Bettering Your Home’s Water Quality: Water Softeners and Water Filtration Systems

Have you ever experienced a water quality warning, and had to deal with the utter frustration of boiling water before usage, frantically buying bottled water in bulk, and the anxiety that lasts weeks after wondering if your water is safe? It isn’t until we get water quality warnings that we remember how much we rely on the water from our faucets. This article will explore how water softeners and filtration systems can help increase the quality of your water and how they would benefit your home.

Understanding Water Quality

Water can contain various impurities, minerals, chemicals, and other contaminants that can affect its smell, taste, and safety. Common pollutants include sediments, bacteria, heavy metals, and hard minerals like calcium and magnesium. Water quality can vary depending on its source, treatment processes, and distribution systems. Testing your water is especially important if you have a well since the EPA does not regulate well water. If you want to find out the quality of your water, set up an appointment with our water quality experts today for a free water quality test.

Water Softeners: Battling Hardness

If you’ve ever battled with that gross white stuff around a sink faucet, lackluster dishes, or frizzy hair, you have experienced hard water. But don’t worry; you’re not alone. According to Forbes Home, about 85 percent of American homes have hard water. Hard water is water with high levels of calcium and magnesium. While not harmful to health, hard water can lead to several issues. 

Signs You Have Hard Water: 

1. You have an ongoing issue with scale buildup in your pipes, appliances, and fixtures. Due to mineral buildup, the minerals in hard water can harm your appliances and plumbing over time. A Water Quality Research Foundation study found that “running hard water through those units’cut efficiency by 48%.”
2. You are left with soapy residue on your hands after you wash them. The calcium in hard water makes soap less effective and less bubbly. If you find you can still feel that soap on your hands despite singing through Happy Birthday twice, you may need softer water.  
3. Your hair is dry and frizzy. Like washing your hands, hard water can make your shampoos and conditioners less effective and make it harder to wash off shampoo, causing damage to your hair. 
4. Your skin has become easily irritated and dry by the water despite not having any dry skin sensitivities such as eczema or psoriasis. 
5. You find that you need to use an excessive amount of soap and detergent to get your clothes and dishes clean. Again, hard water makes soaps less effective, causing you to need more soap or run the appliance twice to get the job done.

How Do Water Softeners Work? 

Water softeners remove mineral ions from water through ion exchange. The resin in the water softener unit traps the hardness minerals and replaces them with sodium ions. This process improves water quality for everyday use, extends the life of water-using appliances, and reduces energy consumption. Water softeners can sometimes remove other pollutants, like the X-Factor Ironsoft water softener, which can remove up to 10 ppm of ferrous or ferric iron. 

Since water softeners use salt to soften water, people with a sodium or potassium-restricted diet should consult their doctors before installing a water softener. 

Water Filtration: Purifying Your Water

While water treatment plants work diligently to provide safe drinking water, residual contaminants can still find their way into our taps. A water filtration system can be a second screening before you use your water. 

There are several types of water filtration systems available, from carbon filters to reverse osmosis systems. Activated carbon filters remove chlorine, odors, and other organic compounds, enhancing the smell and taste of the water. Reverse osmosis systems employ a semi-permeable membrane that removes particles, bacteria, viruses, and even dissolved salts. 

Schedule a free quote today, and one of your plumbing experts will go over the different water filtration systems available, and which would work best for you and your home. 

Benefits of Water Filtration

1. Health Protection: Filtration systems remove harmful contaminants like bacteria, heavy metals, and pesticides.
2. Improved Taste and Smell: Filtration systems remove chlorine, sulfur, and other unpleasant compounds, which improves the taste and smell of water.
3. Save Money: If you worry about water pollution, having a water filtration system at home can help you save money by giving you the relief of having clean water on tap so that you can use that water bottle money on something else. 
4. Environmentally Friendly: If you buy bottled water in bulk, having a water filtration system you trust can severely cut your plastic use. 

Water softeners and filtration systems are critical for maintaining water quality, safety, and overall well-being. From protecting our health to extending the life of our appliances, these technologies offer numerous benefits. In a world where water is becoming increasingly important, investing in water softeners and filtration systems will not only ensure clean water in our homes but contribute to a healthier community.

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