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4 Signs You Need a Water Softener

hard water

In Utah, our water is considered hard, especially compared to other areas of the country. Hard water is water that contains a high concentration of minerals, chiefly calcium and magnesium. But not everyone is aware of the effects of hard water. They may believe their skin problems and other issues are due to another cause. The team at Kinetico wants you to know the warning signs of hard water. If you have these bothersome issues in your home, a water softener can help.

1. Dry Skin & Hair

Hard water is drying, and showering with hard water can dry out your skin and hair, leaving you flaky and itchy. Moisturizing and conditioning can help, but it’s an issue many people in the Salt Lake City area fight constantly.

It has not been scientifically proven that hard water causes eczema, but most dermatologists agree that it can exacerbate the condition. Additionally, hard water can cause or worsen acne. Soft water is kinder to the skin and hair.

2. Appliances Break Down

Any appliances in your home that use water — the hot water tank, clothes washer, icemaker, dishwater — can break down more frequently if your home has hard water. That’s because of limescale, a chalky substance that builds up in these machines, as well as other parts such as sprayers, nozzles and drain hoses.

Soft water helps appliances last longer.

3. Plumbing Problems

Especially in older homes, scale and minerals can build up so thickly in pipes that the space for water to flow is reduced to the size of a pencil. This affects water pressure and makes it easier for pipes to become clogged.

With hard water, clogs can also form in the showerhead and faucets in your home. If you’re frequently calling the plumber for help with clogs, hard water may be to blame.

4. Dingy Laundry

Minerals make soap less effective, making it harder to clean your skin, your clothes and anything else in your home. After a while, your laundry will look dingy and stains will remain stubbornly behind. Minerals will also stay behind in your clothes, making them feel stiff. Additionally, your clothes will not last as long because the minerals break down the fabrics faster.

Have you noticed any of these signs in your home? Contact Kinetico today to schedule water softener installation. We serve Salt Lake City, Herriman, Bountiful, Ogden, Park City, Toole and the surrounding areas.

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How Do You Maintain a Water Softener?

How Do You Maintain a Water Softener?

If you’re considering buying a water softener, you may wonder how much maintenance it requires and if it’s difficult to do. The answer is, thankfully, that although water softeners do require some maintenance, it’s minimal and usually easily accomplished by the homeowner. When Kinetico installs water softeners in Utah, we ensure that homeowners know everything they need to know about water softener maintenance.

How Do Water Softeners Work?

Water softeners essentially filter water, removing the calcium and magnesium that makes water hard. Homeowners don’t like hard water because it makes cleaning more difficult, whether it is your clothes, your body or your home. It can also cause buildup in pipes and appliances, resulting in breakdowns sooner than expected and leaving stains in sinks, tubs and toilets.

Water softeners work by using negatively charged resin balls to attract positively charged calcium and magnesium molecules. Periodically, the resin beads in your water softener tank need to be purged of their calcium and magnesium molecules — but you don’t have to do it! Water softening systems include a second tank containing salt, and the salt molecules detach the calcium and magnesium ions from the resins, then wash them away as waste.

However, homeowners who live in an area with iron-rich water may want to periodically clean their water softener tanks with a product that removes iron deposits.

What Homeowners Need to Do for Water Softeners

The most important — and easiest — part of water softener maintenance is adding salt to the brine tank. How much salt to add and how often is dependent upon your water usage. Generally speaking, Kinetico recommends a bag per month. If you forget to add salt and your brine tank runs out, your water softener will stop working and your water will be hard again.

Sometimes salt can build up in the brine tank, forming a crusty barrier that prevents the salt water from getting into the water softener tank. You can usually fix this problem fairly easily by breaking up the “salt bridge” and removing the chunks of salt from the tank. After you clean out the tank, just add more salt and water and the problem should be resolved.

How Long Do Water Softeners Last?

