How Hard Water Affects Your Family
While hard water isn't considered a health hazard, its effects are felt daily. The high mineral content prevents soap from rinsing clean, leaving a residue on your skin and hair. This can lead to:
- Dry, itchy skin and aggravated eczema conditions.
- Dull, brittle hair and an irritated scalp.
- A persistent film on your shower doors, dishes, and fixtures.
For families with infants, preparing baby formula with hard, mineral-heavy water can be a concern regarding mineral concentration.
Choosing the Right Water Filtration System
For water at 12.0 GPG, protecting your home's plumbing is the primary goal. You have a couple of smart options:
- Best Value: A salt-free water conditioner is an effective and low-maintenance solution. It won't remove the healthy minerals, but it will crystallize them so they can't form scale inside your pipes and water heater. Paired with an under-sink reverse osmosis (RO) filter for drinking water, this is a perfect setup for Citrus homes.
- Maximum Protection: A traditional whole-house water softener removes the hardness minerals entirely. With potential annual savings of $126 on energy and detergents, a typical system (around $1,500 installed) will pay for itself in about 11.9 years.
Many families spend over $600 a year on bottled water. An under-sink RO system provides better-than-bottled quality water right from a dedicated tap, paying for itself in months.