In more extreme cases you may even have to repair water pipes that become damaged from your hard water.
This is obviously not an ideal situation. Having quality water is important and is worth investing in.
However, deciding what type of water softener to get can be a difficult choice if you don’t know much about the subject.
Today, as part of our 3 part Hard Water Solutions series, Marquez Plumbing wants to help you avoid emergency plumber service while also helping you understand why traditional water softeners aren’t always the best option for your hard water issues.
The Cons Of Using Traditional Water Softeners
The traditional water softener is an outdated hard water solution that comes with a lot of disadvantages.
If you already have a traditional water softener, or are considering getting one, it’s important that you educate yourself on the potential drawbacks.
Here’s why traditional water softeners just don’t cut it:
- Poor Taste
The quality of your water’s taste will likely go down with a traditional softener. Traditional water softeners are notorious for creating water that is not as enjoyable to drink. On top of that many people have described super soft water as feeling slippery to the touch, and this can translate to a slippery residue feeling on your dishes, body, and hair.
- Extra Salt Intake
Traditional water softeners use salt to filter the water. This can cause an increase in your family’s salt intake. Too much salt is bad for everyone, however, if you have certain health issues, this extra salt can become a serious problem.
- The High Cost
Buying and paying for the installment of a traditional water softener can be very expensive. For many people, this extra cost just is not worth it. Some of the nontraditional water softeners are less expensive, but even more effective.
- Extra Required Maintenance
Traditional water softeners require a lot of maintenance. This means more time and money spent. You will often need to hire someone to come and maintain or repair water pipes or your water softener.
- Less Calcium
When you use a traditional water softener, you lose a lot of the natural component of calcium. Too much calcium in your water can be a bad thing. However, it is good for your health to have some calcium in your water.
- Increase In Your Water Bill
A traditional water softener may waste a lot of water. This waste can cause your water bill to jump up. Nobody wants a high utility bill, especially when this can be avoided.
- Potential Harm To Your Plumbing System
When you have a traditional water softener you have to take extra precautions to make sure your plumbing systems are not being damaged, which may lead to the need for emergency plumbing services. Click here for more information on water softeners and your plumbing.
- Potential For Corrosion
Water that is too soft from traditional water softeners can be acidic. This acidity can cause corrosion in your pipes. This corrosion can lead to the metals in your pipes getting into your water, and then entering the family’s bodies. This can be an obvious health problem, especially if you have heavy metals such as lead in your pipes.
- They Are Bad For The Environment
“It is widely known that traditional salt-based water-softening systems are not environmentally friendly. The salt contributes to the salinity problem when discharged with other wastewater into the municipal sewage treatment plant. In general, higher salinity in the wastewater increases the treatment costs and reduces the potential for reuse of treated wastewater for irrigation and industrial purposes.”
- There Are Better Options Out There!
As hard as it is for some to move on from the old and known ways, it is clear that traditional water heaters are not the best option. Why use the same old water softeners when there’s a better and healthier solution out there?
Thankfully there are new and better hard water solutions out there these days, such as NUVO H20.
You can say goodbye to your hard water without all of the consequences of a traditional water softener.
If you need a better water softener solution, or you need emergency plumber service, click here to contact Marquez Plumbing.