Descaler

Many customers call Paul Bunyan Plumbing And Drains, searching for affordable solutions to their Minneapolis/St. Paul home’s hard water. And as a full-service licensed plumbing company, we are happy to test the water in their homes and provide solutions. In most cases, we turn toward whole-home water softeners to provide the most benefit for the financial investment. However, in some cases, our clients want to know more about using a descaler to address their hard water issues.

What Is A Descaler?

First, it is essential to understand that a descaler is not a water softener. To be more accurate, a descaler is a form of water treatment or conditioning. These units do not remove the damaging minerals from hard water. However, they treat the calcium and magnesium minerals to prevent them from forming buildup and scale in plumbing pipes and fixtures.

How Descaler Works

The descaling process uses magnets or low-voltage current to keep the minerals in the water and stop them from gathering on fixtures or surfaces cleaned with water. The critical fact to remember is that descalers do not remove any of the minerals from the water. So the benefits of a descaler are limited to cleaning and the water spots related to mineral deposits. In addition, there can still be long-term damage to water pipes, fixtures, appliances, and components using the water that has been descaled.

Descaled Water And Your Health

As you might have guessed, the descales water will not have a more refreshing or appealing taste because the minerals are still in the water. In addition, you will not notice any of the skin and hair benefits that would accompany softened water. It will still dry out skin and hair because of the minerals. So descaling is not a perfect solution for a fraction of the cost of a water softener.

The Benefits Of A Descaler

After learning more about descalers, you might wonder why anyone would consider this choice over a water softener. A descaler offers some benefits as compared to a traditional water softener, including:

• Compact Size – a typical descaler is much smaller than a water softener that requires multiple tanks and significant plumbing to function. The much smaller descaler can be installed in a cabinet, under a sink, or in a utility space that would not accommodate a water softener.
• Affordability – a descaler costs only a small fraction of the cost of a water softener system. Some units can be purchased for as little as $100 and be installed as a DIY project if you are comfortable working on the copper plumbing lines in your home. This affordability makes them a good alternative for a workshop or garage installation to eliminate water spots.

Making The Best Choice For Your Home

The first step in addressing hard water in your Minneapolis/St. Paul home is a call to 612-340-1444. The water quality experts at Paul Bunyan Plumbing And Drains are here to determine the hardness of your home’s water and make budget-conscious recommendations to correct hard water. In addition, any system installed by the licensed plumbers at Paul Bunyan is backed by a full warranty and 100% customer satisfaction guarantee.