Why Hard Water is Hard on Your Wallet

What determines the hardness or softness of water? While water is typically crystal clear, minerals and chemicals are unseen in the water you may be drinking. You may be thinking “who cares”, right? What you don’t know is that the concentration of certain minerals is what creates the “hardness” of water and makes your water heater, appliances, cleaning supplies, and personal care products less effective. 

Keep reading for an overview of why you should consider a water softener installation.

Hard Water Can Reduce Your Water Heater Efficiency

Over time, hard water can leave behind scale deposits that will build up on the inside of your water heater over time. While the manual from you water heaters says to flush it annually to avoid buildup, not all homeowners will read this manual. If left unchecked, the scale buildup can speed up the life of your water heater and leave it deteriorated. 

If you take the time to add up how much it costs to run your water heater by calculating the water hater’s power use through Watts, you’ll find that the price your paying for an average model of 4,000 Watts for 3 hours a day at $0.10 per kWh could be costing you around $440 per year. According to the Water Quality Association, water heaters that operate on softened water maintain the original factory efficiency rating over a 15-year lifetime. What does this mean? Well, it means that you’re losing hundreds of dollars each year due to the reduced energy efficiency from your hard water. 

Hard Water Can Affect Your Appliances And Fixtures

Have you ever noticed a foggy film that is left behind on your dishes even after running them through the dishwasher, or have you taken a shower recently and felt that the pressure just wasn’t as strong? Your hard water may be affecting your appliances and fixtures. 

Hard water reacts with and neutralizes soap, producing soap scum. This means that no matter how many times you clean your dishes or how much soap you use- your dishes will continue to look the same. Fixtures aside from your shower head can also get clogged, for example, your faucet’s blending valve can become clogged and require servicing. Don’t let calcium buildup get to you- get a Kinetico water system. 

You’re Spending Too Much On Cleaning Products

As mentioned above, hard water neutralizes soap and reduces its effectiveness, making you purchase and use more soap to get the same level of cleanliness. Because of this, you’ll be spending way more money on cleaning products each year. Have you ever wondered how much more? 

Typically, a household of four will spend around $800 a year on cleaning supplies with hard water, which is way more than you need to be spending. Investing in a water softener installation will allow your cleaning products to be more effective, and in return, you’ll be spending less. 

A water softener can cut your spending on cleaning products and appliances by as much as half, literally saving you hundreds of dollars each year. 

Get Your Kinetico Water System

Not only is hard water inconvenient, it’s also expensive. Water softener systems may be an investment, but the costs of keeping hard water in your home will add up to a much greater sum down the line. 

Hard water doesn’t just mess with your cleaning products and appliances, it also causes water stains, dry, itchy skin and frizzy hair. If you’re looking for a company who holds themselves to higher standards, who will provide a thorough analysis of how water systems work, or recommend one that’s right for you, look no further than Kinetico San Antonio. Contact us today to start putting money back in your pocket with one of our soft water installations!