Does a Water Softