What Is a Water Softener?

You might have studied water softeners in chemistry in school. Water softeners are used to remove minerals from the water that cause water hardness — one of the most common problems associated with the quality of water. Hard water not only ruins appliances and leaves a film of soap scum across your shiny bathroom and kitchen, but it also affects your skin and hair — hard water is notorious for drying out your hair and skin. 85% of the American population relies on hard water for its daily household chores, such as cleaning, cooking, and bathing, creating a dire need for water softeners. Plumbing Outfitters can help you with the installation.

What Are Water Softeners?

A water softener acts as a whole-house water filtration system. Not only this, you don’t have to spend hours trying to get rid of the soapy residue if you have a water softener. A water softener is a long-term investment that saves you energy, time, and money while protecting your home and appliances, such as your water heater, from damages caused by hard water.

Why Are Water Softeners Important?

Water softeners remove hardness-causing magnesium and calcium minerals from the water. They tackle problems introduced by hard water, such as clogged pipes due to scale buildup and decreasing water pressure. If you are wondering how scale formation is even a concern, know that scales dramatically shorten the life span of your appliances, like ice machines, dishwashers, and coffee makers. You can wash your clothes or do other chores with hard water, but with time, you may see damaged linens and clothes.

Other signs of hard water may include:

• Your sinks and tubs have ugly stains.
• High cost of water bills since your water appliances will consume more electricity to work.

Do You Need Water Softeners?

You don’t necessarily need to soften your water — it is a personal choice. But if you want to avoid hard water from affecting your home and the environment, water softener installation is suggested. Here are some of the signs that you need a water softener:

• If the hardness of your water is greater than 7 grains per gallon or 120 mg/L.
• If you see white spots or chalky residue on your dishes or dishwasher.
• If your linens and clothes start feeling rough and looking dull.
• If the faucets in your home have scale buildup.
• If your white porcelain has ugly stains.
• If your skin starts feeling dry and your hair flat, maybe because the soap doesn’t lather at all or it doesn’t rinse away completely.
• If the showers and faucets in your home are clogged and have low water pressure.

You can also run a professional test for hard water. Plumbing Outfitters is here to help you by providing high-quality professional plumbing services built on integrity and craftsmanship. Get in touch with Plumbing Outfitters if you are looking for reliable plumbing contractors for water softener installation or your other plumbing needs in and around Austin.

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