Have you wondered about the quality of your water? While you might know that it’s safe (especially if it comes from a public water utility), it still might not be great for your home appliances, your plumbing, and your personal health. Hard water can be a problem, especially for those of us up north, and it’s easily fixable with a water softener.
Today, we’re going to cover all of the basics behind hard water and how a water softener in Olympia, WA can help. If, after this blog post, you think that a water softener might be a great addition to your home, then we recommend calling our team and scheduling an appointment as soon as possible.
Water softeners are appliances that aren’t as widely used as water purifiers or filters, but they’re incredibly helpful for customers who need to remove excess minerals from water.
What Is Hard Water and Why It Matters?
A lot of freshwater comes from runoff in the mountains, rivers, or lakes. These great sources of water tend to be around stones, deposits, and minerals that can be easily swept up in the current. Minerals can break down on a molecular level and dissolve in the water, which is how we get hard water in the first place.
The Problem With Hard Water
We want to make one thing clear: hard water isn’t unsafe. Humans are biologically designed to be able to consume hard water, and sometimes that mineral content can be just fine for our digestive systems. As a comparison, many people take iron as a supplement, and that’s just another mineral that can be dissolved in water.
However, hard water can be absolutely brutal on your plumbing system and your appliances like your washing machine. The minerals can settle out of the water, meaning you get large deposits inside of your pipes. Also, that water can make it harder for detergent and soaps to dissolve, since the higher mineral content interferes with soap dissolving process.
Top 3 Benefits of Installing a Water Softener System
Let’s talk about three reasons why a water softener is a good choice.
- Keep your plumbing and appliances in good shape. Protect your home’s pipes and appliances by removing the minerals before they reach the pipes.
- Better skin and hair health. Soft water does a better job at dissolving soaps, shampoos, and conditioners. This leads to better hair and skin health than you would get bathing with hard water.
- Improve the taste. Do you have trouble baking bread at home? Or perhaps your cake recipes never turn out the way you want them to? Water is not only something we drink regularly, but a vital ingredient in a lot of baking recipes. The subtle mineral content of water will actually greatly affect the types of breads or pastries you bake, so using a water softener system can actually be a great way to change up the taste and texture of your cooking since it removes pesky minerals you don’t need.
Frequently Asked Questions
Question: What is “hard water” and how does it affect my home and health?
Answer: Hard water is water with high levels of dissolved minerals like calcium and magnesium. It isn’t dangerous to drink, but it can cause mineral buildup in pipes, reduce soap effectiveness, dry out skin and hair, and leave spots on dishes or laundry.
Question: How does a water softener help protect plumbing and appliances?
Answer: A water softener removes hardness minerals before they can build up inside plumbing and appliances. This helps prevent scale, reduces the risk of clogs, extends appliance lifespan, and lowers maintenance or repair needs.
Question: What are the benefits of soft water for skin, hair, and washing in general?
Answer: Soft water makes soaps and shampoos lather better and rinse off more easily. This leads to less residue on skin and hair, which can reduce dryness and irritation. It also results in cleaner clothes, shinier dishes, and less soap scum.
Question: Can a water softener improve taste or cooking outcomes?
Answer: Yes. Softened water often has a cleaner, more neutral taste and can enhance the flavor of drinks and meals. It also avoids the interference that minerals in hard water can cause in baking or brewing.
Question: What are some additional benefits of using a water softener in the long-term?
Answer: Long-term benefits include reduced energy bills, longer appliance life, less cleaning time, lower use of detergents, and brighter laundry. Overall, soft water can lead to noticeable savings and improved comfort throughout the home.
American Pump and Drilling has your back. Contact us today for a new water softener installation!