With proper maintenance, water softeners can last for decades. And as you can see, water softeners are not particularly onerous to maintain, which makes them a particularly useful and popular device in your home. They save homeowners a lot of money over the years by preventing damage to appliances and clothing in your home.

For tips on making your water softener last as long as possible, contact the team at Kinetico. We’re here to help Utah homeowners throughout northern Utah reverse the negative effects of hard water in their homes.

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Soft Water May Help These Skin Conditions

dry skin

It’s no secret that Utah has some of the hardest water to be found. It comes from all the minerals in the rocks we have here. And although the rocks are beautiful, these minerals in the water can wreak havoc in a variety of ways, and one of them is with your skin. Kinetico supplies homes in northern Utah with water softener systems to improve your health and your home’s functions.

Soft Water Helps Dry Skin

Many people are plagued by dry skin, especially in the wintertime in Utah. Humidity is at an all-time low, and the cold can cause chapped skin and rashes. What can make this problem even worse is hard water. The minerals in hard water coat the skin, interfering with your body’s natural lubrication system. This coating also is a barrier to moisturizers, lotions and hair conditioner, leaving you with dry, flaky, itchy skin and a scalp to match.

Soft Water and Eczema

Numerous studies have been done to test the effects of hard water and eczema. Eczema causes very dry skin which can lead to redness, scaling, blisters and even infection. It is not limited to the dry winter months either — it can strike at any time. One theory is that hard water actually causes eczema to develop, but that has not yet been proven. While the list of triggers for eczema is long and includes common allergens, the bottom line is that soft water is more soothing and less irritating to dry skin.

Soft Water and Psoriasis

Although it has not been proven, many people with psoriasis report that they only developed their condition after moving from an area with soft water to an area with hard water. The exact cause of psoriasis is not known; however, it is believed to be an autoimmune disorder.

Psoriasis is characterized by very dry skin that flakes off and can be extremely itchy and uncomfortable. Since hard water worsens dryness, it is believed that soft water is better for those with psoriasis.

Soft Water Can Improve Acne

Dermatologists recommend those with acne-prone skin wash with soft water. While hard water is not usually the sole cause of acne, it can definitely make it worse. While many people with acne spend time trying to dry out their oily skin because they believe this will improve their acne, it sometimes does the opposite.

When skin is too dry, oil production goes into overdrive to compensate. In the presence of hard water, pores can become clogged by the barrier left on the skin coupled with increased oil production. If you want to test this theory, try washing your face with purified or distilled bottled water for a month to see if your acne improves.

Get a Water Softener for Your Utah Home

Even if you don’t have a skin condition, getting a water softener for your Utah home today may help prevent you or your family members from developing one in the future. To learn more about getting a water softener, contact Kinetico today. We serve Herriman, Bountiful, Salt Lake City, Ogden, Park City, Provo, Tooele and the surrounding areas.

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Is Water Softener Necessary?

water softener

Wondering if a water softener is necessary in your Utah home? Hard water dries skin and hair, shortens the life span and effectiveness of appliances and plumbing fixtures, and leaves a build up on shower stalls and dishes. So while there are no state regulations mandating water softeners, many Utah residents choose to get them on their own from Kinetico Water Systems.

How Hard Is Hard?

According to the Water Systems Council, a nonprofit established in 1932 to make well water safer to drink, water hardness is determined by how many parts per million of minerals there are in a sample of water. According to the council, 0-17.1 ppm is soft water, 17.2-60 is slightly hard, 61-120 is moderately hard and 121-180 is very hard.

In northern Utah, many cities and towns have extremely hard water. These include:

  • American Fork: 256
  • Bountiful: 513
  • Brigham City: 324
  • Draper: 657
  • Herriman: 359
  • Layton: 352
  • Lehi: 200
  • Logan: 272
  • Ogden: 170
  • Orem: 239
  • Park City: 444
  • Provo: 164
  • Salt Lake City: 158
  • Sandy: 307
  • South Jordan: 145
  • Spanish Fork: 427
  • Tooele: 310
  • West Jordan: 148
  • West Valley City: 170

What Is Hard Water?

