When homeowners start looking for ways to improve their water quality, one question comes up again and again: Do I need a water softener or a water filter?
The answer depends on what is actually in your water. While both systems can improve the water throughout your home, they serve very different purposes. For many Tampa Bay area homes, the best solution may even be a combination of both. Let’s look at the differences in filtration and softening; then, if you’d like to know what’s in your water, get in touch.
What Does a Water Softener Do?
A water softener is designed to address hard water. Hard water contains elevated levels of minerals, primarily calcium and magnesium. While these minerals are not generally considered a health concern, they can create frustrating problems throughout your home.
Signs of hard water include:
- White spots on dishes and glassware
- Scale buildup on faucets and fixtures
- Soap scum in showers and tubs
- Dry-feeling skin and hair
- Stiff or dull laundry
- Reduced efficiency and buildup in water-using appliances
Our water softeners use a process called ion exchange to reduce calcium and magnesium hardness minerals. This can really help protect plumbing, appliances, fixtures, and other areas of your home affected by scale buildup! It can even help reduce soap & detergent usage and leave water soft and easy on your skin and hair too.
Whether you’re in Clearwater or Zephyrhills, water softeners that are tailored to the hardness of your local water are installed and recommended by us at One Green Filter, so the best performance for your home will be achieved.
What Does a Water Filter Do?
Now, a water filtration system is designed to address other substances and impurities in your water.
The important thing to remember is that not all water filters remove the same things. Different filtration technologies are designed for different water concerns. That is why a water test and professional recommendation can be so valuable before choosing a system.
One Green Filter helps reduce concerns such as sediment, chlorine, unpleasant tastes and odors, and other contaminants. Here, our filtration systems are customized around local water conditions and a home’s individual needs rather than taking a one-size-fits-all approach.
We have a wide array of filtration technologies, including:
- Activated Carbon Filters – Get rid of chlorine, unpleasant tastes, odors, and some chemicals.
- Sediment Filters – Remove sand, dirt, and rust when water is dirty or mixed with sediments to protect home plumbing fixtures and appliances.
- Whole House Filtration Systems – Filter every drop of water entering your home to enjoy great-tasting water from every faucet.
- Point-of-Use (POU) filters – Filters intended for use on a specific sink (kitchen sink, bathroom, etc.) to provide access to purified water instantly.
We even have Reverse osmosis systems to give the highest level of purification for drinking and cooking water. These systems use a special membrane to take dissolved solids and tiny particles out of your water. Cool, right?
Every system is engineered for the purpose of effective filtration, long-lasting up-flow performance, and reducing the lifetime cost of the filters too!
Water Softener vs. Water Filter: The Simple Difference
Think of it this way:
A water softener focuses on hardness. It helps reduce the calcium and magnesium minerals responsible for scale, spots, and other hard-water problems.
A water filter focuses on water quality. It is designed to reduce specific impurities based on the filtration technology being used.
One system does not necessarily replace the other. A home can have hard water and also have concerns about taste, odor, chlorine, sediment, or other substances. In those situations, a combination of water softening and filtration may provide a more complete solution!
Which System Does Your Home Need?
Florida water conditions can vary from one community to another, and even seasonal changes in source water can affect water chemistry. The best way to determine whether your home needs a water softener, a water filtration system, or both is to start by understanding your water.
One Green Filter provides customized whole-home water filtration and softening solutions for Tampa Bay homeowners based on actual water testing and household needs. Ready to get the truth about your water? Contact our 5-star team to schedule a water test and find a customized solution for cleaner, healthier water throughout your home.
