Most Las Vegas plumbing contractors will tell you that hard water is what’s creating that soapy and cruddy film appearing on all your kitchenware. Also, when you wash your clothes, they feel like sandpaper when you wear them, and your plumbing fixtures will develop a thick layer of chalk. It affects your household plumbing and it’s becoming increasingly difficult to go about your normal daily routine. However, hard water is a common occurrence and you can easily treat it by installing a water softener. Ask a plumber a question about the nuisance of hard water and they will tell you that it’s something you need to do away with immediately.
Here’s what going on, and how you can go about implementing a permanent solution:
What Is Hard Water?
Hard water typically comes from a municipal source and contains most of the mineral content from rocks and soil, which include magnesium and calcium. Plumbing companies in Las Vegas will always advise you to eliminate hard water because the higher concentration of minerals will devastate your home plumbing system. How so? They create limescale buildup inside your pipes and water-using appliances. This will reduce water flow and greatly affect your plumbing system’s overall viability. The problem is only going to fester and get worse over time. Limescale will also reduce the lifespan of your appliances that rely on water-usage for normal operations, which means that you will end up repairing and replacing them a lot more frequently.
Hard Water Issues and Solutions
Because we are the best plumber in Las Vegas, we know all too well about the negative impacts and inconveniences of hard water. Correcting your hard water issue is going to benefit you immensely in terms of achieving a fully functional and healthy plumbing system. Many of our clients will confide in us about an overall lack of knowledge regarding hard water. They usually don’t learn about it until a problem occurs and they consult one of our professional Vegas plumbing specialists.
We recommend that you have a proactive approach towards solving your hard water issues. You should always keep an eye out for some of the more tell-tale signs of hard water, which may require a little research but the evidence is always easy to observe. You can also contact your municipal water supplier and ask them to provide you with a report of what your water supply contains. You can also purchase a DIY testing kit at your local home improvement store.
How Does a Water Softener Work?
For many people, they anticipate a complex answer to this particular question. However, the process is a lot simpler than you think. Although the market is inundated with a wide variety of water softening technology, it all comes down to one basic principle: ion exchange. This is a chemical process where magnesium and calcium ions are substituted with sodium ions, which are a lot safer to consume and use for cleaning/bathing.
Some of the more conventional water heater installations include two tanks. One of those tanks contains a bed of resin beads that contain a lot of sodium. When hard water passes through the tank, sodium will exchange places with all the calcium and magnesium. The resinous beads cling on to the minerals, thus allowing the sodium to enter the volume of water. This is the most prominent and proficient method of treating hard water in most American households and businesses.
We also want to mention that water softeners will only release trace amounts of sodium into your water supply, making it drinkable and safe to use. If you are on a low sodium diet, then we suggest that you install a salt-free water softener instead. One popular alternative makes use of potassium. Salt-based water softeners can also potentially have negative effects on your landscaping and home gardening setup.
The resin beads that absorb all the magnesium and calcium in your water supply will eventually become flush with minerals. Once this occurs, the water softener then undergoes what is known as a “regeneration cycle” where the second tank will fill up the first tank with sodium-rich water. This will restore the resin beads and the water softener will resume normal operations.
Types of Water Softeners
Most plumbing companies in Las Vegas will offer you different installation options. They can offer you a system with the regeneration feature that functions automatically or will require you to activate the process manually. Everything will depend on the capabilities of the system you decide to install.
Fully automatic water softeners are going to cost you the most money. However, the features, as well as the size of the unit, will determine the price when hiring your Las Vegas plumbing contractors for water softener installation services. The size is crucial because you will need to factor in your average daily usage. The best way to determine the amount of water you will use in a day is by multiplying the number of people in your household by the number of gallons per person. You also want to try and accommodate for regeneration cycles and days that will involve heavy usage.
We also want to remind you that there is a huge difference between water softeners and water purification systems. Water softeners make your home more livable and they protect your plumbing system from the effects of limescale. Water purifiers and filtration systems are more ideal for removing chemical contaminants and bacteria. If you are ever unsure about the safety of your drinking water, then contact your local health authority and have them test it.
Conclusion
Almost every Las Vegas plumbing service can install a water softener. However, you need to make sure that your new system is right for you. Furthermore, you should also make sure that you are going to get the most out of your system. Water softeners come with many unique benefits, including:
- Efficient plumbing systems
- Better tasting water
- Minimal maintenance and fewer breakdowns
- Cleaner clothes and dishware
- Easy installation services
The expert plumbers here in Henderson and the greater Las Vegas community understand how frustrating it can be to select and install a brand new water softener. However, we are committed to making the process simpler and easier to undergo. We encourage you to contact one of our professional installers to learn more about the different types of water softeners. Many of our clients can attest that we are the best plumber Las Vegas has to offer!