24 Reasons To Buy A Water Softener

If you’re one of the 60% of households in the UK that is supplied with hard water you’ll know the effects hard water can have on day to day living. Things like less soap suds, scum on hot drinks, limescale in kettles, the list goes on and on, That’s probably why there’s such an increase in the sale of water softeners nationwide.

Why Are More People Installing Water Softeners In The UK?

1. Less Soap – More Suds
   Soft water allows soap to cling to skin not water. It’s a chemistry thing, it’s all about how ions in the water react to soaps and detergents. In a nutshell the softer the water is the harder it is for soap to interact with the ions in the water. Which means when you wash with soap in soft water it’s harder to remove the soap from your skin- Making you feel cleaner and making your skin feel softer and smoother.
2. Appliances Live Longer
   The main reason appliances like dishwashers and washing machines break down is limescale. Over time limescale builds up in the pipes, on the washing machine drum, etc.Causing the machine to struggle, it’s carrying all that extra weight in scale plus the pipes are getting clogged just like human arteries with cholesterol. It’s a slow process but eventually the appliance will pack up. As there are considerably less minerals that cause limescale in soft water your appliances will last longer.
3. No Hard, Limescale Build-Up
   The minerals that create limescale are ever present in hard water. In a short span of time, limescale builds up on kettle elements, water pipes, taps, shower screens, in fact, anywhere that water touches can be affected by limescale. Soft water has much less calcium and magnesium particles so that means less limescale build-up.
4. Cheaper Energy Bills
   If there’s no limescale build-up, water heaters, kettle elements, hot water pipes etc don’t get coated in this hard rock-like substance. No limescale coating means water can flow through pipes easier, and heating elements don’t have to work so hard to heat the water. This in turn, leads to less energy usage, and cheaper energy bills.
5. Healthier Skin
   As the soap actually stays on the skin when using soft water, it will soften skin making your skin feel silky, smooth and clean.
6. Healthier Hair
   Washing your hair in soft water gives you cleaner, softer hair. The minerals in hard water react with hair follicles causing them to tangle. So soft water really is better for your hair and skin.
7. Hair Colouring Last Longer
   Due to the way hard water reacts with hair follicles, if you have dyed or bleached hair, it will fade much faster if you have hard water. Using soft water to wash your hair will prolong the colouring in your hair.
8. Less Skin irritation
   Hard water irritates the skin. If you suffer from eczema or other skin conditions, hard water can make them flare up. With hard water,you need far more soap to create enough lather to clean your body. It’s this extra soap that dries out your skin and aggravates any skin problems. Soft water uses far less soap to create a lather, meaning soft water is less likely to exacerbate any eczema or other dry skin related conditions.
9. More Powerful Showers
   Hard water causes limescale build-up, this limescale will slowly clog the shower head. Making your shower less powerful over time. Soft water has much less minerals and is less likely to cause the shower head to get blocked. 
10. Less Detergent Costs
    Soft water uses less washing powders and detergents than hard waters. Washing clothes in hard water uses ⅓ more detergents than washing clothes in soft water.
11. Less Cleaning Needed
    Soap scum and limescale are responsible for most of the mess in sinks and baths. Soft water creates less limescale, and less soap scum than hard water, saving on cleaning and cleaning products.
12. Saves You Money
    Soft water usage contributes to less soap and detergent costs, less energy usage and less outlay on all of the above.
13. Clearer Hot Water pipes
    You will find hot water pipes and radiators are less clogged and far more free flowing when operated with soft water.
14. Less Limescale In The kettle
    A kettle full of limescale is a nasty sight. Not only does it look dirty, but it costs significantly more to boil a kettle with limescale build-up than it does a kettle free from limescale.
15. Better Tasting Drinks
    Hot and cold beverages taste much better when made using soft water. Hot drinks don’t have scum floating on top and cold drinks just taste fresher, more alive, and refreshing.
16. Brighter Taps
    Taps in soft water houses, always look shinier because there is no limescale build-up or soap scum to take the shine away.
17. Cleaner Shower Screens
    Nothing looks worse than a streaky glass shower screen. Soft water doesn’t contain the minerals that cause the streaks to stain the shower screens.
18. More Time For Yourself
    With less cleaning to do, and less time needed to replace soaps, shampoos, detergents etc, you will have more time to relax or do whatever you like.
19. Cleaner Laundry
    Clothes washed in soft water retain their colour longer, feel softer, last longer and as there has been less detergents used there’s less chance of skin irritations from wearing clothes washed in soft water. Soft water also dissolves into the clothing easier than hard water meaning the clothes are cleaner too.Have you ever dried on a towel washed in hard water? It feels like you are drying with sandpaper. Soft water keeps towels soft and fluffy.
20. Cleaner Windows
    Hard water leaves streaks on glass. Washing your windows with soft water uses less detergent, and dries streak free.
21. Cleaner Cars
    Cars cleaned using soft water are much less likely to dry streaky. Hard water contains minerals that cause limescale and create soap scum too. Neither of which will look good on a car.
22. More Bubbles In The Bath
    Maybe you might decide to use some of that extra time you have to take a bath. If you do, go easy on the bubble bath, soft water will make more bubbles from less liquid. Giving you that luxurious, pampered feeling.
23. Cleaner Dishes
    If you own a dishwasher and you live in a hard water area, you might have noticed that white ring around cups or glasses. Washing dishes in soft water will result in cleaner dishes, less washing detergent and no limescale build-up.
24. More Steam From Your Steam Iron
    Soft water will not have so many dissolvable mineral particles, which means less limescale on the soleplate of your iron. And more steam because the steam holes won’t be blocked.

