May is National Family Month, and it’s the perfect time to show your family how much you appreciate them. What better way to do this than to ensure their comfort and the safety of your home’s water through a water softener or conditioning system. And now that we’re all spending extra time at home, we’re using more water in our homes than ever before. It’s the perfect time to upgrade your home’s water system! Water softeners and water conditioners can be life-changing, and though slightly different in how they perform, they both offer many advantages.
First of all, to understand the importance of a water softener or water conditioning system we’ll explain what hard water is and the effect it has on you and your home. According to a U.S. Geographical survey, over 85% of the U.S. relies on hard water for cooking, cleaning, and bathing.1 Hard water is the result of minerals in your water, including calcium and magnesium. Hard water becomes a problem when it creates a mineral buildup in your plumbing, fixtures, water heaters, and other water-using appliances.
Water softeners and water conditioners both address the problem of hard water in slightly different ways. Traditional water softeners remove calcium and magnesium by replacing these ions with salt through an ion exchange process. A water conditioner, on the other hand, manipulates the way these hard minerals behave. These minerals will still be present, as they can be healthy minerals for humans and animals, but their properties are altered, making them no longer damaging to your plumbing system.
If you’ve ever noticed the soapy scum in your shower and bathtub or the buildup that appears on your bathroom fixtures, then you’ve seen the effects of hard water. No one likes to scrub away rust rings, soap scum, and residue left on your tiles, tubs, and fixtures. Soft water washes these soaps and shampoos away, leaving behind cleaner fixtures and lightening your cleaning load significantly. And less time cleaning means more time spent with family!
It’s what you don’t see in your plumbing and appliances that can actually lead to their destruction over time. Minerals build up in your dishwasher and washing machine, pipes, faucets, and showers heads which hinder their ability to function properly and efficiently. Hard water makes your appliances work harder to accomplish the same tasks. For instance, in a water heater, the buildup of minerals requires more energy to be expended in order to heat up water for your everyday tasks. Soft water eliminates the buildup and means calling a plumber less, and longer-lasting, more efficient appliances and fixtures.
Soft water also has some great benefits for your clothes and body. Minerals in hard water can cause clothes, towels, and sheets to feel stiff and scratchy and will yellow over time. Water softening allows clothes to feel softer, cozier, and to look more vibrant, and your towels will be fluffy again! Your body benefits from soft water too. Without that icky film, your skin and hair will be softer and stronger, and your family can enjoy the feeling of being squeaky clean!
Soft water sounds so simple and yet, this simple feature in your home provides a multitude of benefits. As we’re all staying home and utilizing our household water more, it becomes an even greater benefit to your family. At Rainaldi Home Services, we offer top-line water softening and water conditioning systems for your Orlando-area home. We know how important the quality of your water is to your family, and as your local plumbing experts, we’re here to help! Give us a call at (407) 413-9795 or contact us online.
1 Hardness of Water, www.usgs.gov/special-topic/water-science-school/science/hardness-water?qt-science_center_objects=0#qt-science_center_objects.