10 reasons every home should have a water softener

If you’re thinking of making an investment in a product, you want to know exactly what’s in it for you – right?

In this article, we delve into the 10 reasons why every home should have a water softener! Keep reading to find out all that awaits you following your purchase with Harvey’s…

What are the benefits of soft water?

• Save money on cleaning products, soaps, etc.
• Improve the efficiency of your heater
• It can help improve your skin and provide relief from skin conditions
• Never have another bad hair day
• Spend less time cleaning
• Laundry comes out brighter, glasses and dishes regain their shine
• It’s better for cooking and making drinks
• Protect your appliances such as dishwashers and washing machines
• Enjoy showers and baths with silky smooth water
• Reduce streaking and spotting when you wash your car

A water softener is a great addition to any home for many reasons. They are particularly useful in the south east of England, where water hardness is particularly high.

Hard water contains high traces of calcium and magnesium ions, which can create limescale and have a damaging effect to the internal heating and plumbing systems of your home, as well as limiting the effectiveness of soaps and cleaning products. By comparison, soft water doesn’t contain these elements, and as a result, households with water softeners installed are capable of saving a considerable sum of money throughout the year for a variety of reasons.

Creating our brand new consumer’s guide to softened water, we have thought long and hard about the benefits that softened water can provide to your home.

So here they are!

1. Save money on cleaning products

Hard water contains magnesium and calcium ions that make it very difficult to create an effective lather with soap and other cleaning products, which affects the whole cleaning process, whether you are having a shower, washing the car or doing the laundry and dishes. As soft water is treated to remove these impurities, it is far more effective when used for washing. For example, a test by the Scientific Services Laboratory, New York determined you could achieve the same level of soil removal in soft water by using lower water temperatures and a reduced amount of detergent than washing with hard water. You will require less cleaning agents to perform a good wash.

2. Improve the efficiency of your heater

Hard water can wreak havoc on your heating system thanks to scum and scale deposits that could lead to blockages and cause damage to your boiler. Scale essentially acts as an added layer of insulation, that prohibits the transfer of heat into the water. These deposits are known to drastically reduce the efficiency of your boiler – sometimes as much as 50%. Even a small deposit of 1.6mm could be enough to cause heat efficiency loss of up to 12%! Gradually, having soft water running through your system will dissolve away scale, remedying the problem completely.

3. Help treat skin conditions

Hard water can exacerbate eczema and other dry skin conditions due to the excessive amount of soap and cleaning products needed to create an effective lather for a thorough clean. Hard water also leads to the occurrence of soap scum – a result from the reaction between the soap and the minerals. Soap scum is another potential irritant both when it comes in direct contact with a skin condition or when small particles are left on clothing washed in hard water.

Additionally, clothing washed in soft water often feels softer, which can lessen the abrasive feel of starchy clothing and therefore keep skin complaints at bay. A study by the University of Nottingham found that children living in hard water areas are almost 50% more likely to develop eczema than those that do not.

4. No more bad hair days 

Soft water will do wonders for skin care, and that deep clean will also provide a noticeable difference in the vitality of your hair. When magnified, each hair comprises millions of tiny little scales. Hard water makes these scales stand out from the shaft, leaving your hair more able to get tangled and feeling rough. With softer water, there will be significantly less limescale deposits left in hair, and due to less interaction between the minerals and the hair itself, hair will be left feeling a lot smoother.

5. Reduce cleaning time

Most of us will be familiar with putting in a bit of elbow grease when it comes to cleaning. Soft water can sometimes increase the ease of dirt removal by 50 per cent, and it’s great for rinsing as it doesn’t leave streaky residue too. With hard water it is more difficult to produce an effective lather to remove dirt and stains, and on smooth surfaces the mineral deposits can produce a spotted appearance.

6. Cleaner laundry and dishes

Usually, as a result of washing with hard water, clothes become dull and weathered, whites turn to grey and colours will fade. Similarly, dishes and glassware will also lose their sparkle. Conversely soft water maintains the appearance of clothing and kitchen ware. It’s all thanks to soft water’s ability to mix effectively with soap and detergents to provide a greater clean. Also, as a result of using softened water, you will find the durability of your clothes and kitchen wares will also be greatly extended.

7. Tastier food and drink

Hard water is usually preferred for drinking purposes. It’s mineral content gives water the closest thing it has to taste! However for making drinks, like tea or cocktails, soft water is usually considered superior. Soft water is a more effective solvent and this can be seen when used with soap but it also equally applies to cookery and mixed drinks. For instance, adding stock to soft water will greatly enhance the flavours and aromas.

8. Protect your appliances

As mentioned, hard water can cause blockages in your plumbing through the deposition of limescale. Soft water by comparison can provide a long term remedy to these kind of deposits. If a water softener is added retrospectively to a property, then gradually the softer water will dissolve limescale scale deposits and remove the problem entirely.

9. Luxurious baths and showers 

Going from a hard water bath or shower to a soft water wash, you will instantly notice the difference in the quality of the clean and the sensation. It is often regarded as a luxurious experience, a perfect way to unwind at the end of the day relieving the stress and fatigue of everyday life.

10. Streak-free car washes 

For car enthusiasts, one of the worst offences of hard water, is the chalky residue it can leave on your car after washing. Damaging the paintwork of the vehicle and generally reducing the visual impact. As soft water does not carry any of the impurities, it is the solution to wash your car with.

Don’t take our word for it though. The best way to experience soft water is to see it for yourself. We offer a range of ways to try out soft water for yourself, whether you want to book a free no obligation demo or even rent one of our water softeners, you will find that we are flexible to your needs.

If your locks are looking lacklustre, it could be because you’re washing your hair in hard water at home. A water softener can help to remove harsh minerals from your water supply and improve the softness of your hair and skin. 

Book a demonstration with one of our experts today!

Have A Good Hair Day – Washing with softened water can improve hair condition – Discover The Difference