Is a water softener worth it?

water softener

Can you drink softened water?

As the years go by there are a number of advancements you can apply to your home to lengthen the working lifespan of parts of it and improve your health. One addition that can do both comes in the form of a water softener. Unless you are on a low sodium diet, soft water offers a completely healthy and safe upgrade to the water you drink every day. Soft water provided by a water softener is different from hard or regular water because of:

  • Neutralized calcium
  • Neutralized Magnesium
  • Charged with sodium or potassium

Water made without special machinery essentially requires distilling borax and washing soda with warm water. The reason being is that most water that you drink will have harder ions that are harder on everything they interact with. When it comes to your body, consuming soft water is slightly easier on you than regular water, but when it comes to your hair and skin it is an entirely another story. Soft water is far better for the skin and hair due to the lack of minerals that at the ion level bash onto both. Your body can then more easily absorb soft water at all levels while passing over it when you come into contact with it through bathing or washing anything. When you are interested in water softener installation, call 317-677-4918 today to schedule your appointment and get one in your home.

Why does soft water feel slimy?

Depending on who you are, soft water may have an unappealing or weird texture to it thanks to the constitution of the liquid mentioned earlier. With hard water, your skin and hair will get dried out from use due to minerals in it. However, soft water will leave your hair and skin smooth as well as hydrated due to the lack of elements in the makeup that cause friction. On top of being good for your skin, soft water applies to more than one avenue of your life. 

  • Cleaning
  • Water based systems
  • Clothing

It has been known that a person does not need to use as much soap whether it comes to hygiene or dishwashing when soft water is used during the chore. The reason being is soap will lather more easily in soft water than in the other option. Furthermore, soft water at the molecular level will stick to soap far easier. While the minerals in normal water hinder the effectiveness of soap by slowing the effects. 

In your water based systems like piping, soft water does not degrade the metal that makes up your system. This is due to the lack of mineral build up on the surfaces and it moves more smoothly in any setting especially those that are pressurized like those that operate in your home. When washing your clothing with soft water, it has been found that cloths last longer in homes with largely soft water systems. This is due to the same base reasoning as were found in the health benefits and system longevity. Clothing is constantly bombarded by the minerals in hard water, causing the fabric to get weaker overtime. With soft water, clothing lasts far longer and can be softer too.

How do I know what size water softener I need?

In the process of getting a water softener for your home, normally it is a better idea to ask a specialist like those found at Grateful Plumber. This is due to the fact that you will need to multiply each person in your home by the amount of water the general person uses each day. The calculation on average is eighty gallons per person in your home. You then take that number and multiply it by the hardness of your current water, which will be removed by a number of grains per day. The reason you need a measurement of the hardness is that a water softener partly runs on small plastic beads that absorb the minerals in the water and then charge themselves into the water creating sodium. It can best be described as a type of filter that works on the molecular minerals you normally get that are tough on your body, cloths, and systems. 

Due to how it operates, a water softening system will last around ten to fifteen years until it needs a replacement. The reason for that is because the finer parts will eventually break down and need replacing on such a scale that a new one is the best choice. Although there are instances that the system can last longer, it is not a regular occourance. 

water softened cloths

What are the disadvantages of soft water?

There are disadvantages of water softeners due to the make up of the water it creates as well as because of the system. Unfortunately due to soft water having a definite lack of calcium from the system absorbing it, which means if the person is young or requires some level of calcium per day they may need to change their diet up. Furthermore, if there are elements of lead in your system like pipes, soft water can pick up the lead. Another is that when a water softener runs out of the beads or salt, the exchange that it performs simply does not happen. 

When you need a water softener or the services to maintain it, trust a group of quality plumbers to carry out those services. Grateful Plumber is a company that can get the job done when it comes to your plumbing needs that will improve your home in Indianapolis, IN. Call 317-677-4918 today to schedule your appointment and enjoy what we can get you.