Hard Water Problems? Here’s What To Do.

Solving Hard Water Problems

While generally harmless to your overall health, hard water’s high mineral content can lower your overall comfort levels and damage your appliances, leading to costly repairs and unnecessary headaches.

But a water softener can fix it. You can extend the lifespan of expensive appliances and enhance your skincare and shower routines.

AHS has put this guide together to help you determine if a water softener is right for you.

What Makes Hard Water Hard?

Hard Water - “Hard water” simply means there are high levels of calcium, magnesium, and other minerals in the water. While they’re dissolved and practically invisible, you can feel their presence. The water will feel less slippery, and it can leave behind a residue on your skin and other surfaces.

Soft Water - “Soft water” is water that has been treated—usually with a residential water softener—to remove the extra minerals, making it kinder to your skin and your appliances.

Effects of Hard Water on Appliances and Plumbing

Because of its high mineral content, hard water can cause a variety of issues within your plumbing and appliances that rely on water. A few of the biggest problems homeowners face:

• Difficulty cleaning - Hard water often leaves behind “hard water stains”—deposits of minerals that are difficult to remove from surfaces.
• Reduced water pressure - Mineral buildup inside pipes and appliances reduces water flow and water pressure.
• Reduced performance - With reduced water pressure, appliances like dishwashers may struggle to clean everything properly, and washing machines often struggle to properly clean clothes as the detergents may struggle inside the hard water.
• Reduced efficiency - As your appliances need to work harder to perform their tasks, they’ll also consume more energy. If you find yourself running the dishwasher multiple times for a single load or throwing clothes back into the washing machine, it’s time to consider whether your water is too hard.

The Most Common Signs Your Water Is Too Hard

Hard water can cause plenty of problems, and you’ll likely notice the warning signs quickly:

• Your skin feels drier than usual. The minerals in hard water can dehydrate your skin.
• Your clothes don’t look or feel clean. Many laundry detergents struggle with the minerals in hard water, and that reduces their performance in the washing machine.
• Buildup in your showerhead or soap residue in the bathtub. Keep a close eye on your bathtub and shower! If it gets harder and harder to keep clean, you might have a hard water problem.
• There’s low water pressure. As we mentioned earlier, mineral deposits in your pipes reduce water flow and water pressure.
• Water has a metallic taste. If the taste of your water changes over time, it could be caused by an increase in mineral content.
• After shampooing, you have lackluster hair. If you’re struggling to wash the shampoo out of your hair or to recapture the shine it once held, the problem could be your water!

The Ultimate Hard Water Solution

A water softener is the best way to combat these hard water problems. In simplest terms, a water softener is a whole-house water treatment system that removes the heavy minerals from your water before it enters your pipes and appliances.

How Does A Water Softener Work?

While there are many different types of water softeners available on the market, they all follow the same general principle: Hard water enters the system, minerals like calcium and magnesium are stripped away, and the soft water is pumped into your home.

Some of the most popular systems on the market include:

• Ion Exchange - In an ion exchange system, a resin bed consisting of thousands of tiny resin beads exchanges ions with calcium and magnesium, removing them from the water. In many cases, these ion exchange systems also require an occasional sodium chloride brine to recharge the resins.
• Salt-Free - A salt-free system changes the chemical makeup of the minerals passing through, preventing buildup in your system. These are typically a more environmentally friendly solution.
• Dual Tank - In a dual tank system, you can have access to soft water 24/7, as one tank is constantly regenerating in an ion exchange system.
• Citrus Based - A citrus water softener uses the same properties of citric acid. Instead of using ions to remove hard elements, citrus binds with the heavier metals and prevents them from interacting with soap or solidifying on the sides of plumbing.

Installing A Water Softener

For DIYers with moderate plumbing skills, these water softener systems can be fairly straight forward to install if you follow the step-by-step instructions from the manufacturer.

If it’s a simple replacement of a pre-existing system, it’s easier. However, if you’re installing it for the first time, it will require moderate plumbing knowledge. For example, you may need to cut some pipes for the water softener and your water supply to align and know how to install the proper fittings. Figure on at least a half-day’s work to get the job done.

For people without those midlevel plumbing skills, it’s best to leave the installation to a plumbing expert. If you purchased the system through a large retailer, you can use one of their contracted specialists (professionals) to take care of installation.

The other way, of course, is to use a licensed plumber you find yourself. Water softener knowledge and installation is standard fare for these professionals, so they’ll be able to expertly install your system in two or three hours, barring any unforeseen setbacks.

Benefits of A Water Softener

All of those hard water-related problems disappear with a water softener. You’ll wonder how you lived without it. You may experience:

• Improved water pressure
• Better water taste
• Softer, better hydrated skin
• Softer, shinier hair
• Brighter, cleaner clothes
• Improved appliance performance
• Improved appliance lifespan
• Reduced scale and soap buildup
• Cleaner dishes

If your water’s too hard, consider investing in a water softener today!

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