10 Common Misconceptions About Water Softeners
Water is essential for not only health and wellness, but also the proper functioning of a home and its appliances. When water is compromised, whether it’s water from a well, or treated city water, it can have a negative impact on the beneficial role water plays in our health and daily living.
Water softeners provide an effective and convenient way to supply your home with fresh, quality water. However, if you are like many people who have considered getting a water softener, you may have heard some common misconceptions about water softeners that are preventing you from making a purchase.
Below we clarify 10 of the most common misconceptions that keep people from enjoying the home protection and health benefits provided by water softeners.
Top 10 Water Softener “Problems” Clarified
1. Water softeners make water taste salty.
Many people believe that water softeners make water taste salty because they use salt. However, the salt used in water softeners is only necessary for the ion exchange process. The amount of sodium actually added to the water is minimal and unnoticeable for most people. In fact, soft water is low enough in salt content to be safe for daily consumption, even for those on sodium restricted diets.
2. Softened water removes essential minerals from the diet.
Some people have health concerns that water softeners remove essential minerals like calcium and magnesium from the water. Although water softeners do remove these minerals, the water we drink is not our primary source of these minerals. Your family can still enjoy better tasting water while getting essential minerals from a balanced diet.
3. Water softeners waste water in the softening process.
While older water softener designs use a lot of water for the regeneration process, many newer water softeners are much more efficient. Today’s innovative models feature greener designs that minimize water usage and provide energy savings. Additionally, the benefits of softened water, such as reduced scale build-up in pipes and extended appliance life, provide cost savings for your household budget now, and in the future.
4. Water softeners are expensive and burdensome to maintain.
In reality, the cost of maintaining a water softener is relatively low compared to the savings from avoiding plumbing repairs and replacing damaged appliances. Today’s water softener features also make them much easier to maintain.
The primary cost with water softener maintenance is purchasing salt. There are water softener designs that offer greater efficiency and are much less expensive to maintain. For example, WaterBoss® saves operating expenses by using up to 50% less salt and up to 80% less water per regeneration than conventional softeners.
5. Water softeners take up too much space.
Compact water softener designs are gaining popularity as a solution to the problem of limited space. Offering efficiency and space-saving features, compact water softeners are designed to deliver the water softening that a larger model would, but in a smaller footprint appliance.
6. Water softeners offer limited benefits, like improving the taste of drinking water.
Hard water problems affect more than just the smell and taste of drinking water. Hard water minerals cause scale deposits in pipes, reduce the efficiency of water using appliances, and leave stains on dishes and clothing. Hard water can also cause dryness and irritation problems with skin and hair. Softened water used throughout the home can lead to noticeable benefits far beyond pure, fresh-tasting water.
7. Water softeners take care of all water problems.
Water softeners are designed to remove hard minerals like calcium and magnesium. Contaminants such as bacteria, viruses, or chemicals typically require a water filtration system or a combination of filtration and softening is required.
8. All water softeners are basically the same.
A water softener is a water softener, right? Actually, there are a variety of water softener types to choose from, including salt-based, salt-free, dual-tank, and magnetic systems. Each has its own approach to dealing with hard water and each varies in terms of efficiency, maintenance, and suitability for specific water issues. It’s essential to choose the right type for your specific needs.
9. Installing a water softener Is complicated and expensive.
While DIY installation may require some plumbing knowledge, many modern water softeners are designed for easy installation, with detailed instructions provided. If you are not comfortable with doing the installation, professional installation services are readily available.
The cost of installing a water softener can be surprisingly affordable. It is important to research the right size and model for your home.
10. Buying a water softener is too complicated.
Today, buying a water softener can be as simple as shopping at your favorite local retailer, as you would with most other home appliances. Do a little online research ahead of time, including things like looking up frequently asked questions and learning about water treatment options to make your buying process quick and easy.
We hope that clearing up these common misconceptions, helps you in your water softener purchasing decision. WaterBoss has a wide range of water softener options available so you can choose a model to meet your specific water softener and water filtration needs.
