Phoenix, Arizona, is one of the six metro areas that have the hardest water in the United States.
Phoenix, Arizona, is one of the six metro areas that have the hardest water in the United States. By definition, hard water is water that contains dissolved salts such as calcium and magnesium.
Though hard water can be a great way to ingest calcium and magnesium, which are essential to the body, it has adverse effects if the salt content is too high. Such effects include:
- Causes skin and hair dryness after bathing
- Mineral deposits will build-up on your plumbing and appliances
- Stains bathtubs and sinks
- Causes clothes to fade
Fortunately, with a water softener system, you can soften hard water and reduce its effect on your body and appliances. If you’re new in Arizona, you may be wondering what water softener cost to install.
In this article, you will find out about water softener cost installed and whether it’s worth it.
Testing If Water in Your Home Is Hard
Before you begin researching how much installing a water softener costs, it’s best to ascertain that the water in your house is indeed hard. The water in your home may be hard because of two reasons. First, there is no water softener system installed in your house. Secondly, the water softener system installed in your property is faulty.
Either way, you need to confirm the hardness of your water. This can be achieved easily. All you need to do is fill a clear bottle halfway with water and add a few drops of pure soap and shake the mixture well.
If you notice the water contains plenty of suds, this is an indication it’s soft. On the other hand, you will know the water is hard if there is the presence of scummy film or if the water becomes cloudy. This happens because there are additives in dishwashing soap that help in combating water hardness.
You can now proceed to find out the average water softener cost in your area to begin preparing your finances.
What’s the Cost of a Water Softener System?
The cost of a water softener system varies from one user to the next. This is because there are certain factors that must first be considered to determine the ideal water softener solution for you. These include:
- The size of your house
- Amount of water your family uses
On average, the cost of a water softener ranges from $700 to $4,500. Though water softener systems can be installed in already built homes, some prefer to have their houses plumbed for water softener during construction. With this route, you can add an extra $400 to $1,000 to your cost of water softener system installation.
How Do Water Softener Systems Work?
Based on the cost of a water softener system, it’s important to understand what you are paying for and how it works. These systems remove the magnesium and calcium ions from water through a process called ion exchange.
A water softener system comes with a mineral tank which contains spherical resin beads. The resin beads, usually made from polystyrene, are charged with sodium ions and are thus negatively charged (anions).
Sodium and magnesium ions are positively charged (cations). When the hard water passes through the mineral tank, the opposite charges attract. When this happens, the resin beads grab hold of the calcium and magnesium ions and releases sodium ions into the water.
Read more about this process to understand the nitty-gritty of water softener systems.
Is Soft Water Safe to Drink?
The process of softening water sees magnesium and calcium ions in hard water swapped with sodium ions. Sodium is one of the main compounds in salt. As such, there are concerns as to how much soft water can impact a person’s salt intake.
To put it simply, drinking soft water does not increase your salt intake. For perspective, one slice of bread contains more salt than 12 glasses of soft water. In fact, soft water is recommended for people who need to control their salt intake.
The same applies to plants. Soft water is perfectly safe for use on plants. However, if you plan on using soft water in your garden, be sure to inform your installation company. This will ensure that the water softener cost you incur will cater for all your soft water needs.
Is the Cost of a Water Softener System Worth It?
The effects of hard water may seem negligible but can result in high costs. This is because, as scales build up within your plumbing, your water costs may increase as your water system works harder to ensure the normal supply of water.
Also, the mineral deposits will necessitate plumbing repairs sooner than normal. Other appliances such as washing machines and dishwashers will also be affected, thus reducing their lifespan significantly.
Undoubtedly, the cost of a water softener system is worthwhile as it will save you thousands of dollars in the future.
*SPONSORED POST BY AMERICAN HOME WATER