We’ve often spoken about how having a water softener installed in your home or workplace can be beneficial to you personally but it can also have a positive impact on something that affects us all: the environment. Read on for the environmental benefits of softened water…
In hard water areas, soap and detergent use is more than doubled. This is because of the high mineral content which means it is harder to get a good soap lather and also rinse away. Not just that, hard water causes limescale and soap scum build up on surfaces which will then require a vast range of cleaning products, many of which contain harsh chemicals, to keep clear and clean. The chemicals and pollutants contained in these products end up being released into our water stream which has an obvious impact on environmental benefits. Soft water does not contain these minerals meaning that you will need less detergents, less cleaning materials and therefore less use of harsh chemicals.
Which brings us nicely on to…
It goes without saying that the more products that you need to use (be they cleaning agents, detergents or beauty products), the more quickly you will get through a bottle or jar of it and therefore the more frequently you will have to buy replacements. Aside from the obvious cost implications, this will mean that you will be getting through an increased amount of plastic containers, many of which are single use plastics and cannot be recycled.
When using hard water, the minerals that it contains will accumulate on the internal surfaces of boilers and heating elements causing scale buildup and impairing efficiency. This scale buildup will reduce the equipment’s ability to heat the surrounding water, causing it to consume more energy (with just a 1mm increase in scale thickness reducing the efficiency by an average of 6%). Latest Government figures estimate a saving of up to 12% on water heating bills when using soft water instead so by having a water softener installed, the resulting reduction in energy use means that you are not just saving money but you are also reducing your carbon footprint.
As above, the scale buildup on appliances such as boilers, washing machines and kettles is a huge problem in hard water areas meaning that they do not work efficiently. Eventually, the buildup will be as such that it will cause the equipment to stop working completely so that you will end up needing to buy a new one. This means that more appliances will be thrown out into tips and landfills, leading to manufacturers supplying an ever-growing number of replacements. Whilst nothing lasts forever, using soft water will significantly improve the lifetime of appliances, preventing them from prematurely entering the waste stream.
In the past couple of years there has been a big focus on buying pre-loved clothing instead of new due to the vast amount of water cotton needs to grow and the environmental impact of factories producing cheap, ‘throw away’ fashion. The simple solution to reducing the amount of clothes and other fabric items that need to be produced is to wear and use items which are already in existence. These items do however need to be kept looking good as well as clean but washing with hard water can cause problems. Hard water contains mineral deposits which are rough on fabrics causing them to wear faster and fade. These minerals can also trap dirt and soap in the fabrics as these are not easily rinsed away leaving them looking dingy and dull, feeling rough and ready for the rubbish tip much sooner. Softened water however can increase the life of frequently washed fabrics by 20-40%, meaning that they can be worn and enjoyed for far longer.
So if you still need convincing that having a water softener installed has benefits for you and environmental benefits, please contact us today and we will be happy to answer any questions you may have.
