Are you looking for a way to improve the water in your home? You may consider installing a water softener. There are many benefits of water softeners that solve many problems with your home’s water supply, from improving its taste to reducing your energy bills, and more. A water softener is a tank that removes chemicals from your water that make it “hard”. 

There are a plethora of problems that hard water causes, from mineral buildup, residue on your appliances and showers, stains on your dishes, clogged pipes, itchy skin, and more. Installing a water softener can resolve these issues. Here’s what you need to know about the top benefits of water softeners and how they can improve your quality of life and lessen maintenance in your home. 

#1. Removes Minerals From Water

Hard water refers to water that has higher levels of magnesium and calcium, which cause buildup and film. The higher the calcium and magnesium content in your water, the lower the quality of the water in your home. One of the main benefits of water softeners is how they soften the water in your home through a process called ion exchange. Ion exchange is when the calcium and magnesium that make your water “hard” is exchanged with sodium, which eliminates many of the problems hard water causes. 

#2. Increases Life Expectancy Of Your Appliances

Another of the top benefits of water softeners is how they increase the life expectancy of your appliances through making it so that your water won’t leave mineral buildup in your pipes. Hard water can cause your pipes to corrode, resulting in rust, leaks, and damages over time. This lessens the lifespan of your appliances. Having your water softened will lessen the likelihood of this problem. 

#3. Help With Root Problems

If you’re struggling with roots in your pipes, flushing them with water softener will kill them, due to the high sodium content in softened water. While not a permanent solution, as roots can only get into your pipes if there were already breaks in them, water softeners can temporarily fix the problem while you wait for a plumber to come out and fix your pipes. 

#4. Lowers Your Energy Consumption

Since water softeners eliminate the issues of mineral buildup in your pipes, this allows your appliances to perform better, as it is easier for water to move through your pipes. It also keeps your clothes and dishes cleaner and lessens how much soap you need to use in order to get clean – clean you, clean clothes, clean dishes. Plus, the easier it is for your appliances to run, the less noise they’ll make when they do. This lowers your energy bills, as softened water increases the efficiency of your appliances and lessens how much soap is needed. 

#5. Makes Your Water Taste Better

Does your water taste funny? One of the best benefits of water softeners is that they make your water purer, and ergo, better tasting. Hard water can taste odd or even bad, due to the minerals in it, and can even cause your gums to become sensitive. Water softeners remove these unpleasant tastes, benefiting your drinking habits and your cooking with cleaner water.

#5. Softer Skin, Silkier Hair

Is your skin itchy when you shower? Is your hair just not feeling as silky and clean as it could be? Hard water can dry out your skin and hair, and increase your energy bills, as you’ll be taking longer showers in an effort to feel clean. Softened water creates less split ends and smoother hair, as well as skin that can stay moisturized longer. 

Who would have thought that personal hygiene was one of the benefits of water softeners? But it is, and it’s wonderful to have something that doesn’t just benefit your home, but also you, personally. 

#6. Helps Your Water Heater Warm Water Up Faster

This ties into how one of the benefits of water softeners is how they extend the lifespan of your appliances and make it easier for them to run. If there isn’t mineral buildup in your tank, it’s a lot easier for your water heater to do its job more efficiently, lessening how much time you have to wait for your water to warm up. 

#7. Cleaner Dishes

One of the easiest ways to tell if you have hard water is if you have spots and stains on your dishes no matter how much you clean them. Cloudy dishes and dishes that just always seem dirty even if they’re not are a surefire sign that you could benefit from having a water softener installed. Softened water will ensure that your dishes are crystal clear and maintain their luster.

#8. Softer Clothes

If your clothes come out of the wash not as soft as when they went in, this is another tell-tale sign of hard water. Hard water makes it hard for soap to clean your clothes and leave mineral buildup, which can make your clothes feel not as clean, even if you just washed them. One of the key benefits of water softeners is that they’ll ensure your clothes come out of the wash softer and cleaner.

