Extend the Life of Your Appliances with a Water Softener in Birmingham
Most homes in North America have hard water—89.3 percent in the U.S. and 85 percent in Canada.
It’s OK to drink hard water, but it can cause problems in your Birmingham home:
- Mineral accumulation in plumbing and appliances
- Reddish stains in toilets
- Shabby clothing and rough towels
- Dry skin and hair
- Stains on dishes, flatware and glasses
- Low flow rate during showers
Water softening solutions from Norrell Service Experts can address your home water trouble and bring you better-tasting drinking water.
Whether you’re starting to check out water softeners or you need water softener repair, our crew of specialists are here to help.
Want to get a new water conditioning system for one reasonable monthly payment? Ask us for more information about our Advantage Program™.1
Benefits of Using a Water Softener
It’s inexpensive to run a water softener. It uses less than $3 in electricity per year.2
A water softener only requires about 2.5 pounds of salt. That’s 80 percent less salt than dial-style softeners.
Soft water can make cleaning more effortless, help your appliances work longer and help you avoid plumbing clogs.
Clog-Free Plumbing and Fixtures
Soft water helps water flow freely in plumbing. Hard water causes mineral deposits to accumulate in your pipes and fixtures. This can cause clogs and lower water pressure.
Showerheads in homes with hard water can lose 75 percent of their flow rate in fewer than 18 months. Soft water preserves the shine and full flow for faucets and showerheads, nearly as well as the day they were added.
Soft water is low in minerals. It doesn’t create deposits in pipes or restrict water flow in fixtures.
Longer-Lasting Appliances
Over time, hard water can cause minerals to build up in your washing machine and dishwasher.
The mineral deposits in hard water turn into limescale when they become warm. This can coat the heating elements in your appliances, reducing life span and efficiency.
As a result, your appliances may need regular fixes or need to be exchanged ahead of time.
Efficient Water Heaters
Soft water protects the efficiency of water heaters.
Gas storage and tankless water heaters operating on soft water hold on to the factory efficiency rating over a 15-year life span. In comparison, using hard water for a gas water heater can cut efficiency by up to 48 percent.
If you own an electric water heater, up to 30 pounds of rock-like scale can accumulate in the tank from hard water. The scale is a bad heat conductor. It can decrease the life of your heating element, because it has to work more to heat water.
Soft Skin, Brighter Laundry and Cleaner Dishes
Hard water minerals collect on your skin and in your hair, causing it to dry out. It can also contribute to painful razor burn.
Soft water is superior at washing away soap residue, so you’ll have softer skin and glossier hair. Plus, your clothes will look brighter and your dishes will have fewer spots.
Less Soap and Cleaning Time
When you have hard water, you have to use extra soap for a decent lather. The minerals in hard water react with soap. This creates a scum on sinks.
With soft water, you won’t need to spend as much time cleaning to get rid of soap scum. You’ll also use less detergent.
What You Need to Know About Hard Water and Water Softener Systems
What is Hard Water?
Hard water has more minerals than soft water.
What is a Water Softener System?
It’s an appliance that removes additional minerals like calcium and magnesium. It also lowers chlorine, iron and volatile organic compounds.
How Long Does a Water Softener Last?
A water softener that’s the right size for your home will last for a long period. Its lifetime depends on the manufacturer and how much you operate it.
How Much Does a Water Softener Cost?
Some water softeners are more efficient than others. As a result, the fee may differ.
Costs can also be different based on how hard your water is and how much water you consume. If your water is very hard and is used excessively, softening rates will rise.
Is Softened Water Safe to Drink?
Softened water contains all the natural minerals we need. While some sodium is put in during the softening process, softened water is absolutely safe to drink.
What’s the Quality of My Drinking Water?
Water quality fluctuates by geography and processing levels. It can also be influenced by construction, mining, agriculture and mineral deposits your groundwater runs through.
You can find out if there are pollutants in your home’s drinking water.
The Environmental Working Group has a free database of more than 30 million state records of tap water tests. About 81 percent of community water sources tested in the U.S. have chemicals connected to cancer, according to the group’s analysis.
Can Brine from Softeners Damage my Septic Tank?
A study by the Water Quality Association determined a septic tank can’t be hurt by brine released by a water softener. The tanks that were reviewed were correctly placed and in good working order.
Softened water may help limit detergents being discharged into your septic tank.
Softer Water, Guaranteed
Hard water problems? Call us at 205-267-0023 or request an appointment online.
One of our Experts can determine if you need a water softener.
We stand behind our work with a 100% Satisfaction Guarantee3 for a year. That means we’ll get the job done properly the first time, whether you need us to repair your water softener or install a new one.
1Some exclusions apply.
2Based on manufacturer’s information and assumptions. Savings may vary based on the type of system you use.
3Not applicable to the Advantage Program. See your signed Advantage Program Agreement for full details and exclusions. 100% Satisfaction Guarantee is subject to certain restrictions and limitations as set forth in the applicable Terms and Conditions.
