Hard water can be hard on your homes plumbing, appliances, fixtures and the health of your family. Fortunately, there are several indicators that can help you determine if your water is soft enough for daily use. Consider the following signs in order to make sure you don’t take action to correct hard water in your home.

Sign you have soft water in your home

1. Soap and Detergent Efficiency: Soft water lathers easily and requires less soap or detergent to create a satisfactory amount of suds. If you notice that your cleaning products produce abundant lather, it is likely an indication of soft water.
   
2. No Scale Buildup: Unlike hard water, soft water does not leave behind a white or chalky residue on your fixtures, appliances, or shower walls. Check for any mineral deposits or scale buildup on surfaces around your home to assess water softness.
   
3. Smooth and Shiny Hair: Soft water promotes healthier hair by preventing dryness and leaving it feeling smooth and manageable. If your hair is consistently lustrous and easy to style, it could be a sign of soft water.
   
4. Spot-Free Dishes: Soft water prevents spots or streaks on glassware and dishes when they dry naturally. If your dishes are consistently sparkling clean without the need for excessive rinsing or hand drying, you likely have soft water.

While the signs mentioned above can provide initial insights, the most accurate way to determine if you have the appropriate level of water softness is through professional analysis. Independent Water Yakima Service of Yakima, WA, can help get the information you need to make your decision about water treatment.

Contacting a Yakima based water treatment company, like Independent Water Service, will ensure precise results tailored to your specific location in Yakima. They can provide expert advice and offer suitable water softening solutions if needed.

To make the right choice, knowing how each system functions and what contaminants are removed by each is essential. This article will discuss how each system works to help you better understand which system is best for your home.

What is Hard Water?

Hard water contains high levels of dissolved minerals, mainly calcium and magnesium. These minerals enter your water supply as it flows through the ground. They not only cause limescale to form on faucets and fixtures, but they can also build up inside your plumbing and appliances, which can lead to damaged and corroded plumbing and a reduced lifespan of your appliances.

Softening your water can help avoid these problems. While both water softeners and water conditioners provide fresh, clean water for your home, there are some differences. Let’s look at each type of system.

Water Softeners

A water softener is the most common way to deal with hard water. Water softeners use an ion exchange process to soften your water. In a nutshell, a water softener removes the dissolved minerals from water and replaces them with sodium ions.

Here’s the details. There are two tanks in a water softening system. The primary tank contains sodium ion coated resin beads, and the second tank contains a salty solution that regenerates the resin in the primary tank.

As water seeps through the ground, it picks up mineral ions that bind themselves to the water molecules. When the water enters the primary tank, the resin beads attract the mineral ions, pulling them from the water molecules and replacing them with sodium ions.

The system will occasionally regenerate to remove the build-up of minerals on the resin beads. When the system regenerates, the salty water from the second tank fills the resin tank. The water will remove the mineral ions from the beads and replace them with sodium ions. After the system regenerates, it will remove the remaining water from the system through a drain line.

Water Conditioners

Water conditioners remove contaminants such as lead, chloramines, chlorine, organic gasses, and VOCs (volatile organic compounds) from your water, but they do not use salt in their process. So how does a water conditioner work?

Some water conditioners remove substances from your water to give your water a better smell. Others alter the minerals in the water using a material known as TAC (template-assisted crystallization) media to soften your water.

The process of softening the water is called nucleation. When hard water flows over the TAC media, the minerals in the water react with the TAC media and form crystals. These crystals are about a nanometer in size, and after they form crystals, they return to the water flow. While not all of the minerals have turned into crystals, enough of them have to eliminate scale build-up.

The processing time for a water conditioner happens very quickly. Having a water conditioner won’t affect your flow rate or cause you to have to wait for conditioned water.

Which System is Best?

Both water softeners and water conditioners can help reduce hard water, but each system works differently and removes different types of minerals and contaminants from your water. We’ve summarized some of the main differences between each system.

