There’s no doubt that appliances are a big investment for your home, and buying them is not cheap – so it’s only natural that you want to maintain and take care of them as best you can.
But some time down the line you’ve started to notice that your dishwasher and washing machine aren’t doing as good of a job as they did when you first bought them.
Your natural reaction to this might be to question the quality of your appliance.
However, according to the U.S. Geological Survey, as many as 85% of homes in the United States have ‘hard water’.
That means there’s a good chance that your appliances are actually under performing because of limescale buildup and mineral deposits caused by the ‘hard water’ supplied to your home.
In this article, we’ll explain what ‘hard water’ is, as well as some of the unwanted effects it can have on your home appliances… and then we’ll throw in a solution to the problem just for good measure.
Let’s get started!
What is ‘hard water’?
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Before getting into how ‘hard water’ can have an impact on your home appliances, it’s a good idea to understand the science behind what makes water ‘hard’.
The common misconception is that the ‘hardness’ of water is how it feels to the touch.
In actual fact, ‘hard water’ is ‘hard’ because it contains higher concentrations of dissolved minerals, such as magnesium and calcium. Water that flows through wells and rivers will often come into contact with rocks, soil and other organic matter containing those minerals.
The higher the concentration of minerals, the ‘harder’ the water will be.
In your home water supply, it’s the calcium and magnesium in ‘hard water’ which is responsible for scale buildup on your taps and in your pipes.
Unwanted side effects of ‘hard water’ like these are becoming a fast growing concern for more and more Americans every day.
While the effects are not hazardous to your health, the residue that ‘hard water’ leaves behind can be a major nuisance for you, and bad news for your appliances.
The impact ‘hard water’ has on your appliances
Everyday tasks like laundry and dish washing already take up enough of your time and energy without having to worry about the effects ‘hard water’ may be having on your appliances.
But put it this way, ‘hard water’ isn’t your friend when it comes to cleaning.
The minerals in ‘hard water’ react with soap and detergent, creating an unwanted and annoying residue.
In your washing machine this residue can linger on your clothes, making them feel stiff and begin to look dull over time.
On top of that, it’s also been determined from a research study conducted by the WQA (Water Quality Association) that ‘hard water’ is responsible for shortening the lives of your appliances from anywhere between 2 and 4 years.
This is because your water consuming appliances are worn down as a result of scale and buildup left behind by the dissolved minerals in unsoftened water.
These mineral deposits clog up the plumbing in your home, which constricts the flow of water in and out of your pipes and appliances.
Over time, your appliances will become less and less effective at their job until they give up and break down entirely.
The worst case scenario here is that the effects of ‘hard water’ become so bad that you have to call a plumber out to your home, or you have to go out and buy a new appliance altogether.
We’re sure you’d agree, neither of these sound like great options.
Why the SpringWell FutureSoft® Salt-Free Water Softener is a great solution for your home appliances
We’ve talked a lot about the damage ‘hard water’ can be doing to your appliances…
…so, what’s the solution?
We recommend the SpringWell FutureSoft® Salt-Free water softener for your home.
This highly rated water softener works around the clock to remove those annoying and unwanted minerals found in ‘hard water’ by providing 99.6% scale prevention without the use of chemicals or salt.
Once it’s been installed, this system ensures that you’ll have no drop in water pressure throughout your home.
And unlike other water softeners, the SpringWell FutureSoft wastes no water and doesn’t discharge any salt brine back into environment – so you’ll be doing your bit for the planet too.
Opting for a salt-free water softener will prevent limescale and mineral deposits from clinging to the insides of your appliances, and the ‘softened water’ will keep the pipes in your home clear and functioning well.
If you want to avoid unexpected maintenance fees or the expensive costs of replacing appliances, then a salt-free water softener is a great investment that is guaranteed to extend the life of your home appliances and save you money in the long run.
