Water softeners can be essential in homes that deal with a lot of minerals and heavy metals in the water available. Often water from drilled wells and natural reservoirs carries the most minerals, but some water systems provide water treated and filtered but not run through a softener. 

Hard Water

The term hard water refers to water that has a lot of minerals in it. Often calcium and magnesium carbonates, bicarbonates, and sulfates are noticeable in the water While typically they will not hurt you, the minerals in the water can leave deposits in pipes, leave stains in your tub, sink, and toilets, and can cause laundry to come out dingy even though it is clean. 

Installing a water softener system on the water line feeding the house can remove the minerals, eliminating the problem and changing the taste of the water. The water softener is not a filter in the traditional form, but it does remove contaminates from the water, and it can be combined with a water filtration system to ensure the water in your home is safe and of high quality.

Water Filtration

When you are trying to clean up the water coming into your home, working with a water filtration service to help you select a system and set it up on the property is a great starting point. Typically the process starts with testing the water to determine if you need filtration, a water softener, or both for your home's water. 

The water test will break down all the things in the water that could be a concern, and the report from the lab allows the filtration service to put together a system that can handle your needs. The filtration is set up on the water line, and the water softener can be added to the line before or after the filter and still work well. 

Many installers run the water through the water softener first so the heavy metals are removed and eliminate issues inside the filtration system. The filtration process will not affect the water softening, but if the process is done in reverse, some of the calcium and magnesium could get left in the plumbing of the filter system, causing a blockage over time. 

Maintaining The System

After installing the water softener in your home, you may need to change the media in the system or add salts and other materials from time to time. Most modern systems can clean and flush themselves, but the installer will go over the requirements of maintaining your softener and how often you need to check on it. 

Many filtration and softener installers also offer regular maintenance services, so you can have them come to service the unit a few times a year. 

For more information about water softening, contact a local company.