Water softeners are unique home systems designed to address hard water. If your home has tap water with high mineral content, you may be experiencing the negative effects even if you don’t realize it. Keep reading to learn everything you need to know about hard water and how water softeners can boost your water quality, help appliances last longer, and improve plumbing functionality.
Then, if you have questions or want to schedule your in-home assessment for installing a water softener in Appleton, give our team a call. We will be happy to help. This investment can save you money for years to come in various ways.
What Is Hard Water?
If you have hard water, that means your water has high mineral content. It’s normal for tap water to have some minerals in it, but hard water has more than what is considered usual. The scale is as follows, measured in parts per million (ppm):
- Soft water has less than 75 ppm
- Moderately hard water has 75–150 ppm
- Hard water has 150–300 ppm
- Very hard water has 300 ppm or higher
If you pour a glass of water, chances are you won’t be able to see these minerals with your naked eye. But that doesn’t mean they aren’t wreaking havoc inside of your plumbing system very slowly over time. You also have to keep in mind that your faucets have small mesh grates covering them that capture larger pieces of sediment in the water. If you remove these grates to clean them, you’ll probably see larger mineral pieces.
Risks of Hard Water
The mineral particles in hard water are very abrasive, and they can wear down the lining of your pipes, making corrosion more likely. This can cause your pipes to age faster than they otherwise would. The minerals from hard water also negatively impact water appliances, such as your water heater, dishwasher, and clothes washer.
These minerals can cause appliances to wear out faster and need to be replaced sooner. In fact, if you have hard water, your water heater will likely need to be flushed out at least once a year to eliminate mineral buildup.
How a Water Softener Works
A water softener filters tap water through salt designed to draw in mineral particles and remove them before channeling the water into your home. However, a water softener is not the same as a water purifier, and other contaminants are not removed from the water using a softener.
The solution is specifically designed with minerals from hard water in mind. Investing in a water softener can improve your water quality to extend the lifespan of your plumbing system and your appliances. You’ll also see benefits like cleaner dishes, cleaner clothes, and maybe even less skin and scalp irritation.
Hard water minerals can be very irritating, and you may not realize that skin and hair concerns stem from the water quality in your home. If you suspect that you may have hard water, our team can first complete a water quality test to determine what minerals and other contaminants are in your water so you’ll know how to proceed.
Trust Tureks Plumbing Services for Terrific People, Terrific Service. Get in touch with our team today.