Why Get a Whole Home Water Softener?

Understanding Hard Water and How It Affects Your Home

Water hardness refers to the amount of minerals present in the water supply. High levels of calcium and magnesium minerals would result in extremely hard water, which, while considered safe, can cause domestic inconveniences that can result in additional expenses for homeowners. For this reason, water softener installation is beneficial. This post will discuss water softeners and the effects of hard water in a home. 

Function of a Water Softener

Water softeners exist to counteract the effects of hard water. They do this by removing minerals like calcium and magnesium that give water its hardness. There are many different ways to do this, which is why there are different types of water softeners. The most common is the salt-based water softener, also called an ion-exchange water softener. This kind of system works by swapping calcium and magnesium ions with sodium ions that come from water-softener resin that is loaded with salt, allowing water softening to occur. 

For homeowners who don’t want to add salt ions to their water, salt-free systems that soften water by using a template-assisted crystallization method in place of the ion exchange method are also available to install. Other popular systems are the reverse osmosis system, which uses several semi-permeable membranes or filters to remove not just minerals but also other contaminants present in the water, and the shower-head water softener, which is specific to removing only minerals from the water that comes out of the showerhead. 

Does Your Home Have Hard Water?

These different water softening systems are game-changing for homeowners who suffer from the effects of having hard water at home, and it’s relatively easy to understand why they choose to invest in water softener installation. This is because hard water can have the following effects not just on materials and devices at home but also on the homeowners themselves. Hard water causes:

• Spotted dishes and glasses after washing
• Hard water stains on bathroom fixtures
• Dull and faded clothing
• Scale buildup in pipes, which can cause clogs and reduce water pressure
• Scale buildup in appliances that use water, shortening their lifespan
• Dry hair and skin 
• Higher energy bills from inefficiency in water-using appliances

Whole House Water Softeners and Their Many Benefits

Thankfully, whole-home water softeners are excellent at negating the effects of hard water. Not only do homeowners come out of their showers with their skin and hair feeling hydrated instead of dry and itchy, but their clothes last longer, their dishes come out cleaner and free from spotting, their fixtures, pipes, and appliances last longer, and they save a ton of time that would have otherwise been spent cleaning scale buildup.

As a bonus, many of these benefits help homeowners save money that could have been allocated to buying new clothes or new appliances when they wear out faster. Homeowners also save money on energy bills that are reduced because appliances using water run more efficiently when there are little to no mineral deposits getting in the way.

About West Plumbing LLC

West Plumbing LLC has been serving Chandler and the surrounding areas since 2014. They offer upfront, flat-rate pricing, financing, and on-time service. Call them today for water softener services in Chandler, AZ. 

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