While essential oils, bath salts or bath gels are typically used as a way to soften skin, there may be something preventing these things from bubbling and doing their job – your hard water!

If you find yourself pouring more bath gel into your tub in order to get the adequate amount of bubbles, you’re not alone! An overwhelming 85 percent of the US has hard water, so the likelihood that you live in a state or city with hard water is high. Not only can hard water start costing you more, but it can also contribute to dry skin, razor burn and clogged pores.

When you have hard water, calcium and magnesium react negatively with the ingredients in your products, such as bath gels, leaving fewer bubbles in your tub.

There are a variety of quick fixes you can try to get your bubbles back, but the problem will never be solved completely until you get a proper water softener.

A water softener will not only generate more bubbles, but will maintain the softness of your water throughout the day and night. Hard water can stain your toilets, sinks and water-using appliances as well generate scale in your plumbing and pipes. This slows the performance of water in your home.

We have a free test you can try so you can easily detect if hard water is an issue in your home. Our step-by-step tool can identify the perfect water softener for your home.

Take your bubble baths back from hard water by getting a water softener today.

The post Why Bathing in Soft Water Is Better appeared first on HomeWater 101.

Cause and Solutions

Clogged pores and breakouts
Cause: Hard water minerals leaving a film of soap scum on skin
Solution: Combine filtered honey and cinnamon to create a face mask

Dry skin
Cause: Minerals in hard water stripping the skin of natural oils
Solution: Apply warm coconut oil to skin before bed and wash off in the morning

Razor burn
Cause: Hard water makes skin sensitive
Solution: Apply Aloe Vera to the irritated area

Dry hair
Cause: Hard water mineral buildup on your scalp and hair
Solution: Apply a mashed avocado to wet hair and let sit for 10 minutes

Greasy scalp
Cause: Hard water minerals combined with your natural oils
Solution: Apply dry shampoo

Brassy tint in your hair
Cause: Combined effect of hard water and chlorine
Solution: Wash hair with purple shampoo

Flaky scalp
Cause: Hard water minerals
Solution: Apply warm olive oil to the scalp and leave in for one hour

Hard water contains high mineral content (calcium, magnesium and iron) which can distress both your hair and skin. One simple solution is to install a water softener. By having soft water you can eliminate the grooming problems from hard water listed above. Soft water is an easy solution to help you look and feel your best this holiday season.

There are a few options when it comes to installing a water softener. To learn more about the different options visit the “Install & Maintain” tab on our website.

The post Quick Water Softening Tips to Prepare for the Holidays in Style appeared first on HomeWater 101.

Around 85 percent of America has hard water, and it could be putting a damper on your personal beauty routine. Hard water contains high levels of minerals that can clog your pores, causing harm to your skin. So, before you reach for the spooky green clay mask to temporarily calm down the redness in your skin, learn more about hard water effects on skin and how you can permanently fix the problem.

How Hard Water Effects Your Skin

• Soap Scum: The high mineral content of hard water leaves a film leading to clogged pores and breakouts.
• Razor burn: Hard water makes skin more sensitive, which can lead to razor burn and shaving bumps.
• Dry skin: Hard water strips the skin of natural oils, which causes dry skin. People with psoriasis or eczema will often experience increased dryness or irritation.

October is the perfect time to start thinking about changing up your beauty routine. You may be spending hard-earned dollars on cosmetic products to fix the problem rather than fixing the actual problem at hand. The solution to rid your skin of hard water is a water softener.

Installing a water softener will remove the calcium and magnesium in your water and replace it with sodium or potassium. By removing these hard minerals you can eliminate pesky skin problems that could get worse in the winter months. Installing and utilizing a water softener is a great way to prepare your skin for the winter months ahead.

Get some relief and request a free hard water test kit today!

The post Creepy, Crawly Skin Gone by Halloween appeared first on HomeWater 101.

Hard water contributes to the inefficient operation of your major water-using appliances, including the water heater, dishwasher and refrigerator. The pipes and valves within these appliances can also become clogged with scale, reducing water flow or causing leaks, resulting in potentially expensive part replacements.

Most homeowners think of wrapping their pipes with insulation to safeguard them from cold temperatures, but you can take a few additional easy steps this season to keep your pipes and appliances in good working condition.

1. Clean out and fix damaged pipes
2. Change out old hoses in washing machines
3. Examine your water heater for rust spots and sediment buildup
4. Assess the working condition of your appliances
5. Clean out septic systems

What’s the permanent solution?
Installing a water softener will help to prevent buildup.

If you are frustrated with the regular maintenance associated with hard water, try installing a water softener before the conditions get cooler. This is a permanent solution because it filters out the hard water minerals before water flows through pipes and damages your appliances. The only maintenance required is to replenish the salt supply and conduct regular maintenance checks.

To get started with a permanent solution, request a free test strip, which will confirm if you have hard water. Once you know that answer, an easy questionnaire helps you determine the best system solution for your home.

The post 5 Ways to Prep Your House for Fall appeared first on HomeWater 101.

