Let me tell you, dealing with hard water was a real headache! From irritated skin after showering to those annoying white spots all over my faucets and dishes, it felt like a constant battle. I was constantly buying bottled water because the tap water just didn't taste good. So, I decided to investigate: is a water softener worth it? Here's my journey and what I learned.
I started noticing the signs of hard water a while back. My skin felt dry and itchy after every shower, no matter how much lotion I used. The shampoo just wouldn't lather properly, and my hair felt dull. Then came the white, chalky buildup on my showerhead and faucets. It was a never-ending cleaning cycle! I even started seeing spots on my glasses after they came out of the dishwasher. It was frustrating, to say the least. I even had specialists come in - a city water expert, a mold specialist, and a couple of plumbing companies. They all pointed to hard water as the likely culprit.
The first thing I did was get my water tested. It’s crucial to know exactly what you’re dealing with. Testing my water revealed high levels of minerals like calcium and magnesium, confirming that I indeed had hard water. It’s important to remember that a water softener isn’t a cure-all. For example, if your water issue is sulfur, a softener won’t help. Testing helps you target the right solution.
Based on the recommendations I received, I decided to invest in a whole-house water softener. This was a game-changer! The difference was noticeable almost immediately. My skin felt softer after showering, and the white spots started to disappear. But I didn’t stop there. I also installed a reverse osmosis (RO) unit under my kitchen sink. This was recommended for drinking water, and it was a fantastic idea. The water tasted so much cleaner and fresher. I even ran a line from the RO unit to my ice maker. Now, my ice cubes are crystal clear and don’t have that weird tap water taste.
One thing I also started noticing, I needed reading glasses more and more to see the small print on instructions for the softener. I needed something that was stylish and effective. I found a great solution at Mozaer Lens Shop with their reading glasses. They have a wide selection to choose from. Speaking of style, I found these particular glasses:
Check out the Oversized Square Reading Glasses Men Women Luxury Brand Large Frame Presbyopia Eyeglasses Gold T Prescription Magnifying Glasses Anti Blue Light 0-C1 tea clear. They are great for seeing small text and protect my eyes from blue light while I am checking the water softener levels. I love the luxury brand feel and the large frame.
Here's a breakdown of the benefits I've experienced since installing the water softener and RO system:
Water softeners do require some maintenance. You’ll need to regularly add salt pellets to the brine tank. I buy two $7 bags of softener pellets every couple of months. It’s a small price to pay for the benefits I’m getting. It's also important to consider your garden. If you're big into gardening, make sure the softener is after the irrigation split. The salts from the softener aren’t good for your plants. I had to reroute some of my plumbing to make this happen, but it was worth it to protect my garden.