For many homeowners, their electric bill is their highest utility expense, with heating and cooling making up nearly half. The next largest source is their water heater, which accounts for up to a quarter of all household energy consumption. However, taking a few simple steps to improve the energy efficiency of your home reduces energy costs significantly.
The Primary Purpose of a Water Softening System
The principal offender in lessening the performance of water heaters is hard water. Nearly 90 percent of American homes have water containing high levels of magnesium and calcium that clogs plumbing and forces appliances to operate less efficiently. Hard water reduces water heater efficiency and increases energy consumption by nearly 48 percent, according to the Battelle Memorial Institute.
The fundamental purpose of a water softener is to counteract the harmful effects of hard water. Although hard water can be beneficial, abundance is detrimental to plumbing, faucets and pipes.
Steps to Improve Energy Efficiency
1.Electric water heaters can accumulate up to 30 pounds of calcium carbonate. This rock-like scale eventually damages the heating element, causing frequent repair or replacement. Visible spots and scale build-up on fixtures is a good indication that you have hard water.
2.A salt-free water softener is an ideal home improvement that pays for itself and adds value to your home. A suitably sized high-quality water softener system can save you thousands of dollars over its life in reduced electricity costs, detergent and soap expenses, efficiency and extended life for your valuable appliances.
3.Kitchens benefit from soft water because it is up to 12 times more efficient for cleaning dishes than doubling the amount of dish soap. In addition, the most important factor in removing stains from clothing is soft water. Reducing hard water is up to 100 times more powerful at removing stains than increasing the amount of detergent or using hotter water. In fact, using softer water reduces soap use by as much as half.
4.Numerous water treatment companies provide free assessments to homeowners to measure the degree of hardness in their water and offer appropriate system. Hardness levels in water vary extensively in some parts of the country. Also, pipe size, number of bathrooms, number of people in the house, types of shower heads and intended use are all considerations for selecting for the right system.
5.Wells are susceptible to hard water because local water departments usually remove the offending minerals. Even if your source is municipal water, it is probable that you still have additional hard water and calcium deposits that make a water softener beneficial.
6.The only way to positively eliminate calcium and magnesium from your household water system is with the use of a water softener. It is effective at removing the scaling in the pipes solely by running the incoming hard water through a resin filter. This method traps the calcium, magnesium, iron, radium ions and manganese in the water, and swaps them for salt ions.
Before selecting a system, research the products and companies and learn how hard the water is in your area. Always work with a reputable company that offers a money-back guarantee and whose installers are certified by the Water Quality Association.
