softener Archives - City Plumbing

Is Your Home in Need of a Water Softener?

What Is Hard Water?

Hard water may sound strange, but it refers to water with high dissolved minerals, such as calcium and magnesium. Understanding hard water requires basic chemistry. Water is excellent at dissolving substances it comes into contact with – think of sugar dissolving in coffee or dirt rinsing away with water. Water picks up minerals from rocks and soil as it moves through the environment. When water becomes saturated with these minerals, it reaches its capacity to dissolve other substances, which limits its effectiveness for cleaning and hydration.

Hard water can create challenges in the home, from plumbing issues to difficulties with everyday cleaning. Fortunately, water softeners reduce the mineral content and restore water’s valuable properties.

Recognizing the Signs of Hard Water

Hard water can lead to various costly and inconvenient effects. One of the most significant issues is the damage it inflicts on plumbing systems. Over time, mineral deposits can accumulate within pipes and water heaters, resulting in lowered water pressure, leaks, and expensive repairs.

In everyday life, hard water’s inability to clean effectively is more immediately noticeable. Look for these common signs:

Dingy clothing that looks faded or worn.
Dull, lifeless hair and dry, itchy skin after bathing.
Spotted dishes and streaky finishes after cleaning.
Stubborn grime that’s difficult to remove from surfaces.

These signs indicate that a water softener may benefit your home’s water.

How Do Water Softeners Work?

Water softeners are designed to reduce the concentration of minerals in hard water. The most common type uses a resin bed that captures calcium and magnesium ions as water flows through it, delivering softened water to the home.

Different systems adopt alternative strategies by utilizing templates to promote the growth of larger crystals made of hard minerals. These bigger particles create less disruption in the water, effectively softening it while retaining some of the minerals.

Regardless of the method, water softeners enhance water’s cleaning and hydrating properties, making it more effective for household use.

Benefits of Whole-Home Water Softeners

While municipal water systems provide clean water, they don’t typically address hardness. Removing minerals on a large scale is costly and unnecessary for many uses. Fortunately, homeowners can install whole-home water softeners to enjoy the benefits of soft water where it matters most.

Whole-home water softeners:

Protect plumbing and appliances by preventing scale buildup and corrosion.
Improve cleaning efficiency, leaving clothes brighter and dishes spotless.
Promote healthier skin and hair by effectively removing soap and grime.
Extend the lifespan of water-using appliances like water heaters and dishwashers.

With a reliable water softener, homeowners can enjoy soft water throughout their home, reducing costs and improving quality of life.

About City Plumbing

With over 20 years of experience, City Plumbing specializes in providing water quality solutions to homeowners in Philadelphia, PA. Their team is committed to delivering top-notch results, from water softener installation to expert plumbing repairs. Contact them today for prompt and reliable water softener installation services to tackle hard water issues in your home!

When Is a Water Softener the Right Choice?

What Is Hard Water?

As water goes through the water cycle, the last place it ends up before it is treated and piped to home is in a reservoir or aquifer. The journey that water takes to get there allows it to pick up ions in the soil and bedrock in a region. This gives each water supply a unique mineral profile that accounts for differences in taste and other characteristics.

One downside of having water laden with minerals is that the ions can contribute to hard water. Hard water contains a high load of calcium and magnesium. When these minerals are present in water, they impede the ability of water to do some of the things that society relies on it to do. Removing these ions from the water is the job of a water softener. This article is a quick discussion about how a water softener works and why installing a whole-home water softener is probably a healthy choice for the home.

How Exactly Does a Water Softener Work?

Since the ions that contribute to hard water come from the bedrock in a region, water laden with minerals is called “hard.” A water softener “softens” water by removing these minerals. The best way to achieve soft water in a home or business is to use a whole-home water softener that removes minerals from the water at the source where water enters the home.