Water is considered “hard” if it contains high levels of calcium and magnesium. Groundwater passes over rocks underground before it is pumped into your home, and during the process, water picks up minerals from the rocks. Northern Utah has some of the hardest water in the country.

What’s So Bad About Hard Water?

Hard water is not hazardous to your health, but it could do in your good looks. Hard water is bad for your skin because the minerals in the water react with soap, making it hard to rinse off. The residue builds up causing dry skin and may lead to acne, dermatitis and eczema. Hard water is also bad for your hair and scalp, causing them to dry out and become dull and itchy.

If you have hard water in your home, you may notice that your soap doesn’t lather in your hands as easily. For this reason, hard water doesn’t clean as well. Your laundry is dingier and not as clean, and your clothes and linens may feel scratchy.

The minerals in hard water can also stain bathroom fixtures and appliances such as washing machines and dishwashers.

What to Do About Hard Water

When customers in Salt Lake City, Provo and Ogden learn about how hard the water is in their homes, they often opt to buy a water softener. Water softeners are extremely common in homes in Bountiful, Herriman, Park City and Toole, where the water is much harder.

A water softener works by removing the calcium, magnesium and other minerals from your water supply and adding salt. When you opt to get soft water in your Salt Lake City home or any other location in northern Utah, you will notice the difference right away.

To learn more about getting a water softener in your Utah home, contact Kinetico today.

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Environmental Benefits of Water Purification Systems

environmental benefits water purification

When considering water filters or purification systems for any part of their homes or buildings, many people naturally consider the individual benefits first and foremost. Beyond the improved taste and health-related benefits that come to individual users of a water purification system, however, there’s another key plus area to consider as well: Environmental benefits.

At Kinetico, we’re proud to offer a variety of reverse osmosis water purification systems, which are used alongside our water softeners and other water treatment solutions for several major purposes. What are the major ways a water purification system benefits not just you and the other people in your home or building, but also the environment itself? Here’s a basic primer.

Limiting Plastic Water Bottle Consumption

Water purification systems are a primary alternative to the constant production and consumption of plastic water bottles that can end up in a landfill or even a waterway, where they never biodegrade. Plastic pollution is a huge issue for the globe’s rivers and oceans – with an estimated five trillion plastic pieces weighing over 250,000 tons currently floating around the world’s waters.

When you install water purification systems in your home or office building, you’re able to eliminate the need plastic water bottles.

Reducing Fossil Fuel Consumption

In addition to the massive pollution issues plastic water bottles lead to, their manufacturing also requires fossil fuels and natural gas – to produce the plastic bottles themselves, generate power for their production and transportation, etc. By eliminating a need for as many of these types of plastic water bottles – whether through home filtration systems or simply by not buying them – you can reduce your dependence on fossil fuels and help preserve natural resources for future generations.

For more on the environmental benefits of water purification systems and water softeners, or to learn about any of our water treatment programs, speak to the pros at Kinetico today.

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Is Water Softener Water Safe to Drink?

drinking softened water

When homeowners in Salt Lake City and the surrounding area are considering getting a water softener for their home, some of them wonder if it will impact their drinking water. Is water softener water safe to drink? Will it taste different? The team at Kinetico has answers for you.

What Is Soft Water?

Soft water is water with most of the minerals removed from it. While many minerals are essential to the human diet, ordinary drinking water provides less than 1% of them, so removing minerals from your drinking water does not deprive you of healthy additives.

Soft water also has sodium added to it. Especially here in Utah, where we have the Great Salt Lake, we are aware that drinking saltwater can make you sick. An eight-ounce glass of seawater contains about 9,000 mg of salt — about two teaspoons. Experts recommend we consume no more than one teaspoon of salt per day.

