What You Should Know About Water Softeners

If you have noticed that your shower stall, drains or other areas where water use is common, never seems to look clean due to staining around the drain, or perhaps you have noticed that shampoo or soap never seems to lather, then chances are you live in an area where hard water is common. If so, then don’t panic. Hard water is perfectly safe to ingest; however, it can taint the flavor of foods or have an off-putting smell due to the higher quantities of calcium, magnesium carbonate and manganese. Furthermore, hard water often makes it much harder to get dishes, clothing and one’s body truly clean.

But hard water does not have to affect everything in your home, there is a simple solution – installing a water softening system. There are several water softeners available on the market today, so it is certain that you can find one that works for your home and budget. As you look for the perfect water softening system for your home, there are a variety of things to keep in mind.

1. Hard water build-up affects more than you realize. Beyond things such as laundry or food flavor, hard water also damages the pipes and leads to damaging build up.

2. Hard water can affect your appliances. Hard water can create build up in appliances like dishwashers and washing machines, while also making the detergent less effective.

3. Determine just how hard the water is. Talk to a local water testing company and schedule a test. Or, you can purchase a test kit at most home supply stores. There are several types of kits available, so take the time to find one that you can use with ease.

4. How large is your home? The size of your home, as well as the number of people living in your home, determines what type and capacity of water softening unit you need for your home. A water softener works by exchanging salt in the form of dissolved tablets in place of calcium and other minerals in the water. The water softener needs to periodically recharge itself every 3 days, so the system you chose needs to be able to continue to work during the recharge cycle. By choosing a dual water softening system, you can ensure a steady supply of soft water.

5. Dual tank systems. This design allows hard water to flow in and soft water to move out. The second tank holds the salt water softening material and the recharges the water particles. This ensures that your water quality is always at the level you want it.

Choosing to convert your home from a hard water scenario to a soft water system is a great decision that will affect everything water-based in your home. Talk to a local plumber or water softener system provider today.