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As a homeowner, the last thing you really think about is how your water affects you. From your skin, hair, and the way your dishes are cleaned, the water that runs through our pipes can affect the way things feel and look. Hard water, is very common and has built up minerals and sediments that can make your skin dry, clothes wear out easily, and more. Soft water, on the other hand, has a lot of benefits that can improve not only things around your home but also your health, also. Below are water softener benefits for your home.

Softer Skin

Hard water has a tendency to make your skin very dry. With a water softener, not only will you not have to use so much soap to clean yourself, but your skin will be less dry, as well.

Better Hair

Hard water can also have an effect on the way your hair looks. With hard water, it can look lackluster and dull. Soft water makes it easier to clean your hair and it makes it look better too.

Easier Cleaning

Washing clothes, dishes, and other things can leave spots like water stains or soap stains. One of the best water softener benefits is that makes your clothes last longer and it doesn’t leave soap stains or other spots on your dishes, silverware, or glassware.

Energy Bill Saving

Everyone likes to save money on energy bills and with a water softener, homeowners are able to do just that. Since water softeners remove sediments, it makes water heaters work more effectively.

Pure drinking water has no taste. But supplies will quickly absorb such elements as iron and sulfur, giving it an unpleasant and metallic taste. Metal is much more present in drinking water than most even realize. Though rarely found in volumes any greater than 10mg/L, even trace amounts of sulfur and iron could greatly alter the smell and flavor of your water.

And just because your supply comes from city water doesn’t mean your water is free from metals. True the majority of iron present in household drinking water comes directly from well water. But even city water supplies your home with iron-containing water. This has to do with corrosion present in water lines, typically in older cities.

And iron presence has a much greater impact on water supply than altering the flavor. Its presence will actually leave orange, rusty stains and calcium deposits on everything your water contacts, including faucets, sinks, toilets and tubs. These impurities have a negative impact on everything from the cleanliness of your clothes to the spots on your dishes. Most importantly, iron deposits may even harbor harmful bacteria.

Meanwhile sulfur is not only incredibly smelly when in your drinking water, but it also quite damaging to your plumbing system. It produces a black slime which can actually corrode your water system. Keeping this and the presence of iron out of your home is imperative to the longevity and functionality of your plumbing.

Water filtering systems provide you cleaner and healthier drinking water that won’t cause deposits in your pipes. Iron and sulfur removal water systems can significantly reduce iron buildup and reduce hard water stains. Not to mention an adequate filtration system won’t leave your home reeking of rotten eggs.

With increased awareness about the dangers of untreated water, purification systems have been gaining popularity. Better quality water is healthier for drinking, cooking and cleaning. It is free of metallic elements and bacteria, which can cause minute to severe sicknesses. Having pure water on tap also diminishes the risks of drinking water that has only existed in plastic bottles. Showering in pure water can help those that suffer from a variety of allergies and skin ailments.

Boasting a variety of paybacks, your health isn’t the only thing that stands to benefit when you install water treatment in your house. Hard water, or untreated water, can wreak havoc on your plumbing systems as well as kitchen and bathroom appliances. It wears away at the tubing, drainage and internal functionality of these integral elements of your home. Consistent and long-term use of untreated water on plumbing and appliances can cause earlier repairs and overall replacement in comparison to homes with treated water.

Bacteria grows faster and more resistant in hard water environments. Even water that is purified at a water treatment facility is vulnerable to bacteria and germs on its way through the public water system. Bottled water goes through pipes and vats before it is bottled bringing a risk to this type of water as well. Purifying water in your own home is the sole way to ensure that totally and completely safe water is provided to your family for showering, drinking, eating and all the other necessary uses of water.

At first glance it seems cheaper to buy bottled water rather than implement a home purification system. However, cases of bottled water can add up to hundreds of dollars each year. For families with a lot of children, in warmer climates, this cost rises up into the thousands annually. Drinking purified water from your sink eliminates the need for cases of bottled water. In fact, you can purchase a BPA free water bottle and refill it safely over and over right from the sink.

Having your own water purification system can also protect you again price inflation and water availability during an emergency. Pipe breaks, earthquakes and oil spills are just a few things that can lead to contaminated and insufficient water. During these times, water is in limited supply making the prices increase. With drinkable water right in your own home, you will never have to face an emergency situation whereby supply is unavailable.

In both the short-term and long-term, water purification can help your home, family and finances. Just like investing in central air conditioning or a new roof, water purification helps the household and increases the value of the property. Looking at the facts and benefits, choosing a home water purification system can be an easy choice.

No one in modern society should have to tolerate hard water. It ruins clothing, appliances, leaves ugly residue after each and every use in your tub and leads to lime scale buildup. So if you are on well or experience hard water in your area, water softening is crucial.