Water Softener

• Removes minerals from your hard water
• There is a minor amount of sodium in softened water
• The system needs electricity and a drain line
• The system requires salt

Water Conditioner

• Removes contaminants such as lead, chloramines, chlorine, organic gasses, and VOCs and can also improve the taste and smell of your water
• The system is energy-efficient and doesn’t require a drainage line
• No salt needed
• Some systems alter minerals in hard water, eliminating scaling

An important thing to note is that some cities have laws regarding water softeners. The concern is the excess brine that is flushed through the drain line. Many wastewater facilities don’t treat the water for salt, so an excessive salt level in wastewater limits how it can be used.

Let Independent Water Services, Inc. Take the Guesswork Out of Your Water Treatment System Choice

Water softeners and water conditioners are both very effective in treating your water. If you need to remove scale from hard water, you’ll want to choose a water softener. However, if you have any more hazardous contaminants in your water, you may want to select a water conditioner. If you still aren’t sure what decision to make, there’s no need to stress. Let us help!

At Independent Water Services Inc., we’ve been providing drinking water solutions to customers throughout Yakima, Central Washington for almost four decades, and we’d love to help you. Our water experts eliminate the guesswork by performing a FREE water analysis to determine what’s in your water. Next, they will recommend the system that will work best for your home.

Don’t wait. Contact us today!

While the detergent you use and the dishwasher play a significant role in the dishwashing process, knowing what type of water you have in your home is also essential. The type of water you have affects the performance of your dishwasher and detergent. In this article, we will discuss the different kinds of water and how they affect the performance of your dishwasher.

What is Hard Water?

Hard water is water that has high amounts of magnesium and calcium in it. Hard water is generally safe to drink and to use to wash clothes and dishes. However, it may just taste strange, and leave a film behind, for instance, after you wash your hands.

The problem with hard water is that if it is not taken care of, it can damage things it comes in contact with for an extended time. Some signs that you may have hard water include:

• Limescale on faucets
• Reduced water pressure
• Chalky residue on dishes
• Dry hair and skin
• Fabrics start feeling rough

What is Soft Water?

Soft water doesn’t contain excess magnesium and calcium. Some benefits of soft water include:

• Sediment particles are removed before they come in contact with your plumbing and appliances. This reduces the build-up caused by hard water and can help extend the life of your pipes and appliances.
• Soap is more effective when using soft water because soap can lather better, requiring less soap to do the job right.
• Fights dryness on your skin and hair. Since soap is more effective with soft water, it can moisturize as intended without the hard water build-up.

Problems With Hard Water and Dishwashers

• The dishwashing detergent becomes bubbles when released into the water during a process called “sudsing.” When your dishwasher is using hard water, the soap will not properly dissolve.
• Hard water can leave calcium and magnesium on dishes making them look cloudy. It can even be why your dishes come out of the dishwasher with food residue still on them.
• When your dishwasher has been in contact with hard water for too long, you may notice rust inside. Not only is rusty water not sanitary, but when the dishwasher parts get rusty, they can fail over time.

Benefits of Soft Water and Dishwashers

• You will notice a reduction of limescale build-up, and it may even disappear! Without this build-up, water can flow freely throughout the system and helps maintain performance and increase the life of your machine.
• Soft water can eliminate the cloudy, gritty film left on your glassware after being washed in hard water.
• You can reduce the amount you spend on dishwashing detergent when using soft water. Soft water makes soap more efficient, meaning you will only need to use half of the normal amount of detergent per wash.
• Softened water aids in the drying process. In today’s dishwashers, there’s not a heating element at the bottom of the machine to dry the dishes. Instead, they heat water to a temperature to create steam. The steam is then drawn to a cooler object, so moisture is pulled from the hot dishes and attracted to your dishwasher’s stainless inner walls. Your softener helps the process because it will cause the water to run off your dishes.

Trust the Water System Experts at Independent Water Service, Inc.

You love your dishwasher. After all, without it, your hands would be in hot sudsy water for hours a week scraping food off dishes. So make sure you treat it right by making the appropriate adjustments according to the type of water in your home. And if you don’t have a water softener, or you have one that you’re not quite sure is working for you, we can help.

At Independent Water Service, Inc., we are water system experts. We have provided purification solutions and drinking water systems to homes and businesses in Yakima and Central Washington for almost four decades. Not only will our experts perform a free water analysis, but they will also use the results to recommend the solution that is best for you.

