Do You Need Home Water Filtration Or Water Softening?

Are you not satisfied with the overall quality of the water in your home? If so, you may be looking into a way to improve it with the help of a local plumber. There are whole home systems that help with water softening and water filtration, and you may be wondering which one is best for your needs. Here is what you need to know about what these two systems do so you can make an informed decision.

Water Softening

Water softening will help fix several problems with the water in your home. You may feel that the water in its current state has an odd taste to it when used for drinking water. When washing dishes, you may notice that there is a film left over on the dishes that causes them to not look very clean. Clothes can come out of the washing machine feeling stiff. Soap doesn't lather up real well when you shower, making you feel like you're not getting as clean as you can. You may even feel as if your skin is dry and itchy after bathing. These are all signs that you have hard water.

A whole home water softening system works by extracting the calcium and magnesium from the water before it travels through your plumbing. It works through a process of exchanging those ions with salt. It can cause your water to taste a bit different than what you are used to, but provides all of the benefits of soft water to your entire home.

Water Filtration

The reasons for water filtration are quite different than water softening. This process is used when the water itself needs to be purified in order to make it safe for drinking or to remove impurities. This is more common when homeowners have a well as their primary water source, since the water does not come from a municipal source that has already been filtered.

Water filtration does not solve the problems caused by hard water, but it does remove metals, hormones, pesticides, and sediment found in the water. By installing a whole home water filtration system, it helps ensure that all of the water going to every faucet is safe to drink, even when using water from your bathroom to brush your teeth.

For more information on installing a whole home system for water softening or filtration, reach out to a local plumber for assistance.