Benefits of Using a Water Softener
It’s economical to run a water softener. It uses less than $3 in electricity year-round.2
A water softener only needs about 2.5 pounds of salt. That’s 80 percent less salt than dial-style softeners.
Soft water can make cleaning take less time, help your appliances run longer and help you avoid plumbing clogs.
Clog-Free Plumbing and Fixtures
Soft water helps water flow freely in plumbing. Hard water causes mineral sediment to gather in your pipes and fixtures. This can create clogs and decreased water pressure.
Showerheads in homes with hard water can lose 75 percent of their flow rate in shorter than 18 months. Soft water preserves the luster and full flow for faucets and showerheads, nearly as well as the day they were installed.
Soft water is lacks minerals. It doesn’t leave deposits in pipes or limit water flow in fixtures.
Longer-Lasting Appliances
Over time, hard water can cause minerals to become concentrated in your washing machine and dishwasher.
The mineral deposits in hard water make limescale when they become warm. This can spread over the heating elements in your appliances, reducing life span and efficiency.
As a result, your appliances may need repeated fixes or need to be swapped out ahead of time.
Efficient Water Heaters
Soft water preserves the efficiency of water heaters.
Gas storage and tankless water heaters operating on soft water maintain the factory efficiency rating over a 15-year life span. In comparison, using hard water for a gas water heater can cut efficiency by up to 48 percent.
If you use an electric water heater, up to 30 pounds of rock-like scale can pile up in the tank from hard water. The scale is a bad heat conductor. It can shorten the life of your heating element, because it has to work more to heat water.
Soft Skin, Brighter Laundry and Cleaner Dishes
Hard water minerals collect on your skin and in your hair, making it look dull. It can also contribute to painful razor burn.
Soft water is superior at cleaning soap residue, so you’ll have smoother skin and sleeker hair. Plus, your clothes will look more colorful and your dishes will have fewer spots.
Less Soap and Cleaning Time
When you have hard water, you have to use more soap for a satisfactory lather. The minerals in hard water react with soap. This forms a scum on showers.
With soft water, you won’t need to use as much time cleaning to remove soap scum. You’ll also use less cleaning supplies.