Don’t wait another day for fresh, clean water. Contact us today for your FREE water analysis.

Keeping salt in your salt-based water softener is a key component in the water softening process. Water softener systems use a brine solution when removing the hard minerals and regenerating the resin beads, which are sodium-charged. This leaves your water clean, fresh, and free of hard minerals.

If you’re using the wrong kind of salt, you may notice that your brine take needs additional cleaning, or you may see an increase in salt bridges. Of course, no one needs extra work, so before you head out to purchase your next bag of salt, we will explain to you the different types of salt options and the pros and cons of each.

Sodium Chloride

Sodium chloride, better known as salt, is the go-to for most people because it is effective yet affordable. Here are some of the different options available for sodium chloride softener salt.

Rock Salt

Rock salt is mined from underground deposits that have built up over thousands of years. And while this is good news from a supply standpoint, it does lead to one of the disadvantages of using rock salt.

Pros

You can easily find rock salt in stores, and some water softener companies will deliver it to your home. It is also typically affordable.

Cons

Unless the rock salt comes from a pure mine, it is the least pure option for salt pellets. You will find that rock salt will contain other minerals that can clog your brine tank and form salt bridges.

Solar Salt

Solar salt is salt mined from the sea and then put through a manufacturing process. A pond is filled with seawater and exposed to sun and wind during the process. This causes the pond to become concentrated with salt, forming a solid block of salt crystals.

Pros

Sea salt is less expensive and is easier to find than other types of salt. In addition, its purity level is higher than rock salt, which can reduce the buildup of salt bridges.

Cons

Sea salt isn’t the cleanest choice available. Quality and purity vary, so finding the perfect sea salt for your softener can be challenging.

Potassium Chloride

Although potassium chloride pellets are also known as a “no-salt” alternative, they are, technically speaking, a type of salt. Potassium chloride is often used by food manufacturers as a sodium substitute since it tastes close to table salt.

Pros

People often turn to potassium chloride because they are worried that the sodium in sodium chloride pellets will affect their health. And while potassium chloride can be a good choice if you have a health condition that requires a strict reduction in sodium intake, the amount of sodium that your softener salt adds to your water is very minimal.

Cons

Technically, potassium chloride is more of a water conditioner instead of an actual water softener. Instead of removing the minerals from your water, it simply crystallizes it. It still prevents hard water scale from forming in your pipes, but it’s considered less effective than softening the water, which involves an ion swap.

It also costs more than other salt options. That means you are paying more for a less effective product.

Evaporated Salt Pellets

Evaporated salt pellets are approximately 99.9% pure salt. During this process, water is forced into underground salt deposits. After it is pumped back up, it is treated with heat and vacuum equipment.

Pros

Since it is so pure, it makes brine tank maintenance much more manageable. There is no mushy salt, and it’s not as likely to form salt bridges. As a result, your water softener will run more efficiently.

Cons

Due to its high purity level, evaporated salt can be much more costly than the other varieties. However, since it will help your water softener run smoother and more efficiently, you may find that the increased cost is worth it in the long run.

Need Help Choosing Softener Salt? We Can Help!

As you can see, you have plenty of options to choose from when refilling your brine tank. The more pure the salt is, the less likely you will experience grime buildup and salt bridges in your tank. If you still aren’t sure which salt to use, we can help!

At Independent Water Service, Inc., we’ll review your needs, the type of system you have, and other factors determining which kind of salt is best for you. We are an EcoWater dealer specializing in water softening, purification, filtration, and drinking water. 
Contact us today for a FREE water analysis!

Hard water can cause problems in many aspects. You will not only have to clean sinks and showers more frequently, but you’ll also find that you need to use more soap to get things clean. The mineral scale can also build up in your pipes until you need to replace them.

A water softener is a great investment in your home, but it’s essential to choose the right softener to fit your needs. Before you get overwhelmed, keep reading! This guide will give you an idea of what you need to look for when shopping for a water softener and how to decide what the best solution is.

Types of Water Softeners

The first decision you need to make is what type of water softener you need. The softener you choose will depend on your household needs and personal preference.

