Is a Water Filtration System the Same as a Water Softener?

Many homeowners are wary about the water flowing through their faucets and showerheads. They worry specifically about the quality of the water they’re getting.

To ensure clean water, some homeowners may install a filtration system or a water softener. But what exactly are those pieces of equipment? Can they guarantee that only clean water will flow into your home?

You can learn more about water filtration systems, water softeners, and how they compare to one another by reading the rest of this article.

What Is a Water Filtration System?

Let’s start by discussing water filtration systems first. The main purpose of a water filtration system is to remove contaminants in your water supply.

Examples of the substances targeted by a filtration system include arsenic, chlorine, chloramine, iron, lead, and numerous other hazardous chemicals. Bacteria and viruses in your water supply can also be eliminated by a filtration system. Large sediments that somehow entered your supply will also be removed before they can go through your tap.

Basically, a filtration system keeps your water supply safe for consumption. If people in your household have gotten sick before from drinking tap water, installing a filtration system may not be such a bad idea.

Homeowners can also choose from different types of water filtration systems. Some of the more popular options include absorption systems, ion exchange systems, and reverse osmosis systems.

Consult with a professional to figure out which water filtration system will work best for your home.

What Is a Water Softener?

Unlike water filtration systems, water softeners are not designed to remove harmful substances. As their name suggests, their focus is on eliminating hard water.

Hard water is a term used to describe water that features noticeably high mineral content. Now, you may think that having plenty of minerals in your water supply is a good thing, but that’s not necessarily the case.

You may start to experience all kinds of annoying issues due to the hard water flowing into your home. One of hard water’s most noticeable effects is causing excessive dryness. If your hair or skin dries out faster than it should, the hard water may have something to do with that.

Hard water can also leave stains on your glasses, silverware, and plates. You may also need to use more soap to wash your clothes properly if you are using hard water.

Long-term, hard water can be problematic because it can cause residue to build up inside your pipes and water fixtures. If you don’t do something about your hard water, you may have to pay for costly home repairs sooner rather than later.

Installing a water softener can prevent those troublesome issues.

Should You Install a Water Filtration System or a Water Softener?

Given the different functions of water filtration systems and water softeners, choosing between them is not really necessary. You can simply install the one that resolves the issues presented by your water supply.

Note that installing a filtration system and a water softener is also an option if your water is both contaminated and overflowing with minerals.

Categorised in: Water Softener System