Hard water is an unfortunate reality for many people living in the Odessa and Midland area. If you don’t know whether you have hard water, there are plenty of signs. Things like soap scum, stained sinks, buildup on faucets, stiff laundry, scaly skin… these are all telltale signs of hard water. Not only can it taste and smell funny, but hard water is also hard on your appliances, plumbing, and fixtures. The good news is that there are solutions. In this post, we’ll talk about a couple of common fixes for hard water: reverse osmosis and water softeners.
REVERSE OSMOSIS
In order to explain the differences between reverse osmosis and water softeners, we need to explain exactly how each system functions to provide cleaner water.
Reverse Osmosis, commonly called “R.O.” for short, basically works as a filter. The filter is able to eliminate contaminants such as mineral deposits and bacteria. That includes things that make your water taste or smell bad, and leave stains around your kitchen and bathroom. R.O. systems are installed for a single faucet, which is usually under the kitchen sink, though you do have the option of placing R.O. systems throughout your home.
WATER SOFTENER
By contrast, water softeners don’t filter contaminants out of your water. Instead, they add to the water to neutralize the impact of those contaminants. Ionized sodium helps break down those unwanted chemicals, so they don’t cause the problems they would if left untreated. Water softeners are usually added to your water heater’s tank, so they provide the treated water to your entire home.
WE’LL COME RUNNING
If you really want to create the freshest, cleanest possible water for drinking, bathing, and cooking, many of our customers opt to use both RO and water softeners together! Lucky for you, City Plumbing carries both of these products. For a free consultation about which option is right for you, make an appointment online or call us today at (432) 366-2401.
