Elevate Your Water Softener: Why Premium Grade Salt Matters | Tri-County Water Services

Hard water contains high levels of calcium and magnesium that can cause problems such as dry, itchy skin and spots on your dishes. Hard water can be more than just a nuisance. It can cause significant damage to your plumbing system. A water softener can prevent those sorts of issues. 

A water softener requires salt to function, but it’s important to use a type of salt that’s right for the job. Premium grade salt costs more up front, but it can save you time and money in the long run.

How to Choose the Right Type of Salt for Your Water Softener

People often don’t realize how many types of salt are available or don’t know what makes one a better choice than another. You probably have table salt and rock salt at home, but using either of those in a water softener can lead to maintenance problems. 

You need to use a form of salt that’s intended to be used in a water softener. Both sodium chloride and potassium chloride are good options.

When you visit a home improvement store and look at bags of salt, you should see a purity level noted. A higher level of purity means that the salt contains less water-insoluble matter that can build up over time. Premium grade salt with a high purity level will cost more, but you won’t have to clean your water softener as frequently as you would if you used salt with a lower purity level.

How to Find out If You Need a Water Softener

If your skin and hair are drier than usual, your clothes feel stiff, you see spots on dishes when you take them out of the dishwasher, or you’ve noticed plumbing problems or low water pressure, hard water might be to blame. Tri-County Water Services can collect a water sample, have it tested, and find out if that is indeed the source of your problems. 

If so, we can install a water softener that will remove calcium and magnesium and provide water that’s more suitable for cooking, drinking, washing, and bathing. Call (610)857-1740 today to have a sample tested.