Water Softeners & Cold Water
A water softener treats hard water to remove minerals. Most softeners use sodium in the process. You may prefer not to use soft water for drinking and cooking, and your softener installer can plumb the appliance so it does not treat cold water in your home. Does this Spark an idea?
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Hard Water
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Hard water may contain magnesium, manganese, and calcium. These minerals can leave deposits in appliances and pipes, along with lime scale build-up in sinks and bathtubs. They also lower the effectiveness of soap, forcing people to use more.
Plumbing
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In typical water softener plumbing, all household water runs through the softener and then branches into two lines. The cold line runs to certain fixtures and faucets, and the other line goes to the water heater.
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Soft Water Disadvantages
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Soft water is more corrosive than hard water, so it may leach metals from pipes and cooking utensils, as well as nutrients from food during cooking. Additionally, the more soft water you use, the more often the system needs to regenerate, using salt and large amounts of water. You might choose to have your water softener hooked up only to your water heater line, or only to your bathrooms and laundry room if possible.
Filter Option
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Another option involves having the softener treat the entire water supply, but hooking up a filter to your kitchen sink. This allows soft water to be used for cold water rinsing in the dishwasher and washing machine, preventing build-up of mineral deposits.
Outdoor Considerations
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Make sure the installer bypasses outdoor faucet lines, because you don't want to waste soft water on gardens and lawns. If this isn't possible, you'll need to turn off the softener with the bypass valve when you run water outdoors.
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References
Resources
- Photo Credit Image by Flickr.com, courtesy of Brandon Hite
