Tips For Choosing a Water Softener
A water softener might seem like a luxury item, but in reality, it is more of a necessity. Water can fill with calcium and magnesium which makes it hard. Hard water is not only bad for skin and hair, but can leave stains on dishes and it isn’t good for people’s health either.
This is why it is vital to have a water softener. Even homes with city water can have calcium and magnesium impurities in their water from time to time. Before purchasing one, it’s best for homeowners to understand their needs and which water softener would work best in their home.
The Common Benefits Water Softener Installation
When there’s a water softener installed in the home, people are likely to experience the benefits right away.
Some other the benefits of installing a water softener are:
- It helps to maintain the life of the water heater
- Reduces wear and tear on drains and faucets
- They won’t need as much shampoo in the shower
- Their skin and hair become healthier
- Softer clothes
- Saves money on repair bills because pipes won’t have calcium build-up
Water softeners add sodium to the water so it could potentially increase sodium intake. That said, the increase is very mild and usually doesn’t affect someone unless they are on a low sodium diet. Even then, if they only use the water to shower in and clean things, rather than drinking it, sodium levels won’t change.
Discussing Salt-Based Water Softeners: Pros and Cons
Salt-based water softening occurs through a process known as ion-exchange. The main difference between salt-based and salt-free water softeners is the fact that salt-based softeners filter the water with the help of a resin bed.
Once the resin bed is full of impurities, the system begins a backwashing process to clean out the resin bed. After this occurs, the salt can then be refilled and the water softening process begins all over again.
Some pros of salt-based water softeners are:
- It makes the water feel soft and silky
- Longer lasting appliances
- More efficient appliances
- Reduces limescale build-up
- Completely removes calcium and magnesium from water
Aside from the expensive price tag, the only real downside to investing in a salt-based water softener is the fact that it needs a fair amount of maintenance to maintain a clean resin bed and a filled salt tank.
Discussing Salt-Free Water Softeners: Pros and Cons
Rather than using an ion-exchange process to soften the water like a salt-based water softener, the salt-free water softener works by using a process known as Template Assisted Crystallization (TAC).
This process hardens the impurities into a crystal to keep them from sticking to surfaces. Salt-free water softeners are actually water conditioners because of this fact. They do not remove the impurities from the water, they simply change their form.
Some pros of a salt-free water softener are:
- They are less expensive
- They don’t use chemicals
- They don’t have wastewater
- Counteracts the contaminants
The main con of a salt-free water softener is the fact that it doesn’t remove impurities from water. Aside from this, some other cons include:
- It doesn’t leave the water feeling softer
- Build-up will still be present, just reduced
- Doesn’t show results as fast as the salt-based softeners
About RESOLVED HOME SERVICES
It can be hard to find a reliable professional plumber in Huntington Beach, CA, but when customers call RESOLVED HOME SERVICES, they can leave the worrying and stress at the door. They are experts with 20 years of experience that are there to help when problems strike. Contact them today to learn more about water softeners and installation options.