![]() ![]() Water treatment plants usually filter out minerals or chemicals that can be harmful if ingested, but other minerals, notably magnesium and calcium, aren’t filtered out by treatment plants. Most of the time, this is a good thing-everyone can use a few extra minerals in their diet! In some cases, however, the concentration of minerals can be too high. Homeowners may be wondering, “What is hard water, and why would it need to be softened?” All water has some minerals that have leached into it from the soil and rocks around it. ![]() Water softeners remove heavy minerals from the water using salt and brine, water distillation, reverse osmosis, or magnets. Even in areas where the water isn’t particularly hard, adding a softener can extend the life of plumbing and machines that use water, and it can also improve the condition of hair and skin. I know we’ll need to replace it immediately when it stops working, but how long does a water softener last?Ī: Congratulations on your new home and on recognizing that assessing the age and condition of major appliances is an important first step in maintaining a home! Water softeners are important in areas with hard water because hard water can affect the efficiency and lifespan of dishwashers and laundry equipment, cause scale problems in pipes and plumbing fixtures, and cause drinking water to taste odd. I’ve never had a water softener before, and I know very little about them except that it’s a necessity because we have such hard water here. The previous owners only lived here for a few years and aren’t sure exactly how old it is, though they indicated that it was working well. ![]() Photo: Q: Our new home has a whole-house water softener installed. ![]()
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