#1 Water Softener Installation in Mankato, MN With Local Reviews!
All tap water is not the same. Depending on the water source, some water is hard, meaning that it has a high concentration of minerals, such as calcium and magnesium, dissolved in it. Some water is soft, with relatively few minerals. Water can become hard by passing through certain kinds of rock deposits and dissolving some of their minerals along the way.
Hard Water vs. Soft Water at Home
There are some advantages to hard water. The minerals in the water can be good for your health, although it is unclear whether minerals in water are absorbed into the body as easily as minerals in food. Hard water also provides minerals to plants, which could be important if you are watering plants with your tap water or garden hose.
On the other hand, some people prefer the taste of soft water. Also, soft water makes soap more effective, making it easier to lather and more effective as a cleanser. Soft water allows your washing machine to work with less detergent and extends the life of appliances that use water.
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Hard water does have some undesirable effects. The minerals in hard water contribute to soap scum as they can leave deposits, called scaling, in pipes, dishwashers, coffee pots, kettles, and other kitchen implements. Descaling can cost time and money. Water heaters that heat hard water are more likely to develop sediment buildup in the chamber, leading to corrosion and leakage.
If you have hard water and want to protect your pipes, consider a whole-home water softener. As with water filters, small-scale water softeners can work with pitchers of water or attach to your tap.
However, if you are concerned about protecting your pipes and improving your bath and shower experience, these water softeners are not adequate. Water softeners are different from water conditioning systems and water filtration systems because they specifically remove the calcium and magnesium ions that produce hard water.
Methods of Water Softening
Water softening is a result rather than a process. While any water softening process must remove calcium and magnesium ions, it is important to distinguish between processes like ion exchange that focus specifically on charged ions compared to processes like nanofiltration that remove a great deal more than ions from the water. The choice depends on whether your goal is softened water or purified water.
Water Softening Equipment
Water softening equipment includes under-the-sink models, pitcher water filtration, and whole-home equipment. For homeowners with limited kitchen space, the water softener might occupy needed cabinet space or refrigerator space. A whole-house water softening system does not need to be near the kitchen and can even be outside the home.
Whole-home water softening equipment is more expensive, costing anywhere from $800 to over $2,000, and it takes up more space than alternatives.
Systems based on ion exchange require a supply of water softening salts periodically. The bags of salt that you buy provide the sodium that swaps out with other ions in the ion-exchange process.
Water Softening Service
Water softening through ion exchange systems also requires periodic upkeep. The salt must be replenished based on usage, and the machine should be serviced once a year.
As an alternative to buying or renting water softening equipment, subscribing to a water softening service could meet your needs if you don’t need a full home water softening system. A water softening service will bring tanks of softened water to your home. Since the company maintains and operates all the water softening equipment, all you have to worry about is how to use the water.
Contact Us Today for Softer Water!
However you want to handle your hard water problem, Babe Plumbing offers equipment, expertise, and water softening service. As a proud provider of plumbing services in the Mankato, MN, area, we want to keep everyone’s pipes clean and free of scaling. The time and effort you put into water softening equipment now might keep us from having to visit your home on an emergency call sometime in the future.
Babe Plumbing professionally installs whole-house water softeners—protect your pipes, drains, and appliances with soft water. If you’re interested in the idea of getting soft water for your home but are not sure what options are available.
Babe Plumbing is a professional emergency plumbing company based in Mankato, MN, with over 40 years of experience serving residents of southern Minnesota.
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