Salt-Based Ion Exchange

Salt-based water softeners are what most people think of when it comes to water softeners. Water softener salt is needed to perform an ion exchange. Magnesium and calcium (the minerals that make your water hard) are exchanged with sodium ions, removing the hardness from your water.

Salt-based water softeners need to run a regeneration cycle periodically to flush out and wash away the hard minerals. During this cycle, the resin bed will be replenished with sodium. That process is called reverse ion exchange.

Salt-Free

Salt-free water conditioners don’t soften your water. Instead, they combat limescale. To keep them from sticking to surfaces, hard water minerals are crystallized. You will still have calcium and magnesium in your water, but it will eliminate limescale.

Dual Tank System

Dual tank systems utilize two resin tanks to ensure that soft water is always available. When one tank is regenerating, the other tank is producing soft water. Dual tank systems usually cost more than single tank units.

Cost

The cost of a water softener is dependent on the type you choose, its size, its brand, and the features you desire. You can spend between $350 to $3,500 or more on a softener. Installation charges can add another $300 to $1,000, and there are also recurring costs for salt, water, servicing, etc. While those numbers may seem high to you right now, a water softener that functions properly and can provide your family with soft water pays for itself in the long run.

Capacity and Flow Rate

The capacity, or size, of a water softener specifies how many grains of hardness it can remove before it needs to regenerate. These capacities range from 8,000 up to 80,000 grains. The size will also determine the flow rate, meaning how many outlets you can use simultaneously.

To determine the capacity you need, you must figure out how hard your water is and the average amount of water you use in a day. You can complete this questionnaire to determine how much water you use.

Regeneration Method

You can choose a tank that has metered or time-based regeneration. Metered regeneration uses an electronic sensor to measure your water consumption allowing the system to regenerate only when necessary. Time-based softeners start the regeneration process based on a preset clock, regardless of how much water you’ve used.

Certifications

Ensure that the water softener you are choosing has NSF/ANSI certifications to substantiate the performance claims made by the manufacturer. You can also look for the WQA Gold seal. These certifications ensure that you are getting a reliable, quality product.

Warranty

One of the most important things to look for is a warranty. Review the warranty to ensure that it covers labor and parts, specifically electronics.

Local Regulations

Water softeners produce substantial wastewater when they regenerate and discharge excess sodium. Because of this, some localities have banned the use of salt-based water softeners. Before purchasing a water softener, ensure that it complies with state regulations and plumbing codes. If you have questions, contact a local plumber.

Let the Water Experts Help You Choose the Water Softener That’s Right For You

One of the first steps you should take when choosing the water softener best for you is to get a water analysis to determine your exact needs. A technician will check your water for softness, impurities, and other factors that can affect your water. They can then recommend the system that is best for you.

At Independent Water Services Inc., we’ve spent almost four decades helping customers around Central Washington find the water solutions to fit their needs. But, our job doesn’t stop after we’ve installed your ideal water system. You can turn to our water experts to maintain any water system to improve your water.

Don’t wait. Schedule your FREE water analysis today and get started on the track to making hard water a thing of the past.

Although you should regularly have your system serviced by a professional, there are some DIY things you can do to keep your water softener working well. Whether you have a new softener or simply want to keep your current system working great, following the tips we will discuss will help keep your system operating at its best.

#1. Check the Salt Levels Regularly

The tank you put salt in is called a brine tank. Your brine tank should only need to be refilled every couple of months. However, you will need to frequently check to ensure that the salt is wet and covered with water.

Checking salt levels is especially essential if your water softener is over ten years old. If the water level looks low and the salt is dry, it’s time to add more salt.

#2. Use Quality Salt

Using quality salt is essential, and thankfully softener salt is relatively inexpensive. Evaporated salt pellets are the top-line option as they are the purest. Unless recommended by your water softener manufacturer, the only salt you should stay away from is block salt.

#3. Clean the Brine Tank

An excellent form of preventative maintenance is knowing how to clean the brine tank and then perform regular cleanings. But how do you do this?

