Are Water Softeners Worth the Investment?
Hard water is a common culprit for cosmetic issues like soap scum in your shower and serious plumbing damage over time that requires expensive repairs. A water softener can prevent these problems, but are they really worth the investment?
The answer is a definite yes. When you compare the benefits of a new water softener to the issues with hard water, you’ll be amazed at the difference in how clean your hair, skin, clothes, and dishes feel and the longevity of your plumbing systems.
What is Hard Water?
Hard water contains a high level of minerals. While consuming or touching these minerals won’t hurt you, they will hurt your plumbing system and cause other unwanted effects.
Minnesota’s water is very hard, and despite filtering for the city’s water supply, many Twin Cities homeowners still have hard water.
If your home has hard water, you’ll see signs, such as:
- Low water pressure
- A chalky white residue on faucets and showerheads
- Spots on dishes
- Grimy clothes, even after a fresh wash
- Itchy and dry skin
4 Benefits of Installing a Water Softener
Water softeners offer considerable long-term savings and quality of life improvements.
These advantages include:
Extended Plumbing Equipment Life Span
Hard water produces limescale in pipes, which, in turn, causes corrosion. This leads to leaks, rust, and extensive damage to pipes and fixtures like water heaters and dishwashers.
Installing a water softener will remove these minerals, prolonging the life of your plumbing.
Cleaner Clothes & Dishes
Mineral residue from hard water can leave stains, spots, dullness, and a cloudy film on dishes. No matter how much you wash your crystal with hard water, they won’t achieve the cleanliness and sparkle you can get with softened water.
Hard water also makes your clothes feel stiffer, and you won’t get your favorite pants, shirts, or other clothing items as clean as you want. A water softener ensures your clothes stay soft, comfortable, and clean.
Healthier Hair & Skin
Hard water dries out skin and hair by making it more difficult to rinse away soap, causing frizz, split ends, and skin irritation over time. Hard water can exacerbate your symptoms even more if you have sensitive skin, psoriasis, or eczema.
Softened water doesn’t have as many impurities, so your shampoo and soap can better clean your hair and skin.
Greater Energy-Efficiency & Savings
Dishwashers and washing machines strain more to work in hard water, which:
- Uses more energy
- Causes you to repeatedly wash clothes and dishes for a better clean
- Causes premature wear and tear
Installing a water softener system helps your appliances work better and last longer. Soft water also allows water heaters to heat more water faster.
Minerals like calcium and magnesium are also attracted to the iron in your water tank’s heating element, but the hot water causes mineral deposits that stay in the tank and reduce your water heater’s capacity, meaning you have less hot water.
Choose Genz-Ryan for Water Softener Installation in the Twin Cities
For a company experienced in delivering water softener solutions, choose Genz-Ryan Heating, Cooling, Plumbing & Electrical.
We ensure a safe water supply for you and the longevity of your plumbing fixtures. We even offer a plumbing maintenance plan that includes:
- Water pressure testing
- Water quality inspections
- Water heater maintenance
Become a HomePulse Plan Partner today, and you’ll also get discounted water softener salt delivery and preferential pricing for plumbing repairs and replacements.
Request a water softener installation or upgrade with a water softener replacement by calling Genz-Ryan at (612) 223-6158 or reaching out online.
