoid excessive sodium intake.
The right water softening system can mitigate the problems that hard water causes, while also making your home more energy-efficient. Contat Poole’s Plumbing today to learn more.
