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 needs 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 gather in your pipes and fixtures. This can lead to 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 maintains the luster and full flow for faucets and showerheads, nearly as well as the day they were put in.
Soft water is doesn’t have a lot of minerals. It doesn’t create deposits in pipes or limit water flow in fixtures.
Longer-Lasting Appliances
Over time, hard water can cause minerals to accumulate 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, lowering life span and efficiency.
As a result, your appliances may need repeated repairs or need to be replaced earlier.
Efficient Water Heaters
Soft water preserves the efficiency of water heaters.
Gas storage and tankless water heaters using soft water hold on to 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 have 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 decrease 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 collect on your skin and in your hair, triggering it to look dull. It can also lead to painful razor burn.
Soft water is more efficient at washing away soap residue, so you’ll have softer skin and shinier hair. Plus, your clothes will look brighter and your dishes will have fewer spots.
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 sinks.
With soft water, you won’t need to spend as much time cleaning to get rid of soap scum. You’ll also use less soap.