Benefits of Using a Water Softener
It’s inexpensive to use a water softener. It needs less than $3 in electricity per year.2
A water softener only requires 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 easily in plumbing. Hard water causes mineral coatings to accumulate in your pipes and fixtures. This can cause clogs and decreased 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 shine and full flow for faucets and showerheads, nearly as well as the day they were installed.
Soft water is low in minerals. It doesn’t create 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 form limescale when they become warm. This can cover the heating elements in your appliances, decreasing life span and efficiency.
As a result, your appliances may need repeated service or need to be swapped out ahead of time.
Efficient Water Heaters
Soft water preserves the efficiency of water heaters.
Gas storage and tankless water heaters using soft water maintain the factory efficiency rating over a 15-year lifetime. In comparison, using hard water for a gas water heater can reduce efficiency by up to 48 percent.
If you have 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 shorten the life of your heating element, because it has to work more to heat water.
Soft Skin, Brighter Laundry and Cleaner Dishes
Hard water minerals build up on your skin and in your hair, causing it to look dull. It can also cause painful razor burn.
Soft water is superior at rinsing soap residue, so you’ll have silkier skin and shinier hair. Plus, your clothes will look less faded and your dishes will have fewer spots.
Less Soap and Cleaning Time
When you have hard water, you have to use additional soap for a decent lather. The minerals in hard water react with soap. This forms a scum on showers.
With soft water, you won’t need to waste as much time cleaning to eliminate soap scum. You’ll also use less cleaning supplies.