Ordinary drinking water has varying amounts of salt in it based on what types of minerals are found in the ground from which the water is sourced. Softened water has about 20 mg of salt per eight-ounce glass, which is low enough to be imperceptible to most people.

So the short answer is yes, softened water is safe to drink, even for those on a low-sodium diet.

Reverse Osmosis Filters

If for some reason you do not want your drinking water softened, you have options.

Most people who get a water softener in their Utah home do so because of the benefits it provides. These include helping appliances last longer, getting clothes cleaner and making it easier to rinse soap out of hair and off skin. When you have a water softener installed in your home, you won’t need to use as much laundry soap and shampoo. You also will not have to contend with scaling, spotting and stains on dishes and in bathrooms and washing machines.

While water softeners remove minerals from your water supply, they do not remove contaminants such as lead, arsenic and other heavy metals. If you are at all concerned with the quality of your water, you may want us to install a reverse osmosis filter in your home for you.

A reverse osmosis filter removes 95%-99% of contaminants from your drinking water, so you never have to worry about your family ingesting toxins or impurities. The filters are easy to change and the system comes with a 10-year warranty.

Get Soft Water in Your Utah Home

If you’re interested in installing a water softener or a reverse osmosis filter in your home, contact Kinetico today. We serve Salt Lake City, Provo, Herriman, Park City, Tooele, Bountiful and Ogden.

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Reverse Osmosis Systems vs. Pitcher Water Filters

Water filter Utah

When you first consider your options for fresh, clean-tasting water at your Utah home, you may lean toward getting a pitcher water filter rather than a reverse osmosis system.

This is understandable, as pitcher filters are easy to use and cheap to buy.

However, relying on a pitcher to filter your drinking water may not be the best move. Here, the expert team at Kinetico Utah explains the reasons why investing in an RO water filtration system is a wise decision.

Pitchers Filter Only a Small Amount of Water

Pitcher water filters aren’t all that productive because the pitchers have a limited capacity. The amount that can be filtered at a time might not be enough to satisfy your household needs – and filling up the pitcher every time you empty it may soon become a nuisance. If you invest in a reverse osmosis filtration system, everyone will have plenty to drink every time they turn on the faucet.

Pitchers Require More Frequent Filter Changes

Most manufacturers recommend replacing pitcher filters every two months or once 40 gallons has been filtered, whichever comes first. The cost of replacement water filters could add up to nearly $100 per year, and swapping out the filters is a chore that’s easy to forget. With a reverse osmosis water filtration system, filter changes are a breeze, and they’re typically only necessary every 12 months.

Pitcher Filters Remove Fewer Contaminants

Some water filter pitchers remove only chlorine, while others also remove certain bacteria, organic compounds and heavy metals. But regardless of which brand you choose, a pitcher water filter won’t eliminate as many contaminants as a reverse osmosis system can. RO technology works to trap up to 99 percent of the contaminants commonly found in Utah, which makes for safer, cleaner and better-tasting water.

Choosing a Reverse Osmosis Water Filtration System

If you opt for a reverse osmosis water filtration system instead of a water filter pitcher, you’ll have a virtually endless supply of delicious filtered water for drinking, cooking and making beverages like iced tea and lemonade. To make the most of your investment, however, you’ll want to contact Kinetico Utah.

Kinetico, an industry leader, has been manufacturing innovative RO systems that outperform other brands and operate for decades. What’s more, Kinetico’s reverse osmosis filtration systems are certified by the National Sanitation Foundation (NSF) to remove more contaminants than other systems out on the market – and for your peace of mind, our systems come with an outstanding warranty.

After serving homeowners in Ogden, Park City, Provo, Salt Lake City and surrounding northern Utah area for 30 years, the Kinetico Utah team knows that providing information is essential – we’re ready to answer your questions and explain everything you need to know about water filters and RO technology. For a free, no-obligation consultation, contact Kinetico Utah today.

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Do You Need a Water Filtration System or a Water Softener?

