Water Softener System: Necessity or Luxury?
“Do I really need a water softener system?” We hear this question frequently. Calcium stains on your faucets, sinks and in your shower from hard water may seem like a simple problem for a bathroom cleaner to solve. Hard water doesn’t just leave behind ugly white stains or unpleasant grit. It is also bad for your skin, appliances, and pipes. Here in Florida, where our water is rich in minerals like calcium and magnesium, it’s especially important to have a water softener system.
Why You Should Treat Hard Water
#1 – Hard water dries out your skin and hair.
What makes water hard is high levels of calcium and magnesium salts in it. These two minerals dry out your skin. They can also make your skin feel itchy or grimy.
These minerals prevent soap from dissolving properly making it build up on your skin. This can clog your pores causing blackheads, whiteheads or inflammation. You may notice that the color of your hair looks flatter too. It prevents shampoo and conditioner from being absorbed by your hair leading to flat, dry hair.
#2 – Hard water makes your clothes look dingy.
Just like your body wash and shampoo, laundry detergent can’t clean your clothes properly when you have hard water. This can leave your clothes looking dingy and feeling scratchy.
#3 – Hard water can damage your glassware.
Washing your glassware and silverware with hard water leaves them looking cloudy. It can also make your glasses more brittle and prone to break.
#4 – Hard water shortens the life of your dishwasher and washing machine.
When you have hard water, calcium deposits buildup in the valves of your washing machine and dishwasher. This prevents the valves from closing properly when they are supposed to. Water leakage caused by these malfunctioning valves can shorten the lifespan of your water-based appliances.
#5 – Hard water damages your plumbing system.
Calcium deposits build up in your plumbing system just like they do in your appliances. As it builds up in pipes, it restricts water flow. This lowers your home’s water pressure. You may need to replace the clogged pipes to restore your water pressure.
#6 – Hard water can increase your water bill.
Your plumbing system must work harder when the pipes are clogged. Between that extra work and leaking valves in your appliances, hard water can make your water bill shoot up.
How Water Softener Systems Treat Hard Water
A water softener system prevents all these problems. It is an absolute necessity if you value saving money and feeling comfortable in your skin. The way a water softener system works is that it converts negatively charged ions in your water—like calcium and magnesium salt—into positively charges sodium ions. Water softener tanks are filled with negatively charged beads that catch the negatively ions and convert them into positively charged sodium ions. The tank detains the excess sodium and gives you soft water.
Adding a water softener to your washing machine can make your clothes brighter but it doesn’t solve the other problems caused by hard water. A water softener system is a long-term solution that will extend the life of your water-based appliances and plumbing system. It will leave your skin and hair looking and feeling hydrated. Or Call Contact us at Tri-Florida Water Treatment to learn more!