Benefits of Using a Water Softener
It’s inexpensive to operate a water softener. It uses less than $3 in electricity annually.2
A water softener only has to have 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 freely in plumbing. Hard water causes mineral coatings to accumulate in your pipes and fixtures. This can create clogs and lower water pressure.
Showerheads in homes with hard water can lose 75 percent of their flow rate in fewer than 18 months. Soft water preserves the shine and full flow for faucets and showerheads, nearly as well as the day they were added.
Soft water is lacks minerals. It doesn’t cause deposits in pipes or restrict water flow in fixtures.
Longer-Lasting Appliances
Over time, hard water can cause minerals to build up in your washing machine and dishwasher.
The mineral deposits in hard water make limescale when they get hot. This can coat the heating elements in your appliances, reducing life span and efficiency.
As a result, your appliances may need repeated repairs or need to be exchanged ahead of time.
Efficient Water Heaters
Soft water protects 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 lower efficiency by up to 48 percent.
If you own an electric water heater, up to 30 pounds of rock-like scale can accumulate in the tank from hard water. The scale is a bad 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, making it look dull. It can also lead to painful razor burn.
Soft water is more efficient at cleaning soap residue, so you’ll have softer 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 extra soap for a good lather. The minerals in hard water react with soap. This makes a scum on tubs.
With soft water, you won’t need to spend as much time cleaning to remove soap scum. You’ll also use less detergent.