If you have doubts about the water quality in your home, you might think that you need to run out right away and buy a water softener but that is not necessarily the case. Water softeners are great if you have hard water, but if you simply do not like the taste of your water, then you may be able to get by with a water conditioner.

The Dangers of Hard Water 

Your water could have all kinds of chemicals and minerals in it—everything from rust to arsenic. If you have just drilled a well in a rural location, you will want to have your tested to make sure that the water quality is good. If you move into an older home, you should likewise have the water tested. Copper pipes, lead soldering, or cast iron plumbing can also taint your water. Not only can the chemicals and minerals in your water be harmful to drink, but they stain plumbing fixtures, interfere with your shampoo and body wash, and negatively affect your detergent's ability to clean your clothes. Thus, if a water test shows that you have any amount of hard minerals in your water, you want to use a water softener to correct the problem. 

The Problem of Taste

If you live in an urban location, you should be able to trust the quality of the water in your pipes. It should be free of harmful minerals, bacteria, and any micro-organisms that could make you sick. On the other hand, the chlorine, that municipal water purification plants use to keep your water clean, can make it feel like you are drinking from a swimming pool whenever you draw water from your tap. If you simply want to remove the chlorine taste from your water or otherwise improve the water quality in your home, then you want a water conditioner. 

Just because you have hard water does not mean that you don't need a water conditioner, and just because you think taste is the only problem you have with your water does not necessarily mean that you don't need a water conditioner. A water softener can leave a taste in your water, so you might want to use a water conditioner to improve the taste in your water. Similarly, if you have chlorinated water running through metal plumbing, you might need both a water softener and a water purifier to treat the water in your home. In any case, if you have questions about the water in your home, talk to an expert who can recommend the right equipment to ensure that you can trust the quality of the water you will be drinking.