Water Softener Pros & Cons

3C Plumbing installs and services water softeners to treat water with high mineral content (hard water,) as well as alternative systems that do not require the use of salt.

There are a variety of options you can employ to solve your hard water problem, including reverse osmosis and distillation. The most cost effective option is to have a water softening system installed in your home.

For more in-depth, clearly written information on the subject, read the InspectAPedia.com article "How Water Softeners Work – operation, maintenance, adjustment, and water softener effect on drinking water and on septic systems"
 

Do I Want to Install a Water Softener in My Home?

Cy Cadwalader, 3C Plumbing, installs water softener and purification systems like this under-sink Reverse Osomosis water purifying and storage unit.

That’s not as easy a question to answer as you might think. There are a number of pros and cons about softened water to consider:

• PRO: Reduces the “hardness” of the water, which can have several benefits for consumers, including:
  • Less soap and detergents needed
  • Reduced staining, spotting, scaling
  • Energy saving in water heating due to less scaling

  CON: Neither healthy nor desirable for drinking

  • Since water is a universal solvent, most materials, especially metals, are partially soluble in water.
  • Softened water becomes much more aggressive at leaching metals from water lines. Lead in soldered joints and copper in pipes and faucets are particularly vulnerable, two of the heavy metals that shouldn’t be in your drinking water.
  • Warm softened water from the tap should never be used for cooking or drinking water as it could be higher in heavy metals.
• PRO: Only removes the minerals that cause hardness

  CON: Can increase dietary sodium intake

  • For people on a low-sodium diet, the increase in sodium levels in the water can be significant, especially when treating very hard water.
  • A half-gallon of softened, extremely hard water will contain about 480 mg more sodium than unsoftened water from the same source.
• PRO: Reduces scaling and lime deposit build-up

  CON: Less "consumable"

  • Does not "taste" as good as hard water to drink
  • Does not provide useful calcium ions for the healthy growth of bones and teeth
• More CONs:
  • A softener can waste up to 120 gallons of water for every 1,000 delivered, which can significantly increase you water bill.
  • A water softener does not remove lead and other metals, or chlorine taste/odor compounds or by-products.
  • The release of salt brines into sewage systems can have a negative impact on water recycling. High salt content increases treatment costs and reduces the potential for reuse of wastewater for non-potable irrigation and industrial purposes.

Learn more: Water Softener Alternatives

If you are thinking about adding a water softener to your home, but this all seems too much to deal with, 3C Plumbing can help. We have the experience to help you determine the water softening / conditioning solution that best fits your needs, which system to select, and the correct size and type of equipment for your application. Call (317) 850-5114 to arrange a free in-home estimate.