Summer is a great time for relaxing, fun in the sun, and vacations. What you may not realize, however, is that hot weather water conditions and some of your summertime activities can cause extra stress on your water softener. Let’s take a look at how this happens.
Why does your water softener work harder in the summer?
This question can be answered simply:
- Water usage increases in the summer.
- Water hardness fluctuates throughout the year and often increases during the summer months.
Since both of these factors affect your water softener’s workload, the presence of either one means it could be working harder and requiring more salt than normal.
More water usage in the summer
According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, most families use up to four times as much water in the summer than they do the remainder of the year! That means their water softener is working overtime to handle the additional water volume. Where does this extra water usage originate? Here are a few of the most common culprits:
- Lawn and garden watering
- Filling swimming pools
- Car washing
- More people in the house (kids home from school, guests, etc.) – more showers, toilet flushes, home-cooked meals
- More frequent showers due to hotter weather
Increased water hardness in the summer
The hardness of the water entering your home directly affects how hard your water softener works. This is true regardless of whether the water comes from a private well or public water source. When seasons change and rainfall fluctuates, so do the minerals in groundwater and other sources. Summer often brings less rain and even drought, causing more minerals to stay IN the water vs. being flushed out. That means your water softener will need to work harder to effectively treat the hard water.
The simple, maintenance-free water softener solution
If changing water hardness and fluctuating water usage make for too much maintenance and interfere with your summer fun, there IS an easy solution – our Portable Exchange Tank Service! With this hassle-free option, soft water is delivered to your home by our qualified technicians on a schedule that’s right for YOU. The frequency can easily be adjusted based on your current water usage, and you don’t even have to be home!
Now sit back, relax, and enjoy your summer … and leave the water softening to us!
