Get matched with top water softener pros in Adrian, MN

Yes, you can have both a water softener and a water filter. In fact, some manufacturers sell dual water softening and filtration systems that treat hard water and provide clean drinking water. If you’re unsure about what you need or want to discuss your options, reach out to a local water softener installation company.

The most accurate way to determine whether you have hard water is to purchase a water test kit from a hardware store or send a tap water sample to a lab. But there are some signs you can look out for without professional testing. For instance, if you're consistently dealing with mineral stains on your glassware, windows, and shower doors, you're likely to have hard water. Hard water can also make it harder to lather and rinse soap, so if you're struggling to work up a good lather in the shower, hard water might be the culprit.

Water purifiers and water softeners serve different purposes, so the best one will depend on your particular needs. Water purifiers remove contaminants from water (such as bacteria, viruses, and chemicals), leaving you with ultra-clean and safe water. However, water softeners remove minerals from your water so that the water doesn’t leave stains around your house or cause plumbing problems.

Installing a water softener could help reduce calcium buildup in your pool if your pool has high calcium hardness as a result of hard drinking water in your home. Pool softeners work by exchanging calcium and magnesium for sodium, so if you use softened water to top off your pool, it may help keep calcium hardness from rising over time. However, it won’t lower the calcium hardness of the water already in your pool and isn’t a practical way to control pool calcium levels. The average water softener installation cost is between $200 and $6,000.