Benefits of Using a Water Softener
It’s inexpensive to operate a water softener. It uses 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 take less time, help your appliances run 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 build up in your pipes and fixtures. This can lead to clogs and reduced water pressure.
Showerheads in homes with hard water can lose 75 percent of their flow rate in shorter than 18 months. Soft water maintains the luster and full flow for faucets and showerheads, nearly as well as the day they were installed.
Soft water is doesn’t have a lot of minerals. It doesn’t cause deposits in pipes or restrict water flow in fixtures.
Longer-Lasting Appliances
Over time, hard water can cause minerals to build up in your washing machine and dishwasher.
The mineral deposits in hard water make limescale when heated. This can coat the heating elements in your appliances, lowering life span and efficiency.
As a result, your appliances may need repeated service or need to be replaced earlier.
Efficient Water Heaters
Soft water maintains the efficiency of water heaters.
Gas storage and tankless water heaters using soft water maintain the factory efficiency rating over a 15-year lifetime. In comparison, using hard water for a gas water heater can lower efficiency by up to 48 percent.
If you have 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 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 look dull. It can also lead to painful razor burn.
Soft water is superior at rinsing soap residue, so you’ll have softer skin and glossier hair. Plus, your clothes will look brighter and your dishes will look more flawless.
Less Soap and Cleaning Time
When you have hard water, you have to use extra soap for a good lather. The minerals in hard water react with soap. This forms a scum on tubs.
With soft water, you won’t need to waste as much time cleaning to get rid of soap scum. You’ll also use less detergent.