Hard water in Bradenton, FL, has high levels of minerals, like calcium and magnesium, that can cause problems in your home. A water softener removes these minerals from your water, resulting in water that people refer to as soft. If you’re considering using a water softener, read on to learn about its benefits.
Stop the Buildup of Scale
Hard water minerals stick to surfaces inside your pipes, appliances and fixtures, creating a buildup that we call scale. When the scale buildup is excessive, it can reduce water flow and clog your pipes. Scale buildup can also affect appliances like dishwashers and washing machines.
If you don’t have a water softener, scale buildup can clog your shower head and create weak water pressure. A water softener prevents this by removing calcium and magnesium from your water. This keeps your plumbing system clear and running smoothly, which can extend the life of your water appliances and fixtures.
Possibly Reduce Your Energy Bill
Hard water can cause minerals to solidify and create limescale in the bottom of your water heater tank. The limescale can corrode the lining in the tank, which can cause the tank to burst. The limescale can also cause the water heater to work harder to heat the water, which affects your power bill.
A water softener helps by keeping your water heater scale-free. This means the heater doesn’t need to work as hard to do its job.
Make It Easier to Clean Items Inside Your Home
Hard water makes cleaning difficult because soap doesn’t dissolve well in hard water. This can leave soap scum on your dishes, clothing and skin. With a water softener, soap dissolves better and makes cleaning products more effective.
Your clothes will come out of the washing machine feeling softer, your dishes are less likely to have spots and you’ll spend less time scrubbing soap scum off your bathroom tiles.
Certain Appliances Will Last Longer
Dishwashers, washing machines and water heaters usually work better and last longer with soft water. Hard water minerals are likely to damage these machines over time, leading to repairs or replacements.
By using a water softener, you help your appliances run more efficiently and extend their lifespans. For example, the average washing machine lasts 10 to 13 years with regular maintenance. If you’re not using hard water, you can extend the lifespan of your washing machine.
Get Better Water Flow
Some problems with your plumbing may result from scale buildup. This buildup can reduce the space where water flows through the pipes. Your drains might run slow or clog completely, and your faucets and showers might become less effective.
In this situation, your slow drain or drain clog isn’t because of something that’s stuck in the pipe. The worse the scale buildup becomes, the more plumbing problems you’ll have. A water softener keeps your pipes free of this mineral buildup, so your pipes are free from scale, and water flows easily throughout your home.
Get Softer Hair and Skin
Hard water has minerals that affect your hair and skin, but soft water can make your skin and hair feel softer because it lacks the minerals found in hard water. These minerals in hard water can leave behind residue, which can make skin feel dry and irritated and hair appear dull or frizzy.
Get Better-Tasting Drinking Water
Hard water can affect your drinking water in several ways. You might notice an unpleasant taste after drinking water from your faucets. Another possibility is that your gums might become sensitive because of the minerals in your faucet water.
A water softener removes some minerals from your water, which usually results in better-tasting faucet water. For example, when there’s too much iron, sulfur or magnesium in your water, it can produce an acidic taste.
If you suspect hard water is causing plumbing problems in your home, a water softener is worth considering. Contact Climate Design to learn more about how our water softener service can help you.
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