Benefits of Using a Water Softener
It’s inexpensive to use a water softener. It needs less than $3 in electricity per year.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 easily 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 less than 18 months. Soft water keeps the luster 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 form 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 maintains the efficiency of water heaters.
Gas storage and tankless water heaters using soft water keep the factory efficiency rating over a 15-year period. In comparison, using hard water for a gas water heater can cut efficiency by up to 48 percent.
If you own an electric water heater, up to 30 pounds of rock-like scale can build up 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 more to heat water.
Soft Skin, Brighter Laundry and Cleaner Dishes
Hard water minerals accumulate on your skin and in your hair, triggering it to become dehydrated. It can also cause painful razor burn.
Soft water is more efficient at rinsing 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 decent lather. The minerals in hard water react with soap. This creates 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.