The Effect on Skin and Hair
While hard water poses no danger to your health when consumed, it does create daily annoyances for personal hygiene. The minerals in the water interfere with soaps and shampoos, creating a residue instead of a clean lather. This leads to:
- Itchy scalp and hair that feels brittle or dull
- Dry, irritated skin as soap film clogs pores
- Difficulty getting a clean shave due to razor drag
This is purely a quality-of-life issue, but one that is felt daily by everyone in your household.
The Smartest Filter Choice for Hawthorne
For water hardness of 12.0 GPG, you need a whole-house solution to truly solve the problem. Pitcher filters will only treat a small amount of drinking water and do nothing to protect your pipes or appliances.
- Recommended Solution: A salt-free water conditioner is a highly effective, low-maintenance option that neutralizes the minerals to prevent scale buildup. Combine this with an under-sink reverse osmosis (RO) system for superior drinking and cooking water.
- Powerful Alternative: A salt-based water softener will completely remove hardness minerals, providing 'slick' soft water, but requires ongoing salt purchases and maintenance.
Calculating the Return: A whole-house system costs about $1,500 installed. With documented annual savings of $126 from reduced energy consumption and soap use, the system pays for itself in about 11.9 years, all while extending the life of your major appliances.