There are many benefits of water softeners, and these are just a few. If you’re looking to improve the water quality in your home and save money, S & B Plumbing can install a water softener for you. Our expert plumbers want to help you make your life easier, and with our top-quality water softeners, you can rest assured that your hard water problem will be taken care of. Contact us today to learn more about our water softeners and to set up an appointment!

If you have sewer smells in your home, it will almost certainly be related to problems in your plumbing system. Sewer smells in your home don’t just smell bad, they can also be dangerous. This is because the sewer gases can cause serious health problems, such as asphyxiation, poisoning, memory loss, and headaches. Allowed to get bad enough, it’s not just the sewer smells in your home that will be a problem, but these types of gases can even cause house fires and explosions. 

If you have sewer smells in your home, it’s important to call a plumber as soon as possible. Sewer smells in your home are not only nasty, but they’re signs of plumbing problems and can have serious consequences if not dealt with right away. 

Common Causes Behind Sewer Smells In Your Home

There are several potential causes for sewer smells in your home, ranging from an easy fix to something more complex. Your plumber will be able to determine what’s making your home smell so disgusting and remedy the problem right away. 

Some of the most common causes behind sewer smells in your home include:

• Sewer Trap Plugs

Perhaps the most common cause of sewer smells in your home, if your sewer trap plugs are loose or missing, this means that public sewer odor is being let into your home. This is because the purpose of your sewer trap plugs is for them to provide a barrier between your home and the city sewer system. Generally, replacing the sewer trap plug will clear your air. 

• Lack Of Proper Drain Traps

Every plumbing appliance in your home needs to have a “P-trap” which holds water in a way that creates a seal, as well as ventilation systems to let sewer gases get outside. While professional plumbers will always make sure you have this, people who try to DIY their plumbing jobs may overlook this step.

• Dried Trap

If you have drains you rarely use, such as in a guest bathroom, this can cause the trap to dry out, resulting in sewer smells in your home.

• Broken Seals Around The Toilet

Your toilet should be secured solidly to your floor. If it wobbles when you try to shake it, this could mean there are air leaks in the seal around it.

• Clogged Vents

You need proper ventilation in order to ensure that sewer gases can escape your home. A plumber will be able to tell you if your vents are clogged or not.

• Broken Sewer Pipe

Pipes can crack, especially if they’re older. Pipe issues can result from root problems, things being flushed down your drains that shouldn’t have been, and plumbing in need of updating.

These are but some of the potential causes for sewer smells in your home. One of the expert plumbers from S & B Plumbing will be able to determine the exact cause of why your home smells so gross.

Why Are Sewer Smells In Your Home Dangerous?

A properly working plumbing system will ensure that hydrogen sulfide, a naturally occurring gas from sewage, gets directed out of your home. If this gas builds though and isn’t expelled from your home, it can cause serious health problems. If you have sewer smells in your home, that doesn’t mean it’s time to flee. Generally, the problem is mild and can be fixed before you have to worry about all the potential dangers. But since sewer gases can result in such terrible consequences, it’s best not to test your luck and call a plumber as soon as you can. 

What Can Be Done About Sewer Smells In Your Home

First of all, if you have sewer smells in your home, you’ll probably already be opening your windows and using air fresheners. You’ll then want to call your plumber. Depending on the cause of the sewer smells in your home, what can be done to fix the problem varies. It could be as simple a fix as replacing a sewer trap plug or something much more involved, if your pipes are cracked. No matter the cause, your plumber will be able to fix it and get your house smelling normal again. 

Do You Have Sewer Smells In Your Home?

S & B Plumbing doesn’t want you to deal with your house smelling like sewage, especially knowing all the potential risks that sewage gases bring with them. If you have sewage smells in your home, don’t hesitate to contact us for one of our professional plumbers to come out and fix it for you as soon as possible.