How Hard Water Affects Your Family
While hard water is not a direct health hazard, its effects on skin and hair are noticeable. The high mineral content prevents soap from rinsing completely, leaving a residue that can lead to dry, itchy skin, irritated scalp, and dull, brittle hair. This can be particularly troublesome for individuals with sensitive skin or eczema. For families with infants, preparing baby formula with untreated hard water can be a concern for some parents due to the high mineral load.
Choosing the Right Filtration System for Fridley
With water hardness at 10.8 GPG, taking action is financially prudent. Your two main options for whole-house treatment are a water softener or a salt-free conditioner.
- A salt-free water conditioner is an effective, low-maintenance solution that prevents scale buildup in pipes and appliances without using salt.
- A traditional water softener uses salt to remove hardness minerals entirely, providing the added benefit of better soap lathering and preventing soap scum. For drinking water, adding an under-sink reverse osmosis (RO) system will provide purified water straight from the tap.
The investment pays off. A whole-house softener (around $1,500 installed) can pay for itself in approximately 12.8 years through annual savings of $117 on energy from Northern States Power Co, detergents, and delayed appliance replacement costs.