If you are one of the 15 million homeowners in the UK living in a hard water area, a water softener system could be the perfect investment for your home. It can save time, hours of cleaning, and you could even save money by cutting down on soaps and detergents and extending the life of your electrical appliances, but is it right for your family?
In this article, will explain some of the many benefits of installing a water softener system. Could it improve your life? Let's find out.
Hard Water In The UK
Hard water is a problem in the UK that affects up to 60 per cent of households nationwide. While there is no evidence to suggest that it causes adverse health conditions in humans, it can cause catastrophic and costly problems in the home.
Due to its high content of minerals such as magnesium and calcium, hard water causes limescale - a chalky white substance that builds up on surfaces such as bathtubs, sinks, toilet basins, and shower screens and blocks pipes, showerheads, and plumbing systems.
It can also lead to skin and hair problems; with the high mineral content of hard water thought to cause dry hair and flaky scalps and aggravate common skin conditions such as eczema.
How Water Softeners Can Help
Using revolutionary technology called ion-exchange; water softener systems remove limescale-causing minerals calcium and magnesium through a regeneration process using sodium (salt). When hard water passes through a water softener, resin beads packed with sodium ions attract unwanted minerals and remove them from the water to make it soft.
The Benefits of Water Softeners
The benefits of soft water are well-documented, and if you live in a hard water area, it could change your life for the better. Here we list the key benefits of installing a water softener system at home:
1. Supports Healthy Heating & Plumbing Systems
A water softener system will not only help remove limescale in your plumbing and heating systems, but it will prevent it from re-occurring. It could extend the life of your pipes, boilers, and radiators, and save you money on your annual fuel bills.
2. Extends The Life of Household Appliances
Washing machines, dishwashers, and kettles last longer in homes with soft water. With no limescale to block pipes and clog heating elements, your household appliances will live longer with a water softener.
3. Cuts Down On Cleaning Time & Detergents
If you use a water softener, you won’t have to worry about clogged up shower heads and taps, scaled up toilet bowls, and streaky shower screens. You’ll spend less time cleaning the bathroom and kitchen, and you’ll need less cleaning detergents than ever before.
4. Your Clothes Will Last Longer
A water softener can extend the life of your clothes and linens by as much as 20 per cent, and they’ll feel softer too. You’ll use less washing powder, so this is another area where you’ll save money.
5. It Could Improve The Condition of Your Skin & Hair
Softened water is gentle on the skin and hair and can help relieve a flaky scalp and dry skin. It foams easily, so you’ll use less shower gel and shampoo, and it will even help the men in the house cut down on razor blades by giving them a softer, smoother shave.
6. Kind On The Environment
When you install a water softener, you will undoubtedly use less cleaning products, detergents, and toiletries, and as such, you will reduce the volume of chemicals sent down the drain. It is an environmentally-friendly option for both the workplace and the home.
7. It Could Save You Money
Experts suggest that homeowners could save as much as £350 per year by installing a water softener system. These savings come from extending the lifespan of home appliances and heating and plumbing systems, cutting down on cleaning products, de-scalers, and limescale removers, and by making appliances more energy efficient.
With a water softener system, you can say goodbye to hard water for good, and enjoy the many benefits that come with water soft on the skin, soft on the wallet, and soft on the planet.
