Benefits of Using a Water Softener
It’s inexpensive to run a water softener. It uses less than $3 in electricity year-round.2
A water softener only requires 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 easily in plumbing. Hard water causes mineral deposits to build up in your pipes and fixtures. This can create clogs and reduced water pressure.
Showerheads in homes with hard water can lose 75 percent of their flow rate in less than 18 months. Soft water preserves the brilliance 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 constrict 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 get hot. This can spread over the heating elements in your appliances, reducing life span and efficiency.
As a result, your appliances may need regular fixes or need to be swapped out ahead of time.
Efficient Water Heaters
Soft water preserves the efficiency of water heaters.
Gas storage and tankless water heaters using soft water keep the factory efficiency rating over a 15-year life span. 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 build up in the tank from hard water. The scale is a poor 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 accumulate on your skin and in your hair, causing it to dry out. It can also lead to painful razor burn.
Soft water is more efficient at rinsing soap residue, so you’ll have smoother skin and sleeker hair. Plus, your clothes will look more colorful and your dishes will have fewer spots.
Less Soap and Cleaning Time
When you have hard water, you have to use more soap for a decent lather. The minerals in hard water react with soap. This makes a scum on tubs.
With soft water, you won’t need to use as much time cleaning to get rid of soap scum. You’ll also use less detergent.