We live in a modern society now where clean drinking water is abundantly available. If you live in the upper Midwest, your water isn’t always of the greatest quality, however. Our region around Minnesota and Wisconsin deals with hard water. While this water is safe for people, it can wreak havoc on your home plumbing systems, dry out your skin, and make washing more difficult.
At Aquarius Home Services, we want to help you understand why it’s a good reason to opt for a water softener in your home. You can save your plumbing from damage and even improve the taste and mouthfeel of your drinking water. A relatively simple device can go a long way toward improving your water quality.
Prevent Scale Buildup in Pipes, Fixtures, and Appliances
Our region of the country has some of the hardest water. Mineral deposits constantly dissolve into the public water supply. These higher concentrations leave behind ugly and stubborn mineral deposits known as scale. This scale is a crusty white substance that you can find all over the home. You see it on your faucets, showerheads, in your drains, and maybe in your kettles.
The scale on the outside is an eyesore, but what’s happening inside is a more serious issue. Scale buildup over time is going to cause major plumbing problems.
Your Water Heater
Your water heater is the largest target of hard water in the region. Traditional tank-style appliances constantly pull in fresh water. It sits there until used, and the tank refreshes. This gives the minerals time to sink, concentrate, and create hard deposits inside your unit. Over time, this can clog up your water heater and affect hot water.
A water softener hooks up to your main water supply. This means that every drop of water coming into the home is treated. Your water heater receives filtered water, meaning no mineral deposits.
Your Home’s Pipes
Scale buildup inside pipes can affect the water coming and going from your home. For water you need from your faucets, the path the water travels can become narrower. This can significantly reduce your water pressure. Showers can be weaker. Dishwasher cycles can be affected. All the while, the scale continues to build.
This same narrowing can also promote clogs. A real issue here is that these aren’t going to be P-trap clogs that are easily treated. Drainage lines under your home and in your yard can become clogged up. This requires professional solutions like rooting and hydro jetting.
Your Appliances
Your dishwasher, washing machine, ice maker, and perhaps even a coffee maker can all suffer from hard water. Mineral deposits in your appliances can cause them to completely break down. Clothes washer and dishwasher lines can become clogged. Hard water deposits may also affect the moving parts, given enough time. A restricted line to your ice maker may stop it from producing entirely.
These are not things that happen overnight. Scale takes time to accumulate. However, unless something stops the mineral, that scale is necessarily going to accumulate.
Improve Skin and Hair Health
While there are no real negative side effects to ingesting hard water, it’s not friendly to the skin at all. If you’ve noticed dry, itching skin and dull hair, even in the spring and summer, it may be hard water. The minerals often do not wash entirely from your skin. This can dry you out. It can strip the moisture and vibrance from your hair.
When these minerals mix with soap, the end result is a sticky residue known as soap scum. You may notice an increased buildup of soap scum on your shower tiles or door. The same stuff that’s stuck like paste to your shower is actually what’s on your skin and in your hair. Minerals in the water are quite difficult to wash away once mixed with soap.
Extend the Lifespan of Your Plumbing System
In our area, the only viable way to protect your plumbing from hard water buildup is to opt for a water softener. Scale is going to accumulate without it. It’s not a matter of if, but a matter of when. From your water pressure to more frequent and serious clogs, hard water takes its toll.
In a basement, utility closet, or crawl space, the softener device can be installed. It’s out of the way entirely, and it filters the water before it’s able to enter the home. These devices require regular maintenance to keep them running smoothly. There are two main varieties: salt and saltless water softeners.
Salt-Based Water Softeners
Through an ion exchange process, you can think of this water softener like a magnet for minerals. Microscopic resin beads inside a tank carry an electrical charge. As water passes through, the minerals get stuck inside the tank. This ensures that only clean water passes out and into your home.
Once those little charged particles fill up with minerals, the magnet effect ends. To clean the particles, your water softener cycles and uses a salt-based solution to clean them. The saltwater itself never makes its way into your home. It’s in a separate tank.
Saltless Water Softeners
Salt-based softeners are very popular. However, many homeowners are looking for alternatives that are lower maintenance. A saltless system is the ideal solution. In this system, you have a tank filled with tiny beads. These are made of ceramic. Instead of sticking to the beads, the beads cause the minerals to stick together. This creates crystalized deposits that flow harmlessly through your water supply.
These crystals are still microscopic. You cannot see them, feel them, or taste them. They’re just larger than the dissolved minerals, which keeps scale from forming in your system. This is a much more effective approach for many homeowners. There isn’t nearly as much maintenance required to address the salt brine in salt-based models.
Every home has unique needs based on its specific water source and household size. We can walk you through the distinct differences between standard and alternative filtration options to find your perfect fit. For a closer look at these modern alternatives, you can read our overview on saltless water softeners to see if they match your preferences.
Choosing the Right Solution for Your Home
Every home needs a water softener that fits the specific structure and plumbing system. There are different models and sizes of filters on the market. Some work well, others may not. This is when Aquarius Home Services can help by matching you with a water softener that’s ideal for your property. We test your water’s hardness levels, look at the space, and measure the capacity. This allows us to match you with a softener that’s going to get the job done correctly.
Softening Your Water With Aquarius Home Services
At Aquarius Home Services, we pride ourselves on delivering reliable water treatment solutions for our community. Every one of our services makes a real difference in your water quality. We have been a local, family-owned business since 1987. Our trained professionals have the expertise necessary to help you and your family enjoy softer water.
To learn more about our water softener options in the Minnesota and Wisconsin area, contact Aquarius Home Services today.
