Why You Need a Water Softener in San Antonio and Texas Hill Country

The water in Texas Hill Country can be hard, especially if you live near San Antonio, which is one of the fastest growing cities in the country. This means that there’s more demand on the water supplies, and this results in harder water that can stain your fixtures and make cleaning your clothes and dishes more difficult than it needs to be. It also can damage your pipes, appliances, and hot water heater over time with prolonged exposure. For these reasons and more, having a water softener installed in San Antonio or Texas Hill Country is something you should consider doing sooner rather than later.

Water Hardness

San Antonio is known for its hard water. The city gets most of its water from two reservoirs: Medina Lake, on Medina River northeast of Bexar County, and Red Bluff Reservoir, at Cibolo Creek in Guadalupe County. Both are considered hard-water sources because they contain a high concentration of dissolved minerals, especially calcium and magnesium.

Problems Caused by Hard Water

If you are like most Texans, you take your water for granted. However, if you live in an area with hard water, there is a good chance that it is affecting your life more than you realize. One of the most common problems caused by hard water is that it leaves deposits behind on any surface with which it comes into contact. Hard water can also cause scratches on sinks, tubs, and toilets, as well as stains on dishware.

How Water Softeners Work

A water softener is an appliance that uses ion-exchange resins to remove minerals from hard water. The resin molecules bond with hard minerals, creating ions called positive chelants (which include calcium, magnesium, iron and manganese) that are too large to pass through water filters. The resins then release their bound minerals into solution (typically potassium or sodium), which flows out of your home’s plumbing pipes and drains.

Who Can Benefit from Water Softeners?

The process of installing a water softener is an easy one, with little disruption to your routine. As such, anyone living in or visiting San Antonio or Texas Hill Country may be able to benefit from installing a water softener. The following information will help you determine if it’s right for you.

Installation Process

Water softeners are relatively easy to install, taking around 2-3 hours for an experienced plumber. Once it’s up and running, your water will be softened for about 15 years before you need to replace parts or have it serviced. A water softener is a good investment if you’re concerned about too much hardness in your water causing problems with appliances like coffee makers, dishwashers, etc. It’s also great if you take a lot of hot showers or baths.