Plumber Tips: Everything You Need To Know About Hard Water And Soft Water | Denton, TX
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Hard water contains a high concentration of calcium, magnesium and other dissolved minerals in your water, typically greater than 60 milligrams per liter of water. Your water is extremely hard when it has about 180 milligrams of dissolved minerals. You should expect some mineral buildup to affect your plumbing pipes and appliances when it’s extremely high. Soft water, on the other hand, contains little to no magnesium or calcium in your water. Rainwater is soft water, but hard water can also be softened chemically, removing the dissolved magnesium and calcium.
Water hardness can affect energy usage and could be one of the culprits why your appliances work harder. Having hard water can drain your budget as you may have to replace appliances or plumbing fixtures sooner. Thankfully, there are things you can do to soften hard water. This article talks about what you need to know about your hard water and soft water. If you have incredibly high concentrations of hard water, we recommend calling a plumber in Denton, TX, to install a water softener.
How to Know If You Have Hard or Soft Water
One of the ways to know if you have hard water is through water hardness test kits. You can purchase testing options that can test different substances in your water. You can also contact a plumbing company in your area so they can test if you have hard water. Our plumbers can assist and can help install water softeners into your home to resolve your hard water problem.
Another way to determine whether you have hard water is to watch out for these signs:
- White scaling on faucets
- Drinking glasses covered with a cloudy film
- Dry skin
- You can’t quickly rinse off the soap
You may also do a soap test to determine if you have soft or hard water. Simply fill a glass halfway with soap and water. Cover it and give it a little shake. Do you see cloudy water with minimal suds? That means you may have hard water. You’ll mostly see clear water if the water is soft, but the top will have bubbles.
If you need more assistance to help you determine if you have hard or soft water, please get in touch with a plumber.
What Are the Effects of Hard Water vs Soft Water?
Drinking water:
Some people may think that it’s not safe to drink hard water. The truth is that you can drink hard water; in fact, they may even provide you with calcium, magnesium and other minerals. Hard water may also taste better than soft water.
Soft water may not be ideal for homeowners with hypertension because of the higher levels of sodium.
Appliances:
Hard water can damage your appliances over time. It can leave limescale deposits and may also stain some fixtures and discolor clothes. An extremely high concentration of minerals in hard water can also lead to a mineral buildup and harm pipes. If you’re thinking of installing water softeners to avoid these problems, don’t hesitate to contact a plumber.
Energy consumption:
For your energy consumption, using a water softener can help extend your appliances’ life and reduce energy consumption.
Soft water is also beneficial for the skin, and you don’t have to waste a lot of water as you can easily and quickly rinse your hair. With hard water, it may trigger eczema and may also harm your hair. In some cases, it may strip your skin of necessary oils.
To know the many benefits of soft water, consider calling a professional for assistance.
How Water Softeners Can Help With Hard Water
Installing a water softener can help you soften your hard water. It works by removing the magnesium and calcium in the hard water through ion exchange, turning hard water into soft water.
Are you thinking of installing a water softener for your home? Then make sure you contact a plumber in Denton, TX, for assistance. Below are the advantages of installing a water softener:
Lower energy bills – With softened water, your appliances will not have to work harder. The result: you will have lower utility bills. In addition, it can also extend the lifespan of your home appliances.
Other benefits of soft water:
- Softer clothes with less wear and fading
- Reduce water consumption because you use less soap
- Shiny plumbing fixtures
- Clean, shiny and strong hair
- Lowers maintenance costs of appliances
- Cleaner dishes
Installing a water softener also has some disadvantages, but the pros outweigh the cons. One of the downsides is the cost to run and maintain the appliance. To help you make an informed decision whether or not you should install a water softener for your home, contact a plumber.
How to Maintain Your Water Softener
Water softeners can be expensive, which is why you must know how to maintain them. Make sure that you also only hire a licensed plumber for installation.
Tips:
- Check the salt regularly and make sure it’s not dry. Otherwise, refill it.
- Use the right kind of salt for your water softener to increase the lifespan of your appliance. Three of the most commonly used are rock salt, solar and evaporated salt. Rock salt may be more affordable, but it contains dirt and sediment. If possible, use evaporated salt as it’s one of the purest salts available.
- Watch out for salt bridges as they can affect the effectiveness of your water softener. Make sure that you remove them before it does damage.
- What to use for cleaning the water softener? Try a resin bead cleaner to keep your appliance in top shape.
Contact bluefrog Plumbing + Drain of North Dallas
Do you need a plumber in Denton, TX, to help you install a water softener? We’re here to help! Our licensed plumbers are highly experienced and skilled with plumbing installations, repairs or maintenance. Contact us today for an appointment.