A water softener removes minerals from your home’s tap water, and by so doing, it converts hard water into soft water. Hard water contains a high concentration of minerals, such as calcium, magnesium, and other trace elements. These minerals can be harmful and lead to various problems in your plumbing system, including clogged pipes. Pure Plumbing & Air wants you to know the benefits of installing a water softener in your Las Vegas, NV home. We offer installation, maintenance, and repairs for all water softener makes and models.
The Problem With Hard Water
Hard water can leave behind deposits of dissolved minerals in your plumbing, which is known as scale in the industry. Scale can build up on the pipes in your home as well as on your dishes and utensils. If severe enough, the pipes in your house could become blocked entirely or spring catastrophic leaks.
Hard water becomes even more of a problem when you realize the harm it causes to your body. Soap, no matter where you use it, loses its ability to lather in hard water resulting in a sticky scum you may feel on your skin after bathing. The minerals in hard water can also make the water you drink from your tap taste terrible. The following signs may indicate your home has a hard water problem.
- Soap scum buildup
- White mineral deposits on faucets and drains
- Decreased water pressure
- Spots on dishes
- Water-reliant appliance issues
- Dry skin and hair
How to Deal With Hard Water
You can turn your water from hard to soft in several ways. However, the most effective method is to use an appliance called a water softener. A water softener is a system used to clean minerals from tap water. Minerals build up in the water supply by seeping in through soil, rocks, or pipes. Using a water softener will remove the harmful minerals, eliminating the potential to create scale in your water lines.
How Does a Water Softener Work?
Harmful minerals are absorbed into your home’s water supply through soil, bedrock, and pipes, depending on where your water originates. A water softener removes these harmful minerals by replacing them with harmless ones.
Salt-based water softeners remove minerals like calcium and magnesium through ionization. The softener exchanges the hard minerals for sodium ions using a tank filled with charged resin beads. These water softener systems require consistent maintenance, including adding salt and recharging the resin beads in the tank.
There are also salt-free water softeners. These do not remove the hard minerals from your water but, instead, alter the minerals’ chemical structure, helping turn them into microscopic crystals that remain suspended in the water rather than forming scale on your pipe surfaces.
We can help you select the right type for your plumbing system. With proper care, a water softener can last 10 to 20 years. We recommend yearly inspections and tune-ups to keep it functioning effectively and efficiently.
The Benefits of Installing a Water Softener
Having soft water in your home will change your life. You no longer have to spend extra time cleaning the scale off your dishes or redoing laundry because it still smells. You won’t worry about a pipe bursting while on vacation. Soft water tastes better, so your family will drink more of it. Even your cooking will taste better.
Saves You Money
Softened water lacks the hard minerals that build up inside pipes and cause clogs. Over time, the minerals in hard water can begin to coat the sides of pipes, narrowing the opening. As a result, you will notice decreased water pressure. Eventually, the mineral buildup could become so severe that it clogs your pipes.
Hard minerals can also build up inside water-reliant appliances like dishwashers and washing machines. Over time, these minerals cause increased wear and tear, which can lead to the need for premature replacement.
Installing a water softener can help you avoid many plumbing issues that can become expensive to repair. It can also help prolong your appliances’ lifespans, protecting your investment.
Reduces Cleaning Time
People who dislike cleaning chores will appreciate a water softener because it reduces soap scum and mineral buildups in sinks, tubs, and showers, making cleaning easier and faster. You will spend less time scrubbing, need less elbow grease, and use fewer cleaners to clean your home. Your bathrooms and kitchens will also stay cleaner longer.
Leads to Cleaner Dishes
Spots on dishes and glassware come directly from hard mineral deposits. No matter how much you wash or polish them away, they always come back. Whether you hand wash your silverware and glassware or run them through the dishwasher, a water softener will make them come out more sparkling. You will not have to worry about polishing your silverware or glasses after washing them because the cloudiness and spots will no longer be there.
Soothes Your Skin
Many people with hard water in their homes suffer from dry, irritated skin and don’t realize it stems from their water source. The calcium and magnesium in their water leave behind a residue on their skin that blocks their pores. The residue disrupts their skin’s natural oil balance, leading to inflammation and itchiness.
Hard water supplies most often cause problems for those with sensitive skin conditions like psoriasis and eczema. The best way to relieve these conditions is to install a water softener. Softened water helps skin retain moisture, making it healthier and more supple.
Improves the Taste
Water with high levels of magnesium and calcium can have an unappealing metallic or chalky taste. Many people spend hundreds of dollars a year buying bottled water because they hate the taste coming from their tap at home.
Softened water is considered neutral-tasting. Although softening adds a small amount of salinity to your water, it is not enough for most people to taste. You can ditch the bottled water and enjoy the water from your faucets.
Reduces Soap and Detergent Usage
Hard water causes soaps to lather less. The hard minerals in the water bind with the soap molecules, preventing them from properly interacting with water and lathering. Have you found yourself using more soap, shampoo, or detergent? The lack of lather can make it feel like your soap is not working. Getting rid of the hard water problem helps your soaps lather luxuriously, so you use much less.
Increases Home Value
Even if you do not plan to put your home on the market soon, increasing its value offers peace of mind. Today’s homebuyers increasingly look for homes with innovative and protective features.
Installing a water softener is attractive to potential buyers. It shows them that the previous owner has taken great care to protect their property and ensure the viability of its plumbing system.
Pure Plumbing & Air is a plumbing and HVAC company that opened its doors in 2013. We offer a full range of plumbing services, including installation, maintenance, and repair for all makes and models of water softeners. We also offer 24/7 emergency repair services for plumbing issues, including leak detection, main line repair, and more.
If you are interested in installing a water softener in your home, call the expert team at Pure Plumbing & Air today!