Here in the United States, we enjoy some of the safest water in the world. But 85 percent of households in America are suffering from a significant water problem, and many homeowners don’t even know it.

The United States’ Water Issue

The issue is hard water. Hard water contains high concentrations of calcium and magnesium. As water trickles through rocks, limestone deposits and soil, it picks up these minerals. Your home’s water tap may pick up a lot of those same minerals, depending on how long the water travels through the ground before reaching your home. Homeowners in six metro areas experience the hardest water conditions: Indianapolis, Las Vegas, Minneapolis, Phoenix, San Antonio, and Tampa.

But even if you don’t live in those areas, you may experience some form of hard water. Each city has a “number.” That number is grains per gallon (gpg) and will determine if you live in a slightly hard, moderately hard, hard, very hard or extremely hard water area. A grain is defined as 17.1 milligrams of calcium carbonate dissolved in one liter of water. Hard water is about 7 gpg or higher. So, for example, if you have moderately hard water your gpg is 3-7 but extremely hard water would be 15+ gpg. Check out your area’s gpg category here.

Hard Water Signs

If your home is in a hard water area, how can you be sure it is affecting your family? Here are some signs: dull hair dull and dry skin; spotty drinking glasses; itchy, faded and dingy clothing. You may have noticed higher energy bills. That’s because your water heater uses up to 29 percent more energy with hard water. Your plumbing and appliances may be suffering too. Scale buildup can lead to clogged pipes and lower water pressure. That same scale buildup also decreases the efficiency of water-using appliances and reduces their lifespan by up to 50 percent.

How Hard Is Your Water

This may be the first time you’ve ever heard that your home may have hard water. A permanent solution for hard water is a water softener. To begin fixing your hard water problem, request a free water test that will determine your gpg. From there, we can help you identify the right system for your home with a Whirlpool Water Softener.

The post Improving the US Water Problem appeared first on HomeWater 101.

In 85 percent of North America., hard water and its high mineral content cause deposits, also known as scale, on pipes throughout your home. The more scale, the more problems. Scale constricts the opening in your pipes, reducing the flow and water pressure and decreasing the lifespan of major appliances by up to 50 percent due to the extreme wear and tear. That also means increased maintenance needs.

Additionally, scale buildup from hard water can increase the cost of water energy bills by up to 29 percent. The reduced efficiency of your water heater and other appliances makes them work twice as hard to do their jobs.

What Hard Water is Costing You

Let’s break down the dollars. As you can see, the impact of hard water is not just with your appliances, but also contributes to increased costs for household and personal cleaning supplies. That’s because hard water leaves a hard-to-clean film and scale on bath and kitchen fixtures, shower walls and toilets. You may notice spotty, filmy glasses and dishes, and soap that won’t lather no matter how much you use.

Added Costs with Hard Water

Cleaning and personal care

– 40 percent more or $450/year
• Laundry Detergent: $200
• Bath & Kitchen Soaps: $75
• Lotions: $100
• Household Cleaners: $75

Gas and electric use

– 29 percent more or $60/year

Plumbing and appliances

– reduce repair / replacement costs by 30 – 50 percent or $90/year on:
• Water Heater
• Dishwasher
• Washing Machine
• Toilets
• Faucets

Washable items

– reduces lifespan by 50 percent or $200/year
• Clothing: $125
• Towels: $75

Estimated Annual Cost of Hard Water

: $800/year

Protect Your Valuables

A water softener, which removes the hard water minerals from your water, helps keep your appliances working efficiently, clothing pristine, and your gas bills low.

To get started with a permanent solution, pick up a test strip from your nearest retailer, which will confirm if you have hard water. Once you know that answer, let us help you find the best water softening solution for your home.

The post Your Crusty Buildup Could Cost You appeared first on HomeWater 101.

But did you know that your water might be affecting the taste of your food?

Hard water can leave you with spotty, filmy dishes, but you may not be aware that high levels of chlorine often found in municipal water supplies also affects your cooking and baking. Here are the top three reasons filtering hard water makes a big difference in the kitchen:

Taste the Difference

Does your tap water have a foul odor or taste? The culprit could be chlorine and impurities in your water. When you use tap water to wash your fruits and vegetables or cook pasta, the undesirable taste of the hard water doesn’t disappear. Instead, it’s absorbed into your food and affects the flavor. By filtering your hard water, the impurities and chlorine are removed and you’re left with higher quality, better tasting water for washing your produce or preparing family dinners. Specifically, you’ll notice that your pastas and rice will cook faster and have a creamier texture.

Baking and Hard Water

Are you frustrated with your baked goods not turning out right? Before you place blame on your culinary skills, know that your hard water may be the problem. Hard water minerals such as calcium and magnesium or chlorine-rich tap water affect the performance of some ingredients, including yeast. Minerals in your water change the gluten structure of dough, making it tough or slowing the fermentation process. Filtered and softened water gets rid of unwanted minerals in your water, so you can bake better bread and have softer cookies for the school bake sale.