When the brine tank is almost out of salt, remove the remaining salt from the tank. When you’ve completely cleared out the tank, clean it with detergent, a brush, and water. If you notice mold, you can use a mold remover if you would like. After the tank is clean, refill the salt and allow it to regenerate overnight.

#4. Clean the Resin Tank

Water softeners contain resin beads. The regeneration process typically removes any buildup on the beads. However, this becomes less effective when the beads are around seven years. A professional can come out and replace the beads, or you could use an iron-cleansing formula to clean the beads yourself.

#5. Learn How to Recognize Potential Problems

One of the best things you can do is learn how to recognize problems before they become more severe. You don’t have to be a water softener professional to notice when something is going on. Here are some things to be on the lookout for.

• Soap doesn’t lather properly
• Scale buildup on bathtubs, sinks, and pipes
• Water that starts tasting different
• Stiff laundry
• A system that is regenerating more often than usual

#6. Watch For, and Remove Salt Bridges

When salt builds up between the salt and water, it is a salt bridge. A salt bridge will prevent your system from running correctly. If you are using quality salt, you shouldn’t have any issues. However, if you notice a salt bridge, they are easily broken up using a stick or a broom handle.

#7. Know When to Call in the Professionals

Keeping up with maintenance on your water softener is pretty simple, and you shouldn’t run into any significant problems for the majority of the life of your water softener. However, if you do run into issues, it’s essential to know when to enlist the help of professionals, especially when it comes to the electrical components of your softener.

Call in the professionals if you’ve run into a problem that isn’t resolved after you have:

• Allowed the softener to regenerate
• Checked salt levels
• Checked for and cleared salt bridges
• Rinsed or replaced resin beads

#8. Add a Prefilter

If you live in an area where the water contains sediment, sand, clay, iron, or other substances, your softener may get clogged or damaged. A prefilter can remove these contaminants from the water supply before the water reaches your softener, and they typically last for six to nine months before needing to be replaced.

A prefilter should be installed by your water softener company when they install your system. For an existing system, it’s best to contact an expert to install a prefilter unless you have decent plumbing skills.

Let Independent Water Service Keep Your Water Softener Running Like New

Today, water softeners can last for years and require little maintenance. However, regular professional maintenance on your water softener will help keep issues at bay and provide your family with the cleanest, clearest water possible.

If you’re having issues with your water softener, or if you are looking to schedule regular maintenance, trust the expert technicians at Independent Water Service. And if you’re looking for a new solution for your water problems, our technicians can perform a free water analysis and help you choose which system works for you. Our free water analysis checks for impurities, softness, and other elements that may affect your household or business’ water.

Contact us today to schedule your FREE water analysis.

So, what can you do to protect your home from the damaging effects that hard water can have? Many homeowners are opting to install water softener systems for their homes.

Water softeners eliminate magnesium and calcium deposits from hard water before entering your home. A water filter system or softener improves the longevity of your plumbing fixtures and kitchen and laundry appliances while also combating the destructive outcomes of hard water. There are many obvious benefits to a home water softener, but is it the right fit for your home?

Indicators of Hard Water In Your Home

If you think you might have a hard water issue, keep an eye out for the following warning signs so you can take action.

1. Plumbing that has become clogged due to the buildup of limescale in pipes
2. Itchy, dry skin and hair
3. Scratchy clothes and faded fabrics
4. Increased energy consumption from the water heater
5. Dishes and appliances accumulate mineral deposits
6. Soap scum and residue on tubs, showers, and other surfaces
7. Sinks, bathtubs, or toilets are starting to discolor or stain

Investing in a Water Softener: The Benefits

#1. Cleaning Is Less of a Chore

Most cleaning procedures in your home require the use of water. Hard water, however, can make cleaning a challenging task. With hard water, you will end up using more soap and detergent than would otherwise be necessary. When it comes to soap lather, using soft water is far superior to hard water, making it efficient in rinsing and cleaning, without the filmy residue left over from hard water. When you install a home water softener system, you will be capable of cleaning more effectively and at a lower cost.

