Tuesday, July 19, 2011

Your Water Softener Saves Resources

You know that your water softener makes your skin and hair feel great, removing the dullness and itchiness that comes from hardness in the waters of your home, but did you also know that it can save resources as well? These systems can help you save energy, money, and sometimes even time as you care for your home.

When you are dealing with hard water, your appliances are aging to use more energy. In a study published by the New Mexico State University, home appliances, specifically water heaters, were studied. Those in homes with softened water used between 21 and 29 percent less energy than those in homes with hardened waters. Over the course of a year, that adds up.


Also, when you have a water softener, you will find that you need less soap to do your regular cleaning tasks, from washing clothing to washing yourself. Using less soap ultimately means spending less money. It also means less of the earth's natural resources are being used up when you take a bath or wash a load of clothing.

This is not just hearsay, either. The Water Quality Research Foundation did a study on this topic. In this study, softened waters allowed participants to reduce their soap use by as much as 50 percent.

There is another way that a water softener can save money. When your home is impacted by hard waters, your clothes are going to fade faster, your plumbing fixtures are going to get buildup and corrode faster, and other things in your home will be damaged. Replacing these items before their time is going to cost you money. Softeners can offset this cost by helping extend the life of your clothes and plumbing.

Of course, there is the time and money you will spend maintaining the system to think of, but this is so small in comparison to the amount you will save, you will likely find it to be a worthwhile investment. Salt only needs to be replaced once every four to six weeks in the average home, and it costs just a few dollars per bag, depending on the type you use. This is far from a large expense.

However, these benefits only come if you have hard water. To learn if you do, in fact, need a water softener, you should contact a professional who is skilled in testing and treating home waters. They will be able to inspect your system and determine if you need this type of help.

If you do, you will need to make adjustments. Your water softener will not save you much if you continue to use the same amount of soap. You will need to remember that you have a new, eco-friendly system that requires less. Start using the least amount possible, and see what your results are. Soon you will notice that you are saving money because you are losing less of these products, but you will only notice this if you make the change.

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