Water filtration Salt Lake City, water softener Salt Lake City

Many Salt Lake City homeowners assume that they should get a water softener, but, at least in some cases, a water filtration system would better meet their needs – and in some cases, the opposite is true. So how do you know what’s right for your Utah home?

The decision on whether to invest in a water filtration system or a water softener depends mainly upon your goals and objectives, as well as the quality of your household water supply. Different types of equipment perform different functions

Here’s what you need to know to make a decision on the best water treatment approach for you.

Why Might You Need a Water Softener?

Softeners are designed to filter out calcium and magnesium ions, which are the primary minerals that make water hard. Hardness isn’t a health hazard, but it can bring about several unpleasant issues, including:

  • Limescale or soap scum deposits on faucets and showerheads
  • Rust-colored staining in and around sinks and toilets
  • Residue on clothing after it goes through the washing machine
  • Dry, itchy and irritated skin and dingy, dull-looking hair
  • Appliances becoming less efficient, leading to higher energy bills and shorter lifespans

If you suspect that your Salt Lake City home has hard water, a softener may be what you need to resolve these problems. However, keep in mind that installing a softening system won’t ensure that what’s flowing from your taps is necessarily pleasant or safe to drink.

Why Might You Need a Whole-Home Water Filtration System?

Filtration systems, particularly whole-home water filtration systems, are effective for removing sediment and particles. Even more important, a filtration system can remove chlorine from your water. In Salt Lake City, whole home filtration for chlorine removal is a very popular option, due to the unpleasant nature of our municipal water supply.

So, while a softener system will help with spotty glassware and scale buildup on plumbing fixtures, filtration systems will provide you with water that looks cleaner and tastes (and smells) much better.

Filtration systems can also help neutralize high acidity levels. In some cases, highly acidic water can cause excess corrosion in the home’s plumbing system, including pipes, faucets and fixtures.

What About Water Purification Systems?

Purification systems are designed to remove the majority of harmful particulates and impurities. These systems typically use reverse osmosis (RO) technology, which is capable of trapping many different types of pollutants. Some of the contaminants that a reverse osmosis system can eliminate from your household supply include:

  • Viruses
  • Bacteria
  • Protozoa
  • Lead
  • Arsenic
  • Nitrate
  • Metal ions
  • Sulfate

If you’re concerned about the safety of your household drinking water, you might also want to want to invest in a reverse osmosis filtration system. These systems are typically installed at the kitchen sink, so you have it conveniently available for cooking and drinking. However, the nature of RO systems don’t facilitate the filtration of large volumes.

Get the Right Water Treatment System for You

If you want to have the best possible drinking water, you could install our exclusive reverse osmosis K5 drinking water station. To improve the quality and safety of the water throughout your home, talk to us about installing Kinetico’s whole home water filtration system.

To reach the right decision, you’ll need to get a clear picture of your household water quality – and the expert team at Kinetico Utah can perform a test at no cost to you. Once we see the results, we can recommend a treatment option. We offer a range of effective and efficient filtration systems and top-of-the-line water softeners, all of which come with our industry-leading warranty.

Call on Kinetico Utah, and we’ll find a solution that meets your needs and fits your budget. We’d be happy to come to your Salt Lake City are home to provide you with a free, no-obligation consultation and discuss our highly efficient and cost-effective water filtration and water softening systems.

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Is It Time to Replace Your Water Softener in Utah?

Water softener replacement Utah

Is it time for water softener replacement? Utah homeowners usually need to replace their softening systems about every ten years – but if you have extremely hard water or your household usage is high, you may need to get a new softener sooner.

No one can tell you exactly how long a water softener will last, so you’ll benefit from learning how to tell if yours is on its last leg. You’ll find that information below, along with tips on how to select the right water softening system for your Utah home.