 

There are plenty of methods to soften the water in your home. Some employ salt based water softener while others are salt-free water softener. With salt based water softener, you will notice the soap creating more bubbles. This makes for a better shower experience because the more lather you generate, which in turn removes and rinses away more water and soap residue. If left behind, film from these sources could clog pours and leave itchy, dry skin.

In addition to giving you softer skin in the shower, salt based softener allows your washing machine to leave your clothes brighter while reducing scale build-up in your showers, washing machine and toilets. The difference between salt-based and salt-free systems in the grand scheme of things is minimal.

Salt-free softeners, too, will also reduce scale buildup, leave brighter clothes and softer skin. But the main difference is salt-free systems will do so without adding sodium to the water. This is beneficial not only to the pipes in your home but for the environment as well.

High sodium content in waste water is a growing problem in cities across the country. Much of this sodium is released directly into the environment and can in part be traced to sodium-based water softener systems.

Salt-free systems, however, are maintenance free with no media replacement for up to five years. They also use no waste water, no electricity and no salt or chemicals. Salt-free softener can even offer health benefits over salt-based systems, especially for those with high-blood pressure or heart disease.

Domestic water supply can often carry metal. Through our faucets and hoses, water can bring with it a variety of metals. From insignificant traces to heavy contamination, metal can be found in water and public water systems throughout the country. Metal in the water supply can have impacts on our homes, appliances, plants, bodies and also our pets. Heavy metals that have the potential to work their way into the water supply include zinc, lead, copper and mercury.

Soft water usually contain nothing more than zinc and copper in trace amounts. While these metals can be transferred in small amounts, they go undetected by people. However, zinc in high amounts can cause zinc poisoning in dogs and cats. Small dogs are at the highest risk as they drink a lot of water but don’t have large bodies and internal systems to process and eliminate the zinc. Copper poses a real health risk to fish as these pets store heavy metals in their body tissue. This metal can induce coughing, color changes and gasping which can all lead to death via metal poisoning.

Lead is potentially dangerous to humans and pets alike. Lead toxicity is more common in dogs in comparison to cats, but can affect both species. An overabundance of lead can have a negative impact on many bodily functions including the nervous and digestive systems. Pets through water dishes or hose water can consume bits of lead in the water. Specifically exposure to lead can cause vomiting, weakness and even blindness. Another metal that can appear in water systems is mercury.

Potent and well-known, mercury can penetrate the skin of pets causing short-term sickness but long-term defects. When this metal has been consumed it can damage the cardiovascular and nervous systems in pets. If mercury is ingested over long periods of time through water, it is linked to birth defects in puppies and kittens. Any or all of these metals can be a part of a public water system pumped into your home through the sinks, tubs, sprinklers and more. Pets are at an even higher risk of sickness due to their smaller size and increased vulnerability.

In addition to consuming water with metallic traces, bathing cats and dogs in unpurified water can also  lead to skin irritation.  This leads to itchiness and dryness also in their eyes and ears. Purified water eliminates metals, which eliminates the associated health risks for pets. This water is better for ingestion and bathing as it is free of chemicals, metals and influences from the outside world. People, pets and their homes can all live better, longer lives with purified water.

Depending on where you live, there’s a good chance that you have hard water coming through your faucets. But what exactly is hard water and is it harmful to people? We’re here to provide you with some important information that may change the way you consume water. In general, if water is hard that means it contains various minerals found in the ground. These include things like magnesium and calcium, and while some amounts of these minerals can have positive effects on your health, too much of a good thing is usually bad.

You may have been drinking hard water for years and not had any problems, or you may be suffering from health issues that you didn’t even realize were being caused by hard water. Some of the side effects of ingesting too much of these minerals could include vomiting, fatigue, and even potential digestive problems.

Hard water isn’t just responsible for causing damage to people. It can cause damage to your property as well. Mineral deposits can build up in your pipes and faucets, limiting water pressure and flow and potentially causing major problems. In some cases, these deposits could lead to damages and costly repairs.

The good news is that if you have hard water coming through your pipes, you don’t have to settle for it. Water purification and filtration devices can go a long way towards ensuring your water is soft and free of minerals, as well as other types of debris. If you’ve noticed any signs of hard water in your home, consider purchasing a purification device today.

Viruses are the smallest form of microorganisms capable of causing disease, particularly those of a fecal origin infectious to humans by waterborne transmission; bacteria are typically single-celled microorganisms that can also cause health problems in humans, animals or plants, despite many form’s ability to aid in water pollution control.
EPA regulated bacteria/viruses in drinking water and health risks:
• Coliforms are bacteria naturally present in the environment and used as indicators that other possibly harmful bacteria may be present.
• Fecal indicators, Enterococci or coliphage, are microbes that can indicate human or animal wastes in water; they can cause short-term health effects, including cramps, nausea, diarrhea, headaches and more, and may pose a greater risk for people with severely weakened immune systems, elderly, young children and infants.
• E. coli and fecal coliform are bacteria whose presence can indicate water contaminated by human or animal wastes, causing short-term health effects, including cramps, nausea, diarrhea, headaches and more; they may also pose a greater risk for people with severely weak immune systems, elderly, young children and infants.
Popular bacteria/virus treatment technology

• UV technology: Proved beneficial for many years, and is still continuously rising in popularity for water treatment. UV light’s produced when an electric arc is struck in mercury.
• Ozone: Is an effective water treatment commonly used to reduce color, taste and odor concerns. Ozone is also used in place of, or to reduce chlorine.
• Chlorine: Is typically an effective treatment for bacteria/viruses, but not for protozoa, especially when applied to clarified low turbidity water.
• Chloramine: Is a reaction product of chlorine and ammonia and is less potent than chlorine; it’s known to successfully reduce Legionella counts.

