One of my number one jobs is to make sure that homeowners understand the importance of having a water softener in their home. As you know from some of my other posts my number one and two reason for having soft water is my hair and my skin. My hair stylist couldn’t agree with me more and my skin agrees too. Although my hair and skin value go into the category as “priceless,” your home appliances will prematurely fail if they are supported with hard water. Simply put, anything that comes in contact with hard water is going to get a beat down. Lets start with the most expensive appliance in your home that can potentially ruin your mood if it isn’t working; the hot water heater. If you have hard water, a white chalky build up will develop inside your hot water heater, caking it with calcium & magnesium. Studies have shown that it can reduce the life expectancy of a hot water heater up to 30%. I’m the farthest thing from a mathematician (ask my husband about my checkbook balancing) but lets say your hot water heater is suppose to last 8-10 years, on hard water that is going to be reduced to a life expectancy of 5-1/2 -7 years life expectancy. Remember, your hot water heater always dies at the worst time when you least expect it or have time for it!
The same thing goes for your dishwasher & washing machine not to mention how your dishes, glasses and clothing look when you have hard water. Spots on your glasses, or a white milky finish is the most visible clue that you have hard water. Your whites aren’t white, colors fade and take a beating as well on hard water.
I continue to be baffled that even after knowing all of this information, I still have property owners who may be renting their property to tenants that think that having a softener isn’t necessary if the tenant doesn’t complain. Does the tenant replace the hot water heater when it fails? Does the tenant pay for the new dishwasher? If you’re paying for your home, protect it!! Spend your money wisely on a softener instead of expensive appliance replacements! Take a minute to review a very intensive study that the WQA spent A LOT of money on to show the effects of hard water. WQA Press Release
Posted in: Water Softeners