The Ultimate Cost Breakdown: Softening Hard Water vs Going Unfiltered
- Published:
- Updated: November 25, 2024
Summary
Softening hard water and going unfiltered each have their own costs and considerations:
Softening hard water:
- Costs range from $500 to $3,000 depending on the method chosen.
- Salt-based softeners are effective but may require ongoing maintenance and salt refills.
- Other methods like magnetic and citric acid-based softeners vary in effectiveness and cost.
We may not always have a pure water at our taps, and we don’t always know what options are out there for us to get a healthy and clean supply of water. The most frequent is hard water that has calcium and magnesium minerals in abundance. Softening hard water and unfiltered aren’t the same, so it pays to know what each can and can’t do to get the right deal for you and your budget.
What is Hard Water?
Hard water is a type of water with high mineral content (eg calcium and magnesium). The mineral-filled water will have all kinds of household issues such as hard and scratchy clothes upon drying, spongy and dry hair after washing, soap scum in showers and sinks, reduced efficiency of appliances such as water heaters and dishwashers. They can also make appliances last less time and run less efficiently because of these minerals.
What is Unfiltered Water?
Water without filter: Unfiltered water is water that hasn’t been treated to remove dirt and contaminants. It’s a water that can be contaminated with bacteria and viruses, heavy metals like lead and copper, pesticides and fertiliser chemicals, and microplastics. Those chemicals can be dangerous to humans and the natural world when found in untreated water. Be sure to filter your water supply to avoid these elements and provide you with clean drinking water.
The Cost of Softening Hard Water
You can soften hard water using several different ways:
Salt-based water softeners
Magnetic water softeners
Reverse osmosis systems
Citric acid-based softeners
Hard water softeners — Softening hard water using salt water softeners is the most common and reliable solution. They do this by comparing the minerals of hard water to ions of sodium. A salt water softener typically runs between $500 and $2,500, depending on the size of the machine and the type of salt.
This less common and less efficient hard water softener is a magnetic water softener. They use magnets to manipulate the minerals in the water, so they’re less likely to be a troublemaker. A magnetic water softener costs $100-$500, depending on its size and design.
A more costly and effective way to soften hard water is with reverse osmosis. They do this by filtering minerals from the water. An RO system can run from $500 to $3,000, depending on the size of the system and the filters used.
Citric acid softeners are a more recent and less widely used softening method of hard water. They work by breaking down minerals in the water with citric acid. A citric acid softener can run you between $100 and $500, depending on the size of the appliance and the quality of the citric acid used.
The Cost of Going Unfiltered
It will cost you much more to go unfiltered depending on the quality of your local water and what contaminants you have in it. For instance, if your water is very lead-rich, you may have to spend more money to have a filter replaced.
Water Filtration -There are several water filters you can use, such as:
Pitcher filters
Faucet-mounted filters
Countertop filters
Under-sink filters
Whole house filters
Pitcher filters are also the cheapest and worst type of filter. The water flows through a filter and the contaminants are filtered out. A pitcher filter can be as much as $10 to $50 depending on size and quality.
Filtering water is more convenient and a little better when done with faucet-mounted filters. They plug in to your faucet so that you can filter water for drinking and cooking. The price for a faucet-style filter can be $30 to $200 depending on the size and condition of the filter.
Countertop filters are a better, slightly more expensive filter for your water. They stand on your countertop and filter water before it is provided. A countertop filter can run between $100 and $500 depending on size and quality.
The most effective, and most costly filter for water are under-sink filters. They’re under your sink and they purify all the water that comes into your home. An under-sink filter costs $500-$2,000 depending on size and quality.
The best and most expensive water filtration is by whole house filters. They clean all the water that comes into your house so all of your fixtures and appliances are running with fresh water. A whole house filter will cost you between $2,000 to $5,000 depending on the filter size and type.
So, which is better: Softening Hard Water or Going Unfiltered?
How does this answer relate to the water in your locality, how much it costs, and whether or not it suits you? You may have hard water and this is the perfect time to get a salt water softener since it’s the most effective and cost effective water softener. But if you are concerned about the quality of your water, a whole house filter may be the way to go, since it will clean all your devices and appliances.
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