Signs You Need to Replace Your Water Softener

When your softener is reaching the end of its life, you may experience a range of issues. Warning signs that it may be time to replace your water softener include:

  • Scale buildup around your faucets and fixtures
  • Mineral spots on your dishes and glassware
  • Needing to use more soap to create enough lather
  • Laundry comes out stiff and isn’t fully clean
  • Skin feels itchier and dryer than normal

Be aware that the above-mentioned red flags may indicate a need for softener repair, not that a replacement unit is necessary. But in any case, you shouldn’t hesitate to have a professional inspect your water softening system.

How to Choose a New Water Softener for Your Utah Home

If you do end up needing to replace your softener, you’ll want to make a smart choice. That may prove to be a challenge, as modern water softening systems may be quite different than the one you have.

For that reason, the process of shopping for a replacement softener should involve the same steps you took when you first bought a water softening system. By that we mean doing your homework, choosing a few reputable local water treatment professionals and scheduling consultations. Ask plenty of questions and get help comparing your options, then decide which company can best meet your needs.

Turn to Kinetico for Water Softener Replacement in Utah

If you think that you may need to replace your softener, give Kinetico a call. We serve homeowners throughout northern Utah, and our friendly team is known for providing expert service.

Kinetico is a trusted industry leader, and we design on-demand water softening systems that require minimal maintenance. Our softeners are engineered to operate for decades – without electricity and with much less salt than systems designed by other manufacturers. With us, you’ll have peace of mind, too, as we back our products with a comprehensive warranty.

To learn more about what Kinetico has to offer, or to schedule a complimentary consultation to discuss water softener replacement in Utah, complete our online contact form or call our office today.

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Water Softener Regeneration – What You Need to Know

Water softener Provo

Why do water softeners need to regenerate? What happens during the regeneration process? And how often should it take place?

When you have questions about softening systems, Kinetico is your source for answers. Below, we explain the basics on regeneration, the two different types – scheduled and on-demand regeneration – and the benefits of investing in a Kinetico water softener.

Why Water Softeners Regenerate

Softening systems work by passing water through a bed of resin beads, removing calcium and magnesium ions and replacing them with sodium ions. With the mineral contaminants no longer present you have soft water.

Over time, the resin beads become saturated with minerals – and to continue softening, the system must regenerate. During the regeneration process, mineral ions are flushed out, refreshing the resin beads and restoring their ability to function.

Scheduled Softener Regeneration

Most softening systems regenerate at specific times. A microprocessor controls the process, but a treatment professional determines how frequently regeneration occurs. This is based upon household usage and water quality.

While scheduled regeneration can be effective, it has drawbacks. A softener may regenerate too early, when the resin beads aren’t fully saturated – and that’s wasteful. Or, the timed intervals may be too far apart to ensure a continual supply of soft water.

On-Demand Softener Regeneration

Kinetico water softening systems regenerate on demand. A meter tracks household usage, measuring the volume of water that flows through the softener. The resin beads are refreshed when necessary, in pace with the demand.

On-demand regeneration is more efficient than regenerating at timed intervals, and softeners that are designed to regenerate on an as-needed basis also use less salt and water. Also soft water is always available for use, even when the amount of water used increases.

Why Choose a Kinetico Water Softener?

Kinetico softening systems feature on-demand regeneration – but that’s far from the only reason our softeners are the ideal choice. Kinetico offers:

  • Non-electric operation
  • Low salt usage
  • Twin-tank design
  • Compact size

In addition, Kinetico water softeners are engineered to provide 20 to 30 years of trouble-free service, with very little maintenance. Additionally, our softening systems come with a comprehensive 10 year warranty – and our warranty coverage is among the best in the industry.

With Kinetico, you can be certain that you’re getting a high-quality softening system. Homeowners in Provo and the surrounding northern Utah area have been turning to us for decades, and we’re known for both affordable, innovative products and exceptional customer service.

To learn more about water softener regeneration, or to schedule a free, no-obligation consultation for installing a water softener, contact Kinetico today.