A whole-home water softener is installed where water enters a home or business. All of the water that flows through the plumbing has its ions removed. The first stop for the hard water is in a large tank filled with resin. This special reason attracts the calcium and magnesium ions and binds them up. As water flows through the resin bed, more ions are captured so that it is softened as soon as water enters the piping in a home. Water softeners must periodically remove the buildup of ions in the resin so they automatically flush themselves with a strong saline solution, and the process starts over again.

How to Tell When Hard Water Is Present in a Plumbing System

The signs of hard water are usually evident by recognizing the drawbacks of dealing with hard water. Hard water can cause several problems like:

Spotted glasses in the dishwasher
Faded clothes after just a few washing cycles
Dry hair and skin resulting from hard water’s inability to remove soap residue and grime
Crusty, white buildup on plumbing fixtures
Problems with water pressure
Corrosion in a plumbing system

Whole-Home Water Softener Benefits

Removing the minerals from water is a great step towards unleashing the potential of water. By removing ions from water, the water can more adequately remove contamination when clothing and dishes are washed. Soft water is also better for hair and skin because it can rinse away grime more effectively. Finally, soft water is better for plumbing because it prevents minerals from causing corrosion in water heaters and piping. A whole-home water softener is a great place to start for owners looking to enjoy their water more fully.

About City Plumbing

City Plumbing is ready to answer questions about water quality and water softeners. Their experienced teams can find water quality solutions for any home. Call today for plumbing service in Philadelphia, PA.

Three Signs That Homeowners Need Water Softener Installation

Homeowners Should Beware of Hard Water in their Homes

With summer coming to a close and fall fast approaching, now is a great time for homeowners to assess the health of their homes and make changes as needed. One of the best ways to do this is by assessing their water quality, particularly by checking if they have “hard water.” This occurs when the water has a high mineral content, often calcium or limestone.

When hard water occurs, homeowners usually require water softeners to help flush out the calcium deposits. Homeowners can usually tell if they have hard water-based on visual or physical abnormalities and abnormalities in their piping systems. Below is an in-depth overview of each of these.

Sign 1: Visual Abnormalities

The first signs of hard water that homeowners must look out for are visual abnormalities. With hard water, there will usually be very obvious signs in areas where water is usually used, such as:

Dishware - mineral deposits can lead to water spots on dishware when one should typically use water to clean the dishes
Faucets - residue can build up on the inside of the faucet and restrict water flow
Soap scum - white chalky residue can show up on bathroom surfaces

If homeowners notice any of these listed above, these are pretty obvious signs of a hard water issue. In particular, if they notice multiple of these - like spotting on their dishes and slowed water and gunk in their faucets, they can be almost certain they are struggling with hard water issues.

Sign 2: Physical Abnormalities

The second signs of hard water that homeowners must look out for are physical abnormalities, namely, bodily reactions when they and their families contact water. After taking a shower or bath, homeowners should beware of dry, itchy, or irritated skin. After all, washing off should clear off any irritants rather than introducing them!

In addition, since water is used in the washing process for clothes, if homeowners and their families notice that their clothing is particularly stiff or that they are experiencing scratching or itching while wearing their clothes, this is a very obvious signal of hard water. The minerals contained in the water are probably causing this irritation.

Sign 3: Pipe Abnormalities

Last but not least, the third signs of hard water are issues with the pipes. While these may be slightly less obvious than the visual and physical abnormalities described above, they are still important to look out for. When mineral deposits build up in the pipes, this can heavily impact water flow and lead to clogging or, in severe cases, pipe breaks.

If homeowners notice gradual decreases in water pressure, this is a potential sign that they may be dealing with hard water, especially if there are other visual or physical signs. Additionally, pipe clogs can worsen with mineral deposits, especially in pipes already susceptible to backups. Pipe breaks can result if there is excessive pressure due to this clogging, which is most certainly not what homeowners want to deal with!

About City Plumbing

City Plumbing of Philadelphia, PA is a full-service plumbing and HVAC company that operates with the motto of “we turn nightmares into pipe dreams.” Their team of experts has over 20 years of expertise and guarantees quality and reliability for every one of their customers. Call them today for plumbing service in Philadelphia, PA!