#2. Easier on Your Appliances & Pipes

Soft water does not induce scale formation in your pipes or appliances like hard water does. Water softeners are helpful in the reduction of scale-related plumbing issues as well as added longevity of your water-dependent appliances. Dishwashers and washing machines are prone to excess wear and tear due to the buildup of minerals in their pipes and chambers. Soft water eliminates the future buildup of these minerals and protects the life of your appliances and home plumbing. 

#3. The Ability to Heat Water More Quickly

Hard water makes your home appliances work harder than they have to. The accumulation of minerals in water heaters can also lead them to lose their ability to heat water efficiently, and the impurities in hard water can make it more difficult to reach higher temperatures quickly. 

The use of a water softener for the house reduces your utility bills by increasing the efficiency of your water heater and cutting the impurities out of your water. Water heaters can heat soft water in a shorter amount of time compared to hard water and can boost the effectiveness of gas water heaters by up to 29%. 

#4. Clean & Soft Clothes

Mineral deposits tend to accumulate on the fibers of your clothing when you wash these items in hard water. As the amount of mineral deposits increases in your pipes and eventually, on your clothes, the color of your clothes and the integrity of the fabric will start to deteriorate. Installing a water softener system not only protects your washing appliances, it also protects the color and feel of your clothes, keeping mineral stains and stiff fabric at bay.

#5. Eliminates Toxins Such As Ferrous Iron

Aside from stripping away the ions that cause water to harden, water softeners also eliminate tiny amounts of ferrous iron. Ferrous iron or dissolved iron is a form of iron that is soluble in water. It is critical that you make use of an iron filter for well water since iron is mainly accountable for darkening the color of the water and leaving noticeable stains on sinks, bathtubs, and toilets. 

Perfect Your Home’s Water

At Independent Water Service, our installation experts can recommend and install the right water softener system for your specific needs. 

We offer free water analysis and help you choose which system works for you. Our free water analysis checks for softness, impurities and other factors that may affect your household or business’ water. We offer systems for both residential and commercial spaces.

We proudly serve Yakima and Kittitas Counties and have been your local trusted water service since 1986. Call to schedule your free water analysis and upgrade your water system for your home or business with the water experts.

Hard water is usually the culprit if you notice soap scum and dingy feeling laundry. It’s annoying, to say the least. It is—at best—an inconvenience, however, hard water can also be more costly than you think.

Hard water shortens the life of your pipes and appliances that use water from your tap. Water softeners are an investment that offers returns in multiple different ways, which we’ll highlight below.

#1: Extends the Life of Your Pipes and Fixtures

Hard water causes the buildup of limescale within your home’s pipes. Limescale builds up over time, eventually causing a clog, which means you either won’t have water flowing to a fixture or wastewater cannot leave your drains. Sometimes clogged pipes burst, causing severe water damage. Both of these problems are plumbing emergencies, and depending on the location of the pipes, they can be pretty costly to fix. 

Fixtures such as faucets and showerheads also incur damage from hard water. The minerals within hard water tend to clog the small nozzles in showerheads and faucets. Initially, you’ll notice decreased water flow, followed by a stoppage of flow if you don’t take action to clean either the nozzles or the screen located inside the fixture. Maintaining fixtures when you have hard water is time-consuming. Maintenance consists of taking the fixtures apart and cleaning them with a limescale removal product. If you cannot remove the limescale, you’d have to replace the fixture.

#2: Extends the Life of Your Appliances and Cookware

Hard water deposits mineral scale not only through pipes, but also in appliances that use your home’s water. A water softener eliminates these minerals from the equation, ensuring they don’t coat the inside of your appliances and cookware any longer. 

Wear and Tear on Home Appliances

Hard water eventually causes significant wear and tear on major appliances that use tap water, such as water heaters, washing machines, and refrigerators. The Water Quality Research Foundation found that appliances had reduced lifespans of 30%-50% depending on the degree of hardness within a home’s water. If you expected your washing machine to last ten years on average, you might find it lasting closer to five to seven years instead, primarily due to hard water.

In addition to decreased appliance life, hard water causes an increase in appliance maintenance. You’ll need to descale each appliance at least yearly, but if your water quality testing shows high levels of minerals in your water, you may have to do it every six months. Taking no action to fix your hard water costs you time and money in the long run.

