Has your skin been dry and itchy? No, this isn’t an ad for a lotion…but it could help! Your flaky skin could be because of your water.
The type of water you have can affect your skin, clothes, faucets, and more.
Let’s have supple skin with ultra-gentle water, shall we? Here’s a deeper look into how to know if you need a water softener.
What Is a Water Softener?
A water softener is an appliance that hooks into your water supply lines. This appliance helps get rid of any extra magnesium and calcium ions and replaces them with sodium or potassium ions.
The process used to waste much more water and be less energy efficient. Luckily this technology has improved.
To see if a water softener is right for your house, you’ll want to check the hardness of your water. If you don’t have hard water, there could be impurities instead. In that situation, you might need to replace your pipes or add a water filtration system instead.
Let’s do some investigating to see if hard water is causing a problem in your home. Read on!
Is There Scale Build Up on Your Fixtures or Appliances?
Last time we checked, your coffee pot isn’t supposed to look crusty! If your coffee pot is starting to have a chalky build-up, you may need a water softener.
This nasty build-up is made of calcium and magnesium bicarbonate. The limescale on your coffee pot can also end up on your pipes, which makes them less efficient.
You might notice staining on your faucets too. Limescale can be removed by wiping the deposits with a little vinegar or using a cup of bleach with a half cup of dish detergent. But, the best way to keep the stains and deposits away is to get a water softener.
Does your water taste bad?
If you notice that your water tastes bad, it could be due to the hardness of the minerals in your water.
Harder waters don’t contain as many dissolved salts and usually have a more metallic taste than softer waters.
The most common causes for this are scale build-up on pipes (mentioned above) or an increase in concentration from chemical reactions with other substances found in tap water like chlorine.
To make sure that your incoming water tastes like water should, invest in a whole house system that has built-in filters. This will remove any other impurities and salt content levels before they reach your faucet!
Clean fresh drinking water from the tap is the way to go!
Is Your Glassware Fragile?
Sadly, the minerals that are in hard water cause glass to be a lot more breakable. Buh-bye favorite wine glass!
It also commonly causes stains on your glass dishes. These stains can be removed, but that’s such a pain to deal with (who wants extra chores on their to-do list? Not us!).
It’s much better to solve the bigger problem and prevent more stains from appearing.
Does Your Plumbing Constantly Need to Be Fixed?
The limescale buildup from your hard water can cause less efficiency, which leads to plumbing problems.
For example, if you start having build-up around your washing machine and dishwasher valves, the valves can’t fully close, which causes leaks.
This can also shorten the lifespan of your appliances.
The effect hard water has on your pipes can depend on what kind of pipes you have in your home. Although hard water isn’t good for any type of piping, copper and pvc pipes handle it much better than other types.
Not sure if your plumbing problems need the attention of a pro? Find out if you need a fix with these signs that it’s time to call in the experts.
Is Your Water Bill Going Through the Roof?
Having hard water means your pipes are likely clogged and working less efficiently. This means they are working extra hard to allow the same amount of water to flow.
That’s when the water bills skyrocket!
Worry not! A water softener can help with that efficiency, resulting in lowering your bills. The investment is worth it when you’re already paying more than you should.
Does Your Water Stink?
Who doesn’t love a basket of fish and chips in the summer? But if that fishy smell happens every time your water is turned on, you could be experiencing transient odor from your pipes.
This happens when sulfates in hard water react with organic substances that are present in ground or surface waters and sewage systems.
Not only is the smell annoying, the result of the hard water can irritate your eyes!
The best way to prevent this from happening is by installing a water softener system that contains an activated carbon filter and a salt-based ion exchange resin bed.
Is Your Hair Frizzy and Unmanageable?
If your hair feels like a horse mane or looks like a mad scientist, it might be time for a water softener. Unless that’s the look you’re going for…
Hard water and hair don’t mix. After showering, you might even notice more soap scum in your bathtub than usual. If bathtime is more brutal than the spa session you’re dreaming of, consider a water softener.
As you can see hard water can cause a lot of problems.
Call the Plumbers in Plaid today and flush this plumbing problem down the drain! We’re well-qualified and experienced in water softener installation.
