Don Vandervort, Head Homeboy, has written more than 30 DIY home improvement books, been a segment host on HGTV, served as MSN.com's home improvement expert and written countless magazine articles.
Where water is very hard, the local utility company often brings mineral content to within a moderate range of 5 or 6 grains per gallon (GPG). But this is still fairly hard because a utility company’s water is used for many purposes where softening is unnecessary or irrelevant, such as for watering public parks. Further softening then must be handled in the home.
Conditioning water that tests lower than 3 GPG is generally considered a luxury because the cost outweighs the potential benefits. If your water tests harder, you can save significantly on laundry and dishwashing costs by using less detergent, shorter cycles, and cooler wash water.
One solution for softening wash water alone is to use a packaged water conditioner before each wash and rinse cycle. These products essentially trap hardness minerals during the wash. A “non-precipitating” type is recommended for automatic washers because it flushes away the hard minerals rather than suspending them in the washing solution.
A more complete and typical answer to softening is a whole house water softener. Installing a water softener can help minimize deposits in pipes and appliances; cut down on bathtub rings and spots on dishes; reduce the amount of soap, shampoo, and detergent you use; and make your skin soft and your hair shiny.
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