Benefits of Using a Water Softener
It’s low-cost to operate a water softener. It needs less than $3 in electricity annually.2
A water softener only needs 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 smoothly in plumbing. Hard water causes mineral coatings to gather 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 keeps the brilliance and full flow for faucets and showerheads, nearly as well as the day they were added.
Soft water is lacks minerals. It doesn’t create deposits in pipes or limit 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 turn into limescale when they get hot. This can cover the heating elements in your appliances, lowering life span and efficiency.
As a result, your appliances may need regular fixes or need to be swapped out earlier.
Efficient Water Heaters
Soft water maintains the efficiency of water heaters.
Gas storage and tankless water heaters operating on soft water hold on to the factory efficiency rating over a 15-year life span. In comparison, using hard water for a gas water heater can reduce efficiency by up to 48 percent.
If you use an electric water heater, up to 30 pounds of rock-like scale can accumulate in the tank from hard water. The scale is an inferior heat conductor. It can decrease the life of your heating element, because it has to work longer to heat water.
Soft Skin, Brighter Laundry and Cleaner Dishes
Hard water minerals collect on your skin and in your hair, causing it to look dull. It can also cause painful razor burn.
Soft water is more efficient at cleaning soap residue, so you’ll have smoother skin and glossier hair. Plus, your clothes will look less faded and your dishes will look more flawless.
Less Soap and Cleaning Time
When you have hard water, you have to use extra soap for a satisfactory lather. The minerals in hard water react with soap. This forms a scum on showers.
With soft water, you won’t need to use as much time cleaning to remove soap scum. You’ll also use less soap.