Pure water is really good for you and when consumed in enough quantity can do wonders for your health. The quality and main components to the water you take in, however, is not always pure. This is especially true of tap water. It could be full of metals and bacteria which could actually negate healthy food intake. But what is it in non-purified water which is toxic to your system?

1) Chlorine is used to disinfect your drinking water, contributing to a bitter taste and a chemical whiff. True this is in fact a means of disinfecting water, it also makes for undesirable taste. Purifying water coming into your home with a decent carbon filter will reduce this chlorine by 99%.

2) In addition to the additives to your drinking water at the water treatment facility, which both physically and chemically disinfect the water, it typically travels potentially miles of dirty pipes before escaping your faucets. These pipes could be rusty and old, which don’t even include the completely unregulated building plumbing- typically as old as the building itself.

3) Essential minerals are something actually missing from treated water. Stripped from water during processing, Calcium, Magnesium and Potassium are all present in its natural state. Essential minerals your body needs, when these are removed you miss out on a potential source of nutrition for your body. This is only in addition to the harmful compounds and elements- not to mention the bad taste- added to water during treatment processing.

There’s no secret when it comes to water. Everyone knows that it is recommended you drink at least a gallon or more of it a day, but we never really know the main reasons why it is good for us. Besides the fact that it keeps you hydrated, we never knew of the many health benefits it gives us as well.

For starters, drinking water helps the body maintain the balance of all body fluids. This includes digestion, absorption, circulations, saliva creation, transportation of nutrients and the body’s temperature too. When your body is dehydrated your brain develops and produces that “thirsty” feeling you feel, telling you to drink more water.

Water can also help people to control calories. Not only can you substitute higher calorie drinks like juice and soda with water, but also eating water in between meals will help reduce that feeling of hunger. Reducing the feeling of hunger will enable to snack less throughout the day, leading to fewer bad calories being taken in by your body.

You skin depends highly on the amount of water you take into the body. Functioning as a protective barrier, your skin contains plenty of water and helps prevent excess fluid loss. Dehydration will make your skin look drier and wrinkles will start to appear as well. Using moisturizer will help create a physical barrier that will keep that moisture in as well.

Kidney function depends heavily on the intake of water. Body fluids help transport waste products in and out of the cells in our body. When you’re getting enough fluids, your kidneys do an incredible job of cleansing the body of these toxins. Finally, water also helps the body maintain normal bowel function. Maintaining adequate hydration means that everything flows smoothly through the gastrointestinal tract and prevents things like constipation from occurring.

Drinking water throughout the day can be tough, but if you do things like have a water with every meal, eat more fruits and vegetables that are high in water content, and keep a bottle of water on you at all times then you will have no problem achieving these health benefits.

In today’s day in age, athletes (both professional and collegiate) have become so cultivated in their training regimens that they often forget how important hydration is with regard to them.

When you make it to a collegiate or professional level of sport, the intensity automatically increases tenfold from the days you spent playing recreationally or in high school. Sometimes we could get away with a shortage of water during these times because we weren’t competing at such a high level, but when we reach the highest standards of sport it becomes crucial.

Water is a key ingredient used in order to regulate your body temperature and lubricate your joints. Not only this, but it helps take vital nutrients you’ve ingested through pre and post workout meals and transports them throughout your body in order to supply you with energy.

Staying hydrated will keep your body healthy and performing at its highest level. Without doing so, your body will begin to fatigue, your muscles will cramp up, and you’ll start to exhibit dizziness and furthermore worse symptoms.

When trying to stay hydrated throughout the day, especially days that contain a high volume of activity, you should focus on drinking 17 to 20 ounces of water two to three hours before exercising.

Eight ounces of water should be drank during or prior to your warmup, 7 to 10 ounces every 20 minutes of your workout, and 8 more ounces no more than 30 minutes after you’re finished. Mind you, your body will be losing liquids as you work out so as it may seem like a lot, you’re really replenishing a lot of the fluids you’re losing.

You should aim to drink at least a gallon, or 128 ounces of water a day. This will ensure that your body is staying properly hydrated, you’re replenishing the liquids you lose throughout the day and that all of those key nutrients your body needs to grow and perform are being transported to the right places.