If you are based in a hard water area, there are plenty of reasons to install a water softener in the home, the main reason being to save money. By process of ion exchange, the water softener will draw out the magnesium and calcium ions, the mineral content which makes it ‘hard’ in the first place. Having soft water flowing through your household will limit the accumulation of scale and scum and will actually provide treatment to areas where it has formed. You will also notice the water feels different, smooth and silky on the skin providing much more effective washes when combined with soap and washing detergents.
These are the benefits to your household, the things you will notice immediately. Gradually, you will also find yourself saving a lot more money.
Simple ways to save water
- Wash vegetables in a bowl, not under a running tap
- Don’t use ‘half-load’ programmes on your washing machine – these don’t save much water and its much more efficient to wash a full load each time
- Keep a bottle of tap water in the fridge – this saves you running the tap until it’s cold every time you want a drink
- Shower rather than bathe – a five-minute shower uses a third of the water of a bath
- Fix dripping taps – a dripping tap can waste up to 15 litres of water a day (it’s quick and easy to replace a worn-out washer)
- Fit a water-saving device in your toilet cistern – you can get these for free by contacting your water company. If you’d rather not wait, just put a standard two-litre water bottle in there, with sand or pebbles as ballast
- Turn off the tap while brushing your teeth – this wastes a lot of water unnecessarily
- Use water wisely in the garden – watering your plants while it’s cool reduces water lost to evaporation, and you can add organic matter to your soil to improve water retention
Shopping
Soft water is a solvent meaning it can dissolve other chemicals easily. Due to hard water’s mineral content, the water is more inert or less capable of sustaining a reaction. When combined with soap, it won’t create a proper lather leading to you having to waste more and more detergent just to get an effective clean. With soft water you can use a fraction of the amount and still gain a better clean, that will preserve the fabrics of your clothes.
We have calculated the following savings based on an average home of a family of four.
| Item | Monthly Cost | Percentage Saving | You Save |
| Bars of Soap | £2.50 | 50% | £1.95 |
| Liquid Soap | £2.20 | 50% | £1.10 |
| Shower Gel | £1.90 | 50% | £0.95 |
| Shampoo | £3.20 | 50% | £1.60 |
| Hair Conditioner | £3.20 | 75% | £2.40 |
| Bubble Bath | £2.80 | 100% | £2.80 |
| Hand Cream | £3.70 | 75% | £2.78 |
| Body Lotion | £6.70 | 75% | £5.03 |
| Razor Blades | £6.00 | 50% | £3.00 |
| Shaving Soap | £2.90 | 50% | £1.45 |
| Floor Cleaner | £1.90 | 50% | £0.95 |
| Washing up liquid | £1.90 | 50% | £0.95 |
| Toilet Cleaner | £2.60 | 75% | £1.95 |
| Bathroom/Kitchen Cleaner | £1.60 | 50% | £0.80 |
| Dishwasher Cleaner | £3.00 | 50% | £1.50 |
| Shower Shine | £1.80 | 100% | £1.80 |
| Washing Powder | £6.79 | 75% | £5.10 |
| Fabric Conditioners | £3.00 | 75% | £2.25 |
| Dishwasher Powder | £7.00 | 75% | £5.25 |
| Dishwasher Salt | £1.40 | 100% | £1.40 |
| Washing Machine Descaler | £12.00 | 100% | £12.00 |
| General Scale Removers | £2.90 | 100% | £2.90 |
| Kettle Descaler | £2.20 | 100% | £2.20 |
As you can see this greatly reduces your shopping bill by over £65.
Energy Sales
The average household in a hard water area, will gain at least 1.5mm of scale building within its internal plumbing over a year. Scale is an insulator and will transfer the heat of your system less effectively. A buildup of just 1.5mm is enough to reduce your heating efficiency by at least 12%.
Again the following figures are provided on the basis of an average family home belonging to two adults and two children.
| Item | Cost Saved |
| Fuel Saving | £7.80 |
| Capital Depreciation | £13.43 |
This represents a saving of at least £240 on your heating bill over one year. In addition, softened water is expected to preserve your boiler’s life span to the standard 15 years.
Installing a water softener acts as a long term investment, that will save you greater amounts of money over the years. The favourite non electrical twin cylinder water softening unit contains no moving parts, it works automatically and is able to cope with the larger demands of water in the family home. All you need to do is add salt, in the form of block salt that costs as little as £7.58 a month.
Independent studies have been undertaken to quantify greenhouse gas reduction through the use of a water softener. One such article concludes that water softeners and RO units together will reduce greenhouse gases equivalent to getting one and a third cars off the road for an entire year!
We also have studies showing just how the efficiency of a boiler will drop with just a small amount of scale build up. A water softener will remove all scale from your heating system and prevent any future recurrence, allowing your system to function as it was designed to do.
Carbon emissions
Carbon emissions are becoming an increasingly important aspect of our lives in the search for new, environmentally friendly technology. With a Harvey Water Softener, you can lower your carbon footprint while keeping your water and salt usage down, by picking the most efficient softener available. Book a demonstration to find out how you can save money and energy with a water softener.
At Harvey Water Softeners, we’re passionate about helping people save money on their household bills. Our water softeners can help you spend less on bottled water, bathroom and cleaning products, repairs and replacements of kitchen and bathroom appliances and fittings. Find out how you can pay for your new water softener gradually with our flexible payment options.
Cut Household Costs and save on products, repairs and replacements – spread the cost with one of our flexible payment plans. Click here to explore now.
Interested in the benefits of a Harvey Water Softener? Get in touch with our expert Harvey team by filling in the form below.
Food and Drink
Home Care
Water Hardness
How to Descale a Coffee Machine
How to Descale a Coffee Machine: Step-by-Step Methods To descale a coffee machine, you can use vinegar, lemon juice, or ...