Benefits of Using a Water Softener
It’s inexpensive to run a water softener. It consumes 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 more effortless, 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 accumulate in your pipes and fixtures. This can lead to clogs and lower 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 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 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 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 frequent repairs or need to be swapped out sooner.
Efficient Water Heaters
Soft water protects the efficiency of water heaters.
Gas storage and tankless water heaters operating on 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 harder to heat water.
Soft Skin, Brighter Laundry and Cleaner Dishes
Hard water minerals build up on your skin and in your hair, making it become dehydrated. It can also lead to painful razor burn.
Soft water is better at washing away soap residue, so you’ll have smoother skin and glossier hair. Plus, your clothes will look brighter and your dishes will look cleaner.
Less Soap and Cleaning Time
When you have hard water, you have to use additional 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 spend as much time cleaning to remove soap scum. You’ll also use less detergent.