If you’re wondering exactly what hard water is, it’s water that is high in calcium and magnesium and it doesn’t only effect your clothes and fine china. If can also affect your plumbing, appliances, and can even cost more to heat.

Angie from Angie’s List, tells us about the hidden costs of hard water. Scaly bathroom fixtures and spotty dishes are a couple of sure signs of hard water, which can cost you more than just a little embarrassment at your next dinner party.

“Most houses across the country do have hard water, and over the long term it can be damaging to your pipes as well as your water-using appliances. Therefore, a water softener can be a good investment to save you money in the long run,” Angie says.

A water softening system removes the calcium from hard water, preventing it from lining your appliances and your water heater, which has two immediate benefits.

Bret Petty, Water Softener Professional, says it takes less energy because you don’t have to heat the calcium before you heat the water with a water softening system.

“It affects everything in the way you feel when you get out of the shower – your hair, your skin, the laundry, how you take care of your house. There’s many, many different aspects of living every day that it touches,” Bret says.

Soft water helps cleaning agents lather better, so you’ll get brighter, fresher clothes and cleaner dishes while using less soap, shampoo and detergent. Systems can cost from a few hundred dollars to a couple thousand dollars, so understand your family’s water usage before deciding which one is right for you. A unit with a separate salt tank may add to its longevity.

Softeners require regular refills of sodium chloride, salt, or potassium chloride, which is a little more expensive, but a better choice for people who are sensitive to salt. If you aren’t sure if you have hard water, just get it tested. Anything around 10 grains or more should be treated.

Soft water can reduce energy bills by keeping your water heater free of deposits that can make it longer to heat your water. It can also make your hair and skin look and feel healthier, because as we mentioned, hard water can dry them out. Soft water can eliminate soap scum left behind when cleaning with hard water.