Most homes in North America have hard water—89.3 percent in the U.S. and 85 percent in Canada.
It’s all right to drink hard water, but it can cause trouble in your San Antonio home:
- Mineral collection in plumbing and appliances
- Reddish stains in toilets
- Worn-looking clothing and rough towels
- Dry skin and hair
- Splotches on dishes, flatware and glasses
- Low flow rate during showers
Water softening solutions from Aramendia Plumbing, Heating & Air can address your home water issues and bring you purer drinking water.
Whether you’re starting to check out water softeners or you need water softener repair, our group of specialists are here to help.
Interested in getting a new water conditioning system for one low monthly payment? Check with us for more information about our Advantage Program™.1
Benefits of Using a Water Softener
It’s inexpensive to use a water softener. It needs less than $3 in electricity annually.2
A water softener only has to have about 2.5 pounds of salt. That’s 80 percent less salt than dial-style softeners.
Soft water can make cleaning more effortless, help your appliances work longer and help you avoid plumbing clogs.
Clog-Free Plumbing and Fixtures
Soft water helps water flow smoothly in plumbing. Hard water causes mineral coatings to accumulate in your pipes and fixtures. This can cause clogs and decreased water pressure.
Showerheads in homes with hard water can lose 75 percent of their flow rate in fewer than 18 months. Soft water keeps the shine and full flow for faucets and showerheads, nearly as well as the day they were added.
Soft water is doesn’t have a lot of minerals. It doesn’t cause 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 cover the heating elements in your appliances, reducing life span and efficiency.
As a result, your appliances may need frequent service or need to be swapped out sooner.
Efficient Water Heaters
Soft water preserves the efficiency of water heaters.
Gas storage and tankless water heaters running on soft water keep the factory efficiency rating over a 15-year period. In comparison, using hard water for a gas water heater can reduce efficiency by up to 48 percent.
If you own an electric water heater, up to 30 pounds of rock-like scale can accumulate in the tank from hard water. The scale is an inferior heat conductor. It can reduce the life of your heating element, because it has to work harder to heat water.
Soft Skin, Brighter Laundry and Cleaner Dishes
Hard water minerals build up on your skin and in your hair, triggering it to dry out. It can also cause painful razor burn.
Soft water is more efficient at cleaning soap residue, so you’ll have smoother skin and shinier hair. Plus, your clothes will look less faded and your dishes will look more flawless.
Less Soap and Cleaning Time
When you have hard water, you have to use additional soap for a good lather. The minerals in hard water react with soap. This makes a scum on tubs.
With soft water, you won’t need to spend as much time cleaning to eliminate soap scum. You’ll also use less soap.
What You Need to Know About Hard Water and Water Softener Systems
What is Hard Water?
Hard water has more minerals than soft water.
What is a Water Softener System?
It’s an appliance that eliminates excess minerals like calcium and magnesium. It also minimizes chlorine, iron and volatile organic compounds.
How Long Does a Water Softener Last?
A water softener that’s the right size for your home will last for a long time. Its life span depends on the manufacturer and how much you use it.
How Much Does a Water Softener Cost?
Some water softeners are more efficient than others. As a result, the fee may differ.
Costs can also differ based on how hard your water is and how much water you consume. If your water is extremely hard and is used frequently, softening expenses will increase.
Is Softened Water Safe to Drink?
Softened water contains all the natural minerals we need. While some sodium is mixed in during the softening process, softened water is absolutely safe to drink.
What’s the Quality of My Drinking Water?
Water quality varies by geography and processing levels. It can also be impacted by construction, mining, agriculture and mineral deposits your groundwater travels through.
You can find out if there are pollutants in your home’s drinking water.
The Environmental Working Group maintains a free database of more than 30 million state records of tap water tests. About 81 percent of community water sources checked in the U.S. contain chemicals linked to cancer, according to the group’s research.
Can Brine from Softeners Damage my Septic Tank?
A study by the Water Quality Association found a septic tank can’t be damaged by brine let out by a water softener. The tanks that were reviewed were correctly placed and working properly.
Softened water may help decrease detergents being let into your septic tank.
Softer Water, Guaranteed
Hard water problems? Call us at 210-404-4233 or request an appointment online.
One of our Experts can determine if you need a water softener.
We support our work with a 100% Satisfaction Guarantee3 for a year. That means we’ll get the job done correctly the first time, whether you need us to fix your water softener or install a new one.
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1Some exclusions apply.
2Based on manufacturer’s information and assumptions. Savings may vary based on the type of system you use.
3Not applicable to the Advantage Program. See your signed Advantage Program Agreement for full details and exclusions. 100% Satisfaction Guarantee is subject to certain restrictions and limitations as set forth in the applicable terms and conditions.