Do You Actually Need a Water Softener?

Hard water will not hurt you. What hard water does is leave things behind. Spots on glasses. A film on the shower door. Soap that will not lather. A kettle with a crust in the bottom. Over years, the same mineral builds up inside your water heater and any appliances that heat water – reducing the life of those devices, which does cost money. So the question is not whether your water is hard. It is whether it is hard enough to be worth investing a few thousand dollars and a bag of salt every couple of months. Key Takeaways — Is a water softener worth it? Water softness is measured by grains per gallon; the more grains per gallon, the harder the water. If your water is under about 7 grains per gallon, you will barely notice. Over 10, you will. Over 15, it is shortening the life of your water heater and your fixtures, and a softener starts paying for itself. Get your number first — your utility publishes it free, and a test strip will tell you in a minute. Everything else is a sales conversation. START WITH YOUR NUMBER Find out how hard your water is Your utility already measured it. Pull the report by ZIP in about 30 seconds. Check my ZIP → What is hard water, in plain terms? Rain wa...