Dull Food

Are your veggies losing their vibrant color? The high chlorine level in your hard water is likely the culprit. Why? Chlorine is an ingredient in bleach, so it makes sense that it would strip the colors from your food, leaving them a faded, yellowish color. Filtering hard water removes chlorine, so your food maintains its vibrant color.

Don’t let your hard water prevent you from creating the winning bake sale cookie. By installing a 2-in-1 softener and whole home filtration system, you can easily remove chlorine and other impurities while improving the taste of your food and the appearance of your home.

To learn more about selecting the best system for your home, visit EcoPureHome to view water softener solutions or test the water in your home with our free water quality test strip here.

The post It’s Not Their Taste Buds, It’s Your Water appeared first on HomeWater 101.

The Dingy Clothing Culprit

That clothing discoloration is just one indication that your home may have hard water. Faded colors, stiff and weakened fabrics are other tell tale signs. And those symptoms come with a cost. You may find yourself washing clothes more often to fix the problem, but that just leads to increased soap use. Ironically, hard water lessens soap effectiveness by up to 50 percent, so additional washes simply increase your costs.

When added to your laundry, special additives provide a quick, temporary solution. They bind to the hardness minerals and soften the water during the wash cycle. However, those additives are drained away with the wash water, leaving your clothes to be rinsed in hard water and undoing some of the additives’ benefits.

So what can you do to rid your home, and your clothing, of the underlying problem for good?

Protecting Those Back-to-School Clothes

A water softener, which removes the hard water minerals from your water, helps keep those expensive back-to-school clothing pristine while decreasing household cleaning solution costs by 40 percent annually.

To get started with a permanent solution, pick up a test strip from your nearest retailer, which will confirm if you have hard water. Once you know that answer, our easy questionnaire helps you determine the best water softener solution for your home. For example, how many loads of laundry do you do in a week? Once your new water softener is in place, we hope that number decreases, even with all those additional clothes that come with a new school year.

The post Protecting Your Child’s Costly School Clothes appeared first on HomeWater 101.

Scale, Clogs and Higher Costs

The low water pressure is just one sign that hard water is at work. White scale may appear on your faucets and in your shower, and that same build-up is clogging your pipes and building up in your water heater. And with scale comes higher costs; water-using appliances become less efficient, using more water. For example, hard water uses up to 29 percent more energy to heat your water. And the lifespan of those appliances decreases by up to 50 percent. That means you have to replace those appliances more often.

Battling Water Woes Saves Money

An easy solution to banish hard water comes in the form of a water softener, which removes hard water minerals from your water before it flows to your pipes and fixtures, reducing scale buildup.
And it costs you less in the long run. A home that is affected by hard water spends an estimated $1,280 in laundry detergents, bath and kitchen soaps, lotions and household cleaners. But with a water softener, those annual costs plummet to an estimated $730. That’s a 40 percent savings.

Temporarily Tackling Hard Water

So that brings us back to the soap-in-the-eyes issue. The inside of your pipes may stay clogged, so the water pressure will remain an issue, but you can temporarily tackle the scale. Try a homemade cleaner comprised of 50-50 solution of distilled water and vinegar will spot treat scale buildup from hard water problems. Put baking soda and distilled water together for a slightly more powerful scrub. Lemon juice can also help temporarily clear those hard water deposits.

Permanent Burning Eyes Fix

For a more permanent solution to those burning eyes, try a Whirlpool water softener. With an easy step-by-step tool, you can determine the best water softening solution for your in-home water needs.

The post Help! I Still Have Soap In My Eyes appeared first on HomeWater 101.

We highlight the 3 different telltale signs you need a new water softener for your home.

It’s easy to forget about your water softener and get stuck in the bi-monthly regiment of filling it with more salt without wondering how old or how long the system will last.

Water softeners start to decline and become less effective after 10 years. Here are 3 signs that you need a new water softener.

Sign No. 1: Dirty Dishes and Itchy Skin

Your dishes are spotty after you clean them, your skin is itchy and soap scum is collecting quicker than usual in sinks. These are all signs that you have hard water. And if you have hard water, your water softener isn’t working as it should.

The problem is your system isn’t regenerating softer water like it used to because it’s old and worn down over years of reliable use.

Sign No. 2: Your Water Softener Is Old

You have a timer-based water softener. These systems regenerate on a schedule you set over a decade ago. Newer systems regenerate soft water based on when you need it — this is called “demand initiated” regeneration. This is ideal because it works on an “as needed” basis.

Sign No. 3: Your System Is Bulky

Your system is bulky and taking up too much space. If you have a twin tank system, your softener is taking up too much room. A single cabinet-system is Demand Initiated and takes up less space, making it an efficient option for your home.

Newer systems also include low salt indicators, enhanced iron removal and water use monitoring, making maintenance and management a breeze.

If these signs are apparent for your water softener and you want to test your water, use a simple test tool so you can find your hard water number. If you know your number and want a new system, you can browse a selection of water softeners by going to EcoPureHome.

The post Signs you need a new water softener appeared first on HomeWater 101.