Water hardness is a common problem for many households in the US to be precise in 85% of US households.
Countless articles have been written on this topic, although very few give you answers you desire.
So, in this article, I will go through the five most common signs, which indicate that softener will be a very welcome upgrade of your house.
Let’s get started.
#1 Limescale on appliances
Limescale is the most prominent sign in households, and the truth is also the most expensive in the long term.
The most common place to spot the limescale is probably the inside build-up in a kettle. Just think for a minute about how often you replace the kettle in your house. Also, think about often you are clearing the heating element inside the kettle.
If the answer is often or very often, then imagine what happens with your dishwasher or washing machine.
The truth is, the limescale not only damages your appliances, so you end up replacing them more often than necessary, but also increases your energy bill.
#2 High energy bills
The thing is, as hard water creates the limescale build up in your appliances, with time, it takes more and more time to heat water.
The build-up layer works as the isolation between heating elements and water. Therefore it takes more time for water to reach the required temperature.
Now, think about how many appliances you have at home?
Most people will be likely to have appliances such as water heaters or boilers, washing machines, and dishwashers. Some might even have two heaters or, for example, the water heater in the kitchen instead of the kettle.
The bottom line is:
Once you add up all these appliances and consider the amount of combined used energy, you will be surprised how much money you can save by switching to the softener.
#3 Your skin feels itchy after showering
This one might not be obvious for everyone, but people with sensitive skin know how much of a difference in showering experience water can make.
The reason why the skin feels itchy is that hard water is rich in calcium and magnesium minerals. Essentially, as you shower, these minerals get into the pores of your skin, clog them and this is where the “itchy” feeling is coming from.
Similar impact minerals have on your hair. It is hard to wash, you need lots of shampoo and still can’t properly wash it. This is more related to our dear female population, as we all know how much they love their hair and skin.
#4 Your clothes fabric wears out quickly
If you continuously find yourself buying new clothes because the fabric is worn out shortly after purchase, pay attention now.
The reason might not necessarily be the quality of the product itself, but because of the water in which you are doing your laundry.
Similarly to limescale in appliances, minerals adhere to the fabrics. Resulting in material wears out quickly, and in extreme cases, you can even see the deposit after you have done your laundry.
This brings me to another vital sign. Not only the fabric wears out quickly, but you also need to use much higher amounts of detergents.
#5 You use a lot of soap and detergents
Magnesium and calcium in water make it hard to foam.
I know what you are thinking right now. Why is that?
The answer lies again in our mineral content. By its nature, calcium and magnesium neutralize the soap/detergent.
So when you actually try to lather the soap in hard water first thing that happens, there is the “fight” between minerals and soap.
It takes time for the detergent to neutralize mineral ions in water. This is the reason why it takes long before water starts to foam.
As a result, you end up using up to 50% more detergents.
Let’s be honest, household detergents, laundry powder, and other chemicals are expensive.
In the long term, the cost you will pay now for the water softener will eventually get back to you in the form of detergent and energy savings.
Conclusion
There you have it, these five signs indicate that investment into water softener will definitely be a good shout. And here are some good news, to read more about how to treat hard water simply click here.
Even when you only spot some of these, it might be a good idea to consider it.
I want to hear from you what tips do you have to stop hard water in your house and what are other benefits of having a softener.
Share them in the comments below.
