If you have hard water, a water softener will protect your plumbing by preventing the buildup of minerals inside the pipes. Water is considered hard when it has a large amount of minerals like calcium and magnesium in it. If you get your water from a well, it is probably hard water, but you can benefit from a water softener even if you have city water. Here are some benefits to having soft water in your home.

Reduces Mineral Buildup On Dishes

If your water is hard, you'll see water spots on your glasses and silverware. The spots are mineral deposits that remain behind after the water evaporates. Another place that's easy to see mineral buildup is in the glass pot of your coffee maker. Unfortunately, you also get the same buildup inside the coffee maker as well as other appliances in your home that use water. The mineral deposits can cause your appliances to break down, so having a water softener can actually prolong the life of your appliances in addition to making your dishes look cleaner.

Makes Laundry Soft And Cleaner

One problem with hard water is that it doesn't combine well with soap. The soap tends to bind to the minerals in the water rather than do their job getting your laundry clean. Not only that, minerals left behind can leave your clothes feeling slightly stiff after they are washed. When you wash clothes in soft water, you can use less detergent because there are no minerals to interfere with the sudsing reaction. Your clothes will feel softer and look cleaner. Plus, the soft water will eliminate problems with scale buildup in your clothes washer.

Leaves Your Skin Feeling Smooth

Just like soft water reacts better with laundry soap, it also makes better lather with bath soap. Plus, the soap rinses away completely and leaves no mineral residue behind that makes your skin feel tight. One of the first things you'll notice after getting a water softener is how silky your skin feels. You may even notice the same results with your hair. As an added benefit, soft water doesn't leave as much soap scum as hard water does after you take a bath or shower, so cleaning the tub is easier too.

While the above benefits are enjoyable, the primary reason to install a water softener is to keep your pipes clean, so they don't clog up and cause problems with your drains. Just like you see scale buildup on a coffee pot, the same mineral deposits build up on the inside of your plumbing pipes. Although it may take years for it to cause problems, eventually a narrower pipe could make your drains empty slower. The scummy buildup could also grab hair and food bits as they go down the drain, which means you could experience clogged drains more often. Contact a local contractor, like Anderson Water Systems, for more information.