How Very Hard Water Affects Your Family
While the city's water is safe to drink, its hardness can cause persistent frustration. The minerals react with soap to form a film that doesn't rinse away, leading to common complaints:
- Dry skin, itchiness, and flare-ups of conditions like eczema.
- Limp, dull hair that feels weighed down by residue.
- Constant battles with soap scum on tubs, sinks, and glass shower doors.
This can be particularly trying for those with sensitive skin and makes simple tasks like bathing and cleaning more difficult.
The Right Filtration System for Brooklyn
At 12.7 GPG, a comprehensive solution is needed to combat the effects of hard water. A combination of whole-house and point-of-use filtration is ideal.
- For Your Home: A salt-free water conditioner is a highly effective, modern solution that prevents scale without adding sodium to your water. For those who prefer the 'slick' feel of soft water, a traditional water softener remains a powerful option.
- For Drinking Water: To get pure, great-tasting water, install an under-sink Reverse Osmosis (RO) system. It removes nearly all dissolved solids and pays for itself by eliminating the expense of bottled water.
Investing in a whole-house softener (approx. $1,500 installed) delivers a return in roughly 11.1 years, thanks to $135 in annual savings on utilities and cleaning supplies, not to mention avoiding premature appliance replacements.