Do I Need a Water Softener?

When you think of calcium and magnesium, what comes to mind? Perhaps you think of the supplements you take - calcium to maintain strong bones and teeth; magnesium to support your muscles and nervous system.

Yes, both minerals benefit your health as long as they are in supplements and foods you consume - beans, nuts, fruits (magnesium), and dairy products (calcium). But let them accumulate in the pipes that supply your house with drinking and washing water, and they'll turn on you, making it hard to lather up when you shampoo; leaving telltale water spots on your freshly washed wine glasses, and even lowering your water pressure.

You may already know these are the effects of hard water, but did you know calcium and magnesium are prime agents in turning your water hard?

Why is Hard Water Bad?

Hard water is not bad in itself. It's just water that contains a high level of dissolved minerals, but it can play havoc in your house. It can be costly in the form of higher utility bills because it lowers the water pressure in your house, causing your water pump to work harder.

Hard water leaves unsightly limescale deposits around your faucets. And over time, it can make your clothes and linens feel stiff and uncomfortable because of the deposits that accumulate with each machine washing - you'll be clothes shopping more often.

You'll also be calling in your plumber more often to unclog your mineral-caked pipes. No, it's not some sort of foreign agent sabotage, it's the natural result of living in an area where water is high in calcium, magnesium, and traces of other minerals. So what can you do to remedy your hard water problem? You can make it soft.

What is Soft Water?

Soft water is, as the name states, the opposite of hard water. It contains high levels of sodium, rather than calcium and magnesium, so it doesn't cause the limescale that clogs and rusts your pipes and stains your sinks.

Furthermore, if your water is soft your washing machine will work more efficiently since its work is not hampered by the mineral content in the water. This means you can use less detergent. You decide, which would you rather have soft water or hard water?

How to Turn Your Hard Water Soft?

The best way to soften your water is by installing a water softener. This whole house water filtration system works through a physical and chemical process called ion exchange to remove the problem of magnesium and calcium from the water.

This system uses a bed of resin beads containing positively charged salt. The beads attract the negatively charged magnesium and calcium. So as the hard water seeps through the beads, the sodium ions replace the magnesium and calcium ions, leaving behind water that now is high in sodium which you will recall is a characteristic of soft water.

This now softened water flows out of the softeners tank and on through your home's plumbing.

Installing a water softener system is not a do-it-yourself job. If you live in the Greater Houston / Conroe area, Pilot Plumbing will install a whole-house water softener system for you. Contact us today for a quote, Pilot Plumbing is up to the task.