Effects on Skin and Hair
While Brush's water is perfectly safe for consumption, its hardness can affect your daily comfort. The dissolved minerals react with soaps to form a residue, commonly known as soap scum, that clings to surfaces—including your skin and hair. This often results in dry, itchy skin, a flaky scalp, and hair that feels lifeless and brittle.
Filtration Guide for Brush's Water
For water in the 'Hard' 7-15 GPG range, a targeted solution is often the most cost-effective approach. Consider these options for your Brush home:
- Salt-Free Water Conditioner: This is an ideal solution for 8.0 GPG water. It prevents mineral scale from forming in your pipes and water heater without the maintenance or sodium discharge of a traditional softener.
- Pitcher or Faucet Filter: For improving the taste of drinking water, a quality carbon-based pitcher or faucet-mount filter is often sufficient and very affordable.
The economic argument for a full softener is a long-term one in Brush. A system costing around $1,500 would take 17.4 years to pay for itself based on the $86 in annual energy and detergent savings. However, preventing just one premature water heater replacement could justify the investment upfront.