Extend the Life of Your Appliances with a Water Softener in Hillsborough
Most homes in North America have hard water—89.3 percent in the U.S. and 85 percent in Canada.
It’s safe to drink hard water, but it can cause problems in your Hillsborough home:
- Mineral collection in plumbing and appliances
- Reddish stains in toilets
- Worn-looking clothing and scratchy towels
- Dull skin and hair
- Stains on dishes, flatware and glasses
- Low flow rate during showers
Water softening solutions from Fras-Air/General Service Experts can manage your home water problems and bring you fresher drinking water.
Whether you’re starting to check out water softeners or you need water softener repair, our crew of specialists are here to help.
Need a new water conditioning system for one affordable monthly payment? Ask us for more information about our Advantage Program™.1
Benefits of Using a Water Softener
It’s inexpensive to use a water softener. It consumes less than $3 in electricity per year.2
A water softener only needs about 2.5 pounds of salt. That’s 80 percent less salt than dial-style softeners.
Soft water can make cleaning take less time, help your appliances last longer and help you avoid plumbing clogs.
Clog-Free Plumbing and Fixtures
Soft water helps water flow smoothly in plumbing. Hard water causes mineral deposits to accumulate in your pipes and fixtures. This can cause clogs and reduced water pressure.
Showerheads in homes with hard water can lose 75 percent of their flow rate in fewer than 18 months. Soft water keeps the luster and full flow for faucets and showerheads, nearly as well as the day they were put in.
Soft water is lacks minerals. It doesn’t create deposits in pipes or restrict water flow in fixtures.
Longer-Lasting Appliances
Over time, hard water can cause minerals to become concentrated in your washing machine and dishwasher.
The mineral deposits in hard water turn into limescale when they get hot. This can coat the heating elements in your appliances, decreasing life span and efficiency.
As a result, your appliances may need frequent service or need to be swapped out earlier.
Efficient Water Heaters
Soft water preserves the efficiency of water heaters.
Gas storage and tankless water heaters operating on soft water hold on to the factory efficiency rating over a 15-year life span. In comparison, using hard water for a gas water heater can reduce efficiency by up to 48 percent.
If you have an electric water heater, up to 30 pounds of rock-like scale can build up in the tank from hard water. The scale is an inferior heat conductor. It can shorten the life of your heating element, because it has to work harder to heat water.
Soft Skin, Brighter Laundry and Cleaner Dishes
Hard water minerals accumulate on your skin and in your hair, triggering it to dry out. It can also contribute to painful razor burn.
Soft water is better at cleaning soap residue, so you’ll have softer skin and glossier hair. Plus, your clothes will look less faded and your dishes will look cleaner.
Less Soap and Cleaning Time
When you have hard water, you have to use extra soap for a satisfactory lather. The minerals in hard water react with soap. This creates a scum on tubs.
With soft water, you won’t need to waste as much time cleaning to get rid of soap scum. You’ll also use less cleaning supplies.
What You Need to Know About Hard Water and Water Softener Systems
What is Hard Water?
Hard water has more minerals than ordinary water.
What is a Water Softener System?
It’s an appliance that takes out additional minerals like calcium and magnesium. It also minimizes chlorine, iron and volatile organic compounds.
How Long Does a Water Softener Last?
A water softener that’s the right size for your home will last for a long period. Its lifetime depends on the manufacturer and how much you operate it.
How Much Does a Water Softener Cost?
Some water softeners are more efficient than others. As a result, the price may differ.
Costs can also be different based on how hard your water is and how much water you consume. If your water is especially hard and is used excessively, softening expenses will increase.
Is Softened Water Safe to Drink?
Softened water includes all the natural minerals we need. While a small amount of sodium is mixed in during the softening process, softened water is perfectly safe to drink.
What’s the Quality of My Drinking Water?
Water quality differs by geography and processing levels. It can also be impacted by construction, mining, agriculture and mineral deposits your groundwater runs through.
You can learn if there are contaminants in your home’s drinking water.
The Environmental Working Group manages a free database of more than 30 million state records of tap water tests. About 81 percent of community water sources checked in the U.S. contain chemicals linked to cancer, according to the group’s research.
Can Brine from Softeners Damage my Septic Tank?
A study by the Water Quality Association found a septic tank can’t be damaged by brine discharged by a water softener. The tanks that were reviewed were correctly placed and working normally.
Softened water may help limit detergents being released into your septic tank.
Softer Water, Guaranteed
Hard water problems? Call us at 908-448-2154 or request an appointment online.
One of our Experts can check if you need a water softener.
We support our work with a 100% Satisfaction Guarantee3 for a year. That means we’ll get the job done properly the first time, whether you need us to service your water softener or install a new one.
1Some exclusions apply.
2Based on manufacturer’s information and assumptions. Savings may vary based on the type of system you use.
3Not applicable to the Advantage Program. See your signed Advantage Program Agreement for full details and exclusions. 100% Satisfaction Guarantee is subject to certain restrictions and limitations as set forth in the applicable Terms and Conditions.