Stained Cookware

When you boil hard water, it leaves behind all the minerals within, which stains your cookware. Hard water also causes soap scum to appear on dishes washed by hand or in the dishwasher, causing you to end up using almost twice the dish detergent to get your dishes clean.

#3: Increases Your Home’s Value

A whole house water softener adds value to your home in hard water areas. Homeowners appreciate clean drinking water that tastes good, clean clothes, and long-lasting appliances. Less maintenance and longer life of appliances, fixtures, and pipes is another benefit that increases your home’s overall value over time.

#4: Saves You Money

Investing in a water softener saves you money in several ways. The most significant savings come from the prolonged life of your pipes, plumbing fixtures, and appliances. Plumbers are expensive, and replacing plumbing is even more costly than maintaining a water softener system that reduces the scale deposited per year. Fixtures are less likely to clog, equating to less time maintaining them and only needing replacement if broken or outdated. Prolonged major appliance life also equates to significant savings.

Another way you save money by installing a water softener is in reduced energy costs and detergent usage. Water heaters cost 25%-50% more yearly to operate with hard water. If your water is hard, it also takes more detergent to clean dishes, clothing, and even your skin. Over time, reducing energy costs, maintenance, repairs, and cleaning products you buy will more than pay for your water softener.

Perfect Your Home’s Water

At Independent Water Service, our installation experts can recommend and install the right water softener system for your specific needs. 

We offer free water analysis and help you choose which system works for you. Our free water analysis checks for softness, impurities and other factors that may affect your household or business’ water. We offer systems for both residential and commercial spaces.

We proudly serve Yakima and Kittitas Counties and have been your local trusted water service since 1986. Call to schedule your free water analysis and upgrade your water system for your home or business with the water experts.

The first step you must take in your quest for pristine water is to get a water quality test. Quality testing gives you a report of the types of contaminants and minerals that are in your home’s tap water. You can then consider your options from the report’s results — and choose a water softener or filter system that works for your needs.

You might not know the difference between water filters and softeners, and that’s okay! In this blog post, we’ll explore the differences between these two types of home water treatment systems and help you make an informed decision on which is best for your home.

How Does a Water Filtration System Work?

Water filters remove sediment, chlorine, chemicals, heavy metals, and many other impurities from your water through different filter mediums. In a filtration system, water passes through several different stages of filters before it reaches your tap. The end result of a water filter system is clean, safe, and good-tasting water.

Common Types of Water Filtration Systems

There are multiple different types of water filtering systems. Most providers, including Independent Water Services, offer customized filtration systems tailored to the specific types of contaminants within your water. However, there are two main subtypes of filtration systems: whole home filtration systems, and drinking water filtration systems.

Drinking-Water Filtration System

A drinking water filtration system filters water to drink and is usually installed in the kitchen. It can come as a stand-alone unit that offers both hot and cold water, a compact one that is countertop sized, or one that fits under the sink with a separate faucet. Drinking water filtration systems are often self-installed and inexpensive.

Whole-Home Filtration System

A whole-home water filtration system filters all the water coming into your home. Because of its size, installers would place the filtration system in the garage, basement, or utility closet. It is similar to a drinking water filtration system, but at a larger scale. Home filtration systems typically have multiple filters and sometimes use specialized filters to remove specific contaminants.

What Does a Water Softener Do?

Water softeners use salt to modify the properties of your home’s water to remove minerals such as calcium and magnesium from your water. Calcium and magnesium contribute to scale buildup in your pipes and fixtures, which we refer to as hard water. Hard water causes wear and tear on appliances that use water and all of your plumbing fixtures. You also may notice how it takes a lot of detergent to clean your clothing and that your skin still feels unclean after a shower if you have hard water.

How Do Water Filters and Softeners Compare?

Water filters and softeners fix two different types of water problems. Water filters remove contaminants, while water softeners remove only calcium and magnesium from the water source. Which type of water treatment you choose depends on what type of water problem you have.

Which Type of Water Treatment Should I Choose?

Before making any decision, water quality testing is necessary.  If the water test indicates that you have high levels of contaminants, your water tastes or smells bad, or has discoloration; you should install a water filter. However, if your only issue is hard water, a water softener would solve your water issues effectively. 

