What is Hard Water? 3 Ways To Treat It

Hard water is a serious problem. Did you know that Kentucky limestone covers 50%* of the surface area? Hard water contains plenty of dissolved limestone, calcium, and magnesium. When this type of water evaporates after a shower or laundry cycle, these minerals stick to your pipes, faucets, and fixtures. On the surface, the problem might seem purely cosmetic. But, this type of long-term build-up causes corrosion, clogs your plumbing with sediment, and creates a rough soap scum that simply won’t wash off of your fixtures and your skin. And who wants gunky build-up on your skin, hair, and in your plumbing? So how do you get rid of it? Glad you asked. It is simple, add a whole home water softener system to your plumbing. What IS a water softener? It’s more than an accessory that simply makes tap water taste better. These water-enhancing filtration systems now play a critical role in keeping your pipes clean, your water pressure steady, and reducing gunk from your skin and hair. How does it work? A water softener is a filtration system that connects with your home plumbing system. As water passes from the mainline through the softener unit it filters out calcium, magnesium, and, in some areas, iron. There are different types of whole home water softeners on the market. We will focus on these 3 below:

1. Salt-based Water Softeners: That’s right, salt. Hard water enters the water softener tank and passes through the salt solution like a sponge. This in-depth process removes the limestone, calcium, and magnesium. The results? Silky, Soft water.
2. Salt-Free Water Softeners: This water softener doesn’t remove calcium, magnesium, or lead from your water. Instead, it uses potassium to neutralize those hard minerals and keep them from crystallizing in your pipes and water appliances. *This type of softener might be preferred by those with certain medical conditions. *Disclaimer: PLEASE check with your medical professional to find out which unit will work best for you.*
3. Reverse Osmosis Water Softeners: Reverse osmosis does more than just remove heavy minerals from your water; it removes EVERYTHING from your water, leaving a pure and clean H20.

Water softeners are a great way to improve the quality of water in your home. Whether you’re trying to help ease skin conditions like hives or eczema, drink better-tasting water, prevent limescale build-up, or avoid pipe corrosion, water softeners can help reduce the minerals glowing through your home plumbing system and onto your skin. Another benefit of adding a water softener to your home, you can save on your energy bills with better water flow, pressure, and quality after the limescale is reduced and eliminated. At GreenBox Home Services, we recommend and install the Novo Water Conditioning Softeners product line. Their products are used to soften water in homes and small businesses. Novo’s softeners primarily use salt to combat limestone and other minerals in city water. You can also combine a filtration system to remove even more sediment and chemicals, like chlorine, that water softener doesn’t remove. Tired of having filmy, gunky water on your skin and in your pipes? Click below to schedule your water softener evaluation with GreenBox Home Services.