What is “Hard” Water?

If you have hard water, you probably have noticed scale buildup on items that use water like tea kettles, coffee makers, even faucets. This scale buildup also exists in places you can’t see like inside your pipes, your wash machine, water heater, and more. It is caused by minerals like calcium and magnesium that the water naturally picks up from soil and rock.

Expert Water Softener Installation

Hard water can cause two main problems. It can reduce the flow of water through the pipes and, over time, can cause clogging. It also reduces soap’s ability to lather and actually reacts with soap to form a sticky scum. Hard water will leave spots on dishes as well especially in your dishwasher. So how do you combat hard water problems? You call Last Call Plumbing and have a water softener installed. Our skilled plumbers can install a water softener asap and you can start taking advantage of all of the benefits of soft water.

Advantages of Water Softener

  • Use Less Soap-saves money, easier on clothes.
  • Less Soap Scum-fewer spots and streaks. Tubs, showers, sinks stay cleaner longer.
  • Extended Appliance Life-reduce mineral buildup inside washing machines, dishwashers, and water heaters.
  • Faster Water Heating-soft water heats up faster than hard. Energy efficiency will lower energy bills.
  • Cleaner Plumbing System-fewer clogs and a more efficient system

How a Water Softener Works

Water softeners are designed to remove the calcium and magnesium from your water before it is used in your home. Basically, water is filtered through a bed of tiny polystyrene beads where the positively charged hard ions (magnesium and calcium) switch places with the negatively charged soft ones (sodium).

Once these ions are removed, the water can pass into your home. Eventually, the resin bed becomes saturated with hard water ions and the exchange becomes difficult. When this happens, it must be cleaned. Salt is added to regenerate the resin and the ion exchange process begins again.

Want your plumbing questions answered by a qualified professional plumber? Give us a call today!