The Benefits of Water Softeners in Red Deer, Alberta

Welcome to The Otter Guys Plumbing & Heating, where we dive into the world of plumbing solutions to make your life easier. If you reside in Red Deer, Alberta, you're likely familiar with the challenges posed by hard water. In this article, we'll explore the numerous advantages of installing a water softener system, offering you a clearer understanding of why it's a wise investment for your home.

The Hard Truth About Hard Water in Red Deer, Alberta

In Red Deer, hard water is a common issue that can wreak havoc on your plumbing system. The high mineral content, primarily calcium and magnesium, can lead to limescale buildup, reducing the efficiency of your appliances and potentially causing damage over time. If you've noticed soap scum, dry skin, or scale on your faucets and fixtures, it's likely your home is battling the effects of hard water.

Water Softener Solution

Enter the water softener – a hero in the battle against hard water problems. Installing a water softener system can transform your water quality by removing those troublesome minerals. A study commissioned by the Water Quality Association best highlighted the advantages of softened water. The study tested numerous household appliances and fixtures under laboratory conditions, comparing the effects of hard water vs soft water over a multi-year timeframe. In this article, we will discuss the results of this study, and explore the fantastic benefits water softeners can bring to your Red Deer home.

Preserve Your Plumbing and Appliances

Hard water can take a toll on your plumbing and appliances, leading to drain clogs, corrosion of fixtures, decreased efficiency of water heaters, plugged showerheads, and more. With a water softener in place, you can extend the lifespan and efficiency of your pipes, water heater, fixtures, and appliances. It's an investment in the longevity of your home's essential systems.

Fixtures & Plumbing

Your home's fixtures present the most obvious signs of hard water. Whether it's scale buildup on a faucet or water residue on a glass shower door, these signs are impossible to ignore. The accumulation you see happening is also happening on the inside, leading to improper function, leaks, and reduced lifespan of your home's fixtures and water systems.

Fixtures

In the Water Quality Association study, homes that were subjected to 26 gpg, (grains-per-gallon) hard water lost 75% of their flow rate in less than 18 months. In comparison, the softened water showerheads maintained their function and luster. Faucets performed similarly, with the hard water faucets not able to maintain their 1.25 gpm, (gallons-per-minute) flow rating. The softened water faucets functioned like new throughout the study.

Appliances

Our household appliances have many small moving parts. When hard water is introduced, these parts become plugged, corroded, and jammed, resulting in frequent costly repairs. Your home's dishwasher, laundry machine, fridge ice-maker, Reverse Osmosis filter, etc. can all be negatively impacted by the effects of hard water.

Plumbing

As stated before, the accumulation that you can see is also happening where you can't see. The scale build-up you can feel on your shower walls is being deposited in your home's drainage systems. This rough texture provides an excellent surface for soap scum, household grease, and such to adhere to, resulting in clogs and drainage back-ups.

Furthermore, the corrosion and build-up on the spout of your sink faucet is deteriorating and restricting your water supply lines. Scale builds up in layers inside your plumbing pipes, causing pressure loss in your home water system. As this scale breaks off, it can also plug off fixtures and appliances downstream completely.

Water heaters

Though the impacts may not be readily apparent over the short-term, water heaters are probably the most heavily impacted by hard water. The consequences are something that will be felt over time, in gradual losses in efficiency, more frequent maintenance and repairs, and eventual failure of the water heater entirely.

Gas Water Heaters

When using 50 gallons of hot water per day, every 5 gpg of water hardness caused a 4% loss in efficiency and 4% increase in energy costs in gas-fired hot water tanks. That’s 24% less efficient than with their softened water counterparts.

Those units supplied with softened water maintained their efficiency throughout the study, and were projected to maintain that efficiency for at least 15 years.

Electric Water Heaters

Due to electrolysis, hard water minerals tend to "drop out" of the water when subjected to an electrical current. Due to this, electric water heaters suffer from heavy mineral buildup as much as 2 pounds of calcium carbonate scale per year.

The study found that every 5 gpg of water hardness caused 0.4 pounds of scale accumulation per year. This is not to mention the reduced life expectancy of the electric heating elements, which are also impacted by hard water.

Tankless Water Heaters

The tankless water heaters in the study completely failed to function because of scale plugging the downstream plumbing after only 1.6 years of hot water use on 26 gpg hard water.

Softened water ended up saving 40% of costs compared to operating on 20 gpg and saved 57% compared to operation on 30 gpg hard water.

 Carbon Footprint

Reducing your energy consumption is not only good for the planet but also for your wallet. Water softeners contribute to energy efficiency by allowing appliances like water heaters to operate more effectively. This means lower energy bills and a smaller environmental footprint for your Red Deer home.

• The carbon footprint increases 18% for gas storage-type water heaters on 26 gpg water hardness for 15 years when comparing to the same operation on 0 gpg softened water.

• For tankless on-demand natural gas water heaters, the carbon footprint increases 4% when operated on 26 gpg water hardness vs 0 gpg softened water over 15 years.

These numbers do not reflect the added benefit of less waste going into our landfills due to less repairs and replacements of parts, fixtures, and appliances.

The Benefits of Washing with Softened water

The benefits of soft water can be felt almost as much as they can be seen. If you feel that your soap or shampoo just doesn't go very far no matter how much you use, that isn't due to your soap brand, it's due to hard water!

Personal Washing

Soft water can be a game-changer for those seeking relief from dry, itchy skin and lackluster hair. Unlike hard water, with it's high levels of calcium and magnesium, softened water is gentle on the skin and hair. Hard water can strip the skin's natural oils, leading to dryness and irritation, but softened water helps to retain these essential oils, leaving the skin feeling moisturized and soothed. Additionally, the absence of mineral deposits in softened water prevents hair from becoming brittle and dull.

If you decide to opt for a water softener, you will be met with a surprise. You will find that you have to quickly reduce the soap you normally use by 50% to 66%. Unlike hard water, which tends to form soap scum and reduce lathering, softened water creates a luxurious, rich lather with minimal effort. With fewer mineral ions present, soap can better interact with dirt, oils, and bacteria on the skin, ensuring a more thorough and efficient cleansing experience.

Dishwashers

With softened water, dishwasher detergents dissolve more effectively as well, leaving dishes spotless and free from cloudy residues. Additionally, the use of soft water reduces the need for excessive detergent, offering economic and environmental benefits.

In the Water Quality Association study, up to 70% savings in detergents were observed for dishwashing when softened water was used compared to hard water. Using softened water was found to be up to 12 times more effective at soil removal than increasing detergent dose. Hardness reduction was also 6 times more effective at reducing spotting and twice as effective at reducing filming as increasing detergent dose.

Laundry

Washing machines are yet another beneficiary of softened water when it comes to their washing abilities. One can save costs on both detergent used as well as machine water temperature. With soft water on your side, cold wash cycles will have greater effectiveness at washing and stain removal.

Research found that laundry detergent could be reduced by 50%. The washing cycle could be carried out in 60ºF cold water instead of 100ºF hot water while achieving the same or better stain removal. This was found to be true for multiple different types of stains and detergents. These tests were also conducted on top-load style and high-efficiency front-load washers.

Conclusion

In Red Deer, Alberta, where the water quality poses unique challenges, investing in a water softener can be a game-changer for your home. The Water Quality Association Battelle study reinforces the numerous benefits of softened water on gas water heaters, tankless water heaters, electric water heaters, piping, skin, hair, and fixtures.

Fortunately, our city water is not as high as the levels used in the study, 26 grains/gallon. However, Red Deer water is still considered "hard to very hard," ranging from 150 to 250 mg/L or 9 to 14.6 grains/gallon hardness. By choosing softened water, you're not just improving your plumbing system's efficiency but also enhancing your overall quality of life.

The Installation Process

Worried about the installation process? Our experienced team at the The Otter Guys Plumbing & Heating makes it hassle-free! Our technicians are well-versed in the installation and programming of a wide variety of water softener systems. We'll have your water softener up and running in no time, ensuring you can enjoy the benefits without the stress.

Investing in a water softener system for your Red Deer home is a smart move, offering a multitude of benefits from improved water quality to enhanced appliance longevity. At The Otter Guys Plumbing & Heating, we understand the unique needs of Red Deer residents and are here to make your water softener installation seamless. Say goodbye to hard water woes and hello to a home that's kinder to your plumbing, your skin, and your wallet.

Contact us today to schedule your water softener installation – your home will thank you!

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