Cons of Soft Water
Regularly drinking soft water increases a person's sodium levels, which can lead to multiple health problems including blood pressure. The process used to make the water soft also makes it more volatile, which means it picks up more unwanted elements from your pipes.
Since soft water contains very few dissolved minerals, it tends to leach minerals off other surfaces, including your metal plumbing pipes. This can result in pitting and pinhole leaks in metal plumbing pipes.
Can I Drink Softened Water? While most softened water is perfectly safe to drink, the amount of sodium in the treated water will depend on the hardness of the original water. If the water hardness is below 400 ppm calcium before you soften it, then you can drink it with little concern.
Cleaner laundry and dishes
It's all thanks to soft water's ability to mix effectively with soap and detergents to provide a greater clean. Also, as a result of using softened water, you will find the durability of your clothes and kitchen wares will also be greatly extended.
What Causes “Slippery” Water After Softening? Slippery water is caused by the ion exchange process. In a water softener, calcium and magnesium minerals — which are responsible for hard water — are exchanged for equal amounts of sodium, or salt ions. As a result, soft water contains a small amount of sodium.
The brilliant news is that a water softener will help to reduce your monthly household bills. No question about it. Of course, you will have the initial expense of having the water softener installed. But once it's in place, you'll start to make savings on your household bills straightaway.
The average water softener needs between one and one-and-a-half 40-pound bags of salt per month. This is assuming that the water softener has a small-to-medium capacity of around 32,000-40,000 grains and is serving a family of four.
Yes, hard water does have added health benefits. Calcium and magnesium are important minerals the body needs for the growth and function of bones and muscles. These minerals also regulate blood pressure and enzyme actions. Consuming hard water may be a source of these minerals.
Benefits of Hair Washing with Soft Water
Most notably, soft water lacks the heavy minerals that can damage hair and make it less resilient to other changes (like stress or diet). Because soft water can penetrate the hair follicle more fully, it generally helps hair look shinier, softer, and less damaged.
Water softeners are very common in towns with hard water, but there is something not all homeowners know. A water softener can actually cause damage to your water heater. This means that the appliance will need to be replaced sooner.
Can corrode your pipes. The corroded metal from the pipes can end up in your water. This can contribute to elevated lead and copper levels in drinking water. Potential health effects from additional sodium.
The most common alternative to a water softening system is a water conditioner. While water softeners remove the mineral ions from hard water and replace them with sodium ions through a process known as ion exchange, water conditioners alter the structure of the mineral ions.
The Reason Hard Water Damages Hair
It can also make hair dull, frizzy, stiff, and more prone to tangles. These effects are heightened when hair is washed with hard water over a long period of time. The buildup may be more difficult to penetrate with serums, masks, or other treatments.
Ongoing Maintenance
Traditional salt-based water softening systems need frequent salt top-ups to operate. If the brine tank gets too empty, the system won't be able to produce softened water.
Does soft water make your hair softer? Yes! While hard water tends to be drying, soft water can leave you with smoother, more manageable hair.
A water softener should last 10 to 15 years. If your unit is facing more wear and tear, it could be due to improper maintenance or particularly hard water. If you'd like to extend the lifespan of your water softener, one option is to add a pre-filter.
There has been a lot of speculation in regard to if hard water causes kidney stones even though there are benefits of water softener on skin. Although hard water does contain calcium in it, and calcium is known to cause kidney stones, there is no direct correlation between hard water and the cause of kidney stones.
Water softeners today work off gallons going through the system. A house with one person with a 30,000-grain unit will go through a 50Lb bag of salt every five to six weeks.
How long does a 40 lb bag of water softener salt last? We hear questions like this often, and the answer is that it really just depends on your system and your household water needs. While the average family will go through a 40 lb bag about once a month or so, your amount will vary.
The latest systems also have low salt indicators or even a remote monitoring alert to let you know you are running low on salt and help make water softener maintenance easy. Overall, because newer models are more efficient with salt use, they typically only need to have salt added every 6-8 weeks.
Because regeneration occurs less frequently with a larger softener, you may use less salt in the long run. However, getting an appliance that's far too big for your needs may be more costly upfront, and you should still use a size that requires regular regeneration.
Waste: The average salt water softener wastes approximately 150 gallons of water every week, amounting to nearly 8,000 gallons per year. Cost: In addition to higher water bills, salt-based softeners also require bags of salt, which result in continuing expenses for homeowners.
While there is one brand that uses water flow past gears to operate instead of electricity, Almost all water softeners use electricity to run. Primarily to operate timers and drive motors. The amount used will be very small – not much more than a clock.