How Is Hard Water Classified?

Hardness of water is measured by the concentration of dissolved minerals in water. It is determined by how many milligrams of dissolved minerals per litre of water (mg/l). Below is a chart depicting the various stages of water hardness.

Water Class	Milligrams Per Litre (mg/l)
Soft	0 to 17 mg/l
Slightly Hard	17 to 60 mg/l
Moderately Hard	60 to 120 mg/l
Hard	120 to 180 mg/l
Very Hard	180 And Above mg/l

Short Checklist To See If Your Water Is Hard

If you think you live in a hard water area, you should seriously consider buying a water softener. You can tell if you have hard water because:

• Limescale Build-Up In The Kettle
• Laundry feels Rough, Not Cleaned Properly And Clothes Wear Out Quickly
• White Stains On The Soleplate Of Your Iron
• Appliances Need Repairing Or Replacing Often
• Scale Stains On Taps, Shower Heads, Shower Screens Etc
• Streaks Left Behind After Cleaning Windows
• Streaks Left On The Car As It Dries From Cleaning
• Unsightly Scum Floating On Tea/Coffee
• Detergents Don’t Last Long
• High Energy Bills
• Limescale Stains On Dishes After Washing Up
• Inefficient Heat System
• Low-Powered Hot Water System
• Increased Skin Irritations (Eczema etc)
• Lank, Lifeless Hair (Often Tangled) 
• Hair Dye Fades Fast
• Hard, Dry Skin

How Much Does A Soft Water System Cost?

Soft water installations range in price from around £300 to around £3000. But just what can you expect for your money?

• Between £300 To £500
  For this amount of money you are only likely to get a cheap, single cylinder softener. Which is likely to have an insufficient capacity,use excess salt, and likely to be unreliable.
• £500 To £750
  This should buy you a decent single cylinder system, with more reliability.
• Between £750 To £1000
  For around £1000 you should get a decent twin-cylinder water softener.
• Between £1000 To £2000
  This will buy you the top system capable of supplying a family home with soft water. With a typical flow rate of 51 litres per minute (L/M)
• £2000 To £3000
  This is the price you’d expect to pay for a commercial water softener system.

After the initial installation and purchase price, the only other costs are maintenance and salt. The cheaper, single cylinder models tend to use more salt and are inefficient when compared to the twin-cylinder systems in every way.  It is often a false economy to go for a cheaper system as they tend to have an operating lifespan of a maximum 8 years. Whereas a top of the range model from a reputable water softener company will last around16 years. 

You will have to choose between lower initial costs or long-term benefits from a more expensive system. It’s also worth bearing in mind the high costs charged for repairs on the budget models. A professionally installed efficient water softener will give you many years of service and save you a large amount of money in the long-term.

Frequently Asked Questions