It’s possible to have both hard water and contaminants. In this case, you could install both a water softener and a filtration system. You have multiple options of configurations, such as having a water softener and a reverse osmosis system for drinking water inside your kitchen. Having both types of water treatment systems is common in areas with poor quality well water or unsafe city water.

Clear and Clean Water Solutions with IWS

At Independent Water Service, our installation experts can recommend and install the right water softener system for your specific needs. 

We offer free water analysis and help you choose which system works for you. Our free water analysis checks for softness, impurities and other factors that may affect your household or business’ water. We offer systems for both residential and commercial spaces.

We proudly serve Yakima and Kittitas Counties and have been your local trusted water service since 1986. Call to schedule your free water analysis and upgrade your water system for your home or business with the water experts.

A typical water softener will start to decline and become less effective after around 8-12 years even with proper care, and being left with the effects of water softener failure can be a burden, so knowing the signs to look out for is important. Here are 5 of the top ways you can tell if your water softener is in need of replacement.

Signs Your Water Softener Needs To Be Replaced

Sign #1: Residue Build Up In and Around Pipes

When your water softener stops doing its job, you will likely notice that sediment will start to form in and around the inside the pipes as well. This crusty residue, called scale, is the buildup of minerals the soft water conditioner is not able to filter out anymore due to disrepair. 

Hard water is full of calcium and magnesium, which starts to form on your faucets and appliances — If you notice buildup in your pipes, it’s time to call in the professionals to repair or replace your water softener. 

Sign #2: Dishes and Laundry Not Getting Clean

If you notice spots or mineral residue on your washed dishes, that could be a sign of a malfunctioning water softener. This is the result of the minerals we spoke of above making their way out of your tap and onto your washables, such as dishes and your laundry. Those minerals will leave hard water spots or deposits on your glass dishes as well as deposits in the laundry as well. If you notice your laundry isn’t getting as clean as it should, it could be because the soap is not lathering properly due to this mineral buildup becoming deposited in your water before making its way out of your taps and manifesting as hard water on your washables. 

Sign #3: Dry and Itchy Skin

If you notice that your skin is getting itchy after a shower, this could mean your water softener is in need of replacement. Soap scum buildup and hard water can cause skin irritation and increased dryness, an unpleasant and frustrating red flag your water softener needs maintenance or replacement. 

These are signs that your water is not being properly treated, and is not “soft” anymore. In this case, it’s time to get an expert in to see if replacement is necessary so you can get back to soft water showers and eliminate the troubles of itchy, dry skin. 

Sign #4: Bad Water Taste

Hard water has a higher mineral content than soft water, so you’ll more than likely taste them immediately if the water softener isn’t working properly. Water softeners replace the minerals in hard water with sodium ions, so you will notice when they come back all of a sudden due to the soft water going hard. 

If your water begins to taste of chalk or chemicals, you have your indication that it’s time to call in a water service professional to take a look at your water softener system. 

Sign #5: Repeated Repairs

If you find yourself calling the repairman often because your water softener keeps breaking down or giving you issues, you’re probably getting close to the time where it will need to be replaced. Regular repairs are a clear sign that the whole system needs to be replaced. Costs can add up if you need constant maintenance, so saving money by getting your system replaced is preferable in situations of regular system failure. Make sure to call a reputable water softener installer to do the job right, and always make sure you get a good warranty on your new softener as well.

Ways to Help Keep Your Water Softener Around Longer

• Avoid salt bridges and salt mushing
• Check salt levels regularly
• Know what specific kind of salt to add
• Know how to clean the brine tank or have a professional do it

Quality Installation and Service at Independent Water Service

At Independent Water Service, our installation experts can recommend and install the right water softener system for your specific needs. 

We offer free water analysis and help you choose which system works for you. Our free water analysis checks for softness, impurities and other factors that may affect your household or business’ water. We offer systems for both residential and commercial spaces.

We proudly serve Yakima and Kittitas Counties and have been your local trusted water service since 1986. Call to schedule your free water analysis and upgrade your water system for your home or business with the water experts.