Whole House Water Softener and Descaler

When you receive water from the source, it can be contaminated with bacteria, pesticides, toxic metals, or high levels of naturally occurring minerals. While not all of these contaminants are harmful, they can still have a negative impact on the way your water affects your clothes, pipes, appliances, water heater, and more. 

If you notice that your whites are dingy, the toilet bowl is stained, or your hot water heater needs to be replaced often, hard water may be the problem—and a whole house water softener and descaler may be the solution.

What is Hard Water?

Hard water is water that contains calcium, magnesium, and other trace amounts of minerals, and is the result of water filtering that is rich in minerals before it reaches your tap. According to the United States Geological Survey, more than 80 percent of homes in the United States have some degree of hard water. The more the minerals dissolved in the water, the harder the water becomes, which can cause the growth of bacteria. Some signs of hard water include:

• Stubborn, discolored rings in the toilet bowl that can’t be scrubbed away
• White spots or chalky residue on your dishes and in the dishwasher
• High water bills from appliances made more inefficient by hard water
• A persistent buildup of soap scum in the tub or shower
• Low water pressure from faucets and showerheads
• Water heaters that corrode and wear out quickly
• White clothes that grow gray and colors that dull after only a few washes
• Dry, itchy skin and dull hair from sticky soap residue that won’t wash away in hard water

While hard water isn’t necessarily harmful to you, its effects can still be a nuisance to deal with. 

 What is a Water Softener?

A water softener is a type of filtration system that effectively removes the minerals in water that cause hard water. The most common type of home water softeners works by ion exchange. During this process, water flows through a tank lined with negatively charged resin beads that attract and bind with the positively charged calcium and magnesium ions in your water. The minerals are trapped in a salty brine solution and are flushed away before they ever reach the tap. This type of system requires a steady supply of water softener salt and effectively removes unwanted hard water minerals.

Before choosing a softener, check your local regulations to find out if salt-based systems are restricted in your area. Some municipalities limit the use of these because of potential environmental concerns in ecologically sensitive areas.

What is a Water Descaler?

Water descalers are salt-free systems that use magnetism or electricity to prevent the buildup of limescale by keeping minerals suspended in water. Because they don’t actually remove the minerals, these systems are referred to as water descalers, instead of water softeners. Water descalers don’t require salt or filters and improve your water quality by:

• Preventing minerals from dissolving out of the water and depositing on the insides of pipes and components of your appliances
• Dissolving the existing scale deposits
• Retaining essential minerals in your water
• Costing less to use than other types of descalers because there are no salts or chemicals to replace

At Hiller, our technicians can install Whole House Descalers that are a great alternative to our whole house water softener.

Install Your Whole House Water Softener and Descaler with Hiller

Hard water won’t harm your health, but it can cost you time and money. From clogged pipes to overworked appliances and ruined clothes, hard water can be a persistent nuisance. By investing in a whole house water softener or descaler today, you could save big over time. Our technicians at Hiller Plumbing, Heating, Cooling, and Electrical will help you choose the right size and type of system you need, install the system, and provide expert instructions on how to properly maintain it. Contact us today and say goodbye to hard water for good!