How To Know If You Need A Water Softener
When you live in a region of the country that has hard water, it can affect not only your home but your family as well. From wearing out your plumbing and fixtures to creating dry hair and skin, hard sediments can be a real pain. Installing a water softener in your home can help to reduce these problems for you and your family.
What Does a Water Softener Do?
A water softener removes unwanted minerals and sediments from the water in your home. Some of the most common minerals and sediments removed include calcium and magnesium. A softener will remove these unwanted minerals via a process known as ion exchange.
To start the process, water enters your home and into a mineral tank. Inside this tank, there is a bed of spherical resin beads that contain a sodium ion. These resin beads attract the excess calcium and magnesium minerals in the water. This results in water that is free from excess magnesium and calcium. From there, it is then piped throughout your home.
Main Signs that You Need a Softener
Unfortunately, hard water can wreak havoc on your home in many different ways. One of the most common is hard staining on the various sinks, tubs, and toilets throughout your home. You'll notice a white, scaly deposit that will turn into a more creamy color if left over time. You may also notice the white scaly buildup occur on your faucets and shower head.
This hardness can also affect your laundry and how effective your detergent is. If you have hard water at your home, you'll likely notice the scummy residue. It appears on your white linens, and your clothing colors will start to fade over time. You may even get a sour smell from your laundry when you pull it out of the washer. Many homeowners who have this problem will complain of having dry hair and skin. This can make you feel itchy and cause flakiness over time.
How to Make Sure a Softener is Working
There are a couple of different ways that you can check to see if your softener is working as it should. One of the easiest is to do the soap test. You'll want to take pure liquid soap and mix it with the water. If your water is hard, the soap will not bubble up or lather. If your softener is working as it should and your water is soft in nature, it will lather up and bubble.
Call Us Today
If you're interested in having a softener installed in your home, then it's time to contact us today. Let our helpful plumbers assist you with all your home plumbing needs.
