In many areas of the water, clean drinking water is hard to come by. The United States is certainly one of the better countries for water quality, but there are huge discrepancies in water equality across the country. In many regions, contaminated water supplies have led to families contracting cancer and rare diseases. While these are major issues, hard water is a common problem across many communities in the US, and many don’t realize the effects on their health.
Hard water contains mineral buildup of magnesium and calcium, leading to health problems, water spots, stains, and corrosion on your water pipes. For example, people in homes with hard water can develop dry skin and exacerbate eczema conditions.
If you have noticed your skin is dry, water stains on your glasses, and threadbare fabrics after going through your wash, you likely have hard water.
How Do Water Softeners Work
The main solution for hard water is to install a whole home water filter with a softener. These devices are attached to your home’s water supply and filter out all contaminants and hard water, leading to clean drinking water, purified showers, and soft water for your appliances.
Salt-based water softeners use sodium filtration to extract excess magnesium and calcium from your water, thereby completely nullifying the hardness in your water supply. Once you start using a water softener, you should notice the effects immediately, particularly on your skin and hair.
Signs of Hard Water in Your Home
If you notice any of the following, it’s likely that your home has significantly hard water:
- Dry, itchy skin on a consistent basis
- Water stains on your dishes and fixtures
- Brittle, dull hair
- Stripped, rough fabrics after going through a wash
- Lack of water pressure in your home
Do You Need a Water Softener in Your Home
There are some significant benefits to installing a water softener in your home. The most reported benefit is that skin and hair feels completely rejuvenated. Dry skin is one of the first symptoms of hard water, so once you start showering and bathing with soft water, you should notice your skin doesn’t dry out or itch at all.
For those with eczema in their families, hard water can make dry patches even worse. In these cases, it’s almost imperative to start filtering your water at home. Water softener systems can completely change your skin health for the better, particularly if suffering from a chronic condition like psoriasis, dermatitis, or eczema.
Water Softeners Save Money
In addition to improving your health, soft water lacks the minerals that cause buildup and corrosion in your home’s pipes and appliances. If you have an older home that has been suffering from hard water for many years, you’ll likely have to repair your home’s plumbing soon. This can be a costly bill, but it’s completely preventable with a whole home water softener system.
When to Get a Water Softener
If you notice hard water spots and stains, as well as poor skin health, you really should consider upgrading your home’s water with a water filter softener system. While we have seen the greatest benefits of soft water with whole home filtration, the investment cost can be difficult for some families. It’s the best way to soften water throughout every area of your home and saves money on water utility costs, as well as plumbing repair bills. There are also attachments for showers that soften water, but this doesn’t always eliminate hard water problems for the rest of the house.