The Pros and Cons of a Water Softener

There are many appliances a home can have to make it more convenient to live in, or even safer. A water softener is one of those appliances, but it’s often last on the homeowner’s list of improvements. Water softeners can have a bigger impact than you may think, but that impact comes at a cost.

Hard Vs. Soft Water

So what is hard water, and what is so great about softening it? Hard water means that there are ions present in the water, usually calcium and magnesium, which the water provider doesn’t take out for you. The softening process treats the water to remove these excess ions. These ions can cause a myriad of problems for you and your home.

Pros

The advantages of having a water softener are the disappearance of problems caused by hard water. The minerals in hard water can lead to greater soap usage in your home, pipe scaling in your plumbing system, and mineral buildup and degradation of plumbing fixtures. Not only can your plumbing be damaged, but your skin can develop problems like chronic dryness from exposure to hard water. And, hard water takes its toll on your clothes as they’re washed. On top of all this, hard water can lead to unpleasant tastes and odors in the water. Having a water softener installed means all of these problems are gone, your skin will be healthier, and your plumbing will last longer.

Cons

The two major cons associated with water softeners are cost and maintenance. Depending on the type and size of water softener you choose, the initial price along with installation can cost you anywhere from a few hundred to a few thousand dollars. Most water softeners are salt-based, so along with the initial cost, you will also have to purchase salt for the unit. On top of that, you’ll have to go through the actual maintenance effort, or pay a water softener company to do this maintenance for you.

Making a Decision

If you’re on the fence on whether to purchase a water softener for your home, you now have information to help with a decision. If you have experienced some of the problems caused by hard water, or want to avoid ever experiencing them, it may be worth the money and the maintenance to call your Tampa Roto-Rooter or local plumber to install a softener. In some cases, the money you save in soap and plumbing repair makes up for the costs and maintenance efforts.