Have Hard Water? Signs You Need A Water Softener And 2 Types Available

There are many signs that you should install a water softener in your home. Below is more information about this, as well as two different types of water softeners you can choose from. A company can then install the water softener for you.

Signs You Need a Water Softener

One of the main signs is having spots on your glasses when you take them out of the dishwasher.  Hard water forms on your glasses when the dishwasher goes through the drying stage. These droplets evaporate on the glasses and leave behind the spots. Once this happens, it can be difficult to remove them even if you try to hand wash the dishes.

Another sign is having dry skin or feeling like you never get completely clean when you get out of the shower. This is because minerals from the hard water, such as iron, magnesium, and calcium clog your pores, which causes your skin to feel much dryer. Once this happens, your skin can become irritated and flaky. 

Hard water can also cause problems with appliances that use water. This is because hard water causes the above minerals to form a scale. This can clog pipes and reduce the water flow, and, if not taken care of, you may have to replace the pipes. 

Types of Water Softeners

A common type of water softener used is the ion exchange water softener. Ions, such as calcium, manganese, iron, and manganese, are what causes hard water. The water softener replaces the bad ions with sodium ions. This type of water softener uses water softener salts, and these salts will have to be refilled periodically. Because this water softener uses salt, it would not be a good choice if you or someone in your family needs to reduce the amount of salt they eat each day. 

There are also salt-free water softeners available. This kind of water softener uses a salt substitute that is made of potassium and chloride. A salt-free water softener does not reduce the amount of hard minerals in water. Instead, it prevents the minerals from building up inside appliances and pipes. 

Some water softeners will have a timer control, which is used to charge the softener at a preset time each day. This works well if the same amount of water is used each day, such as when showering, bathing, etc. 

Talk with a company that sells water softeners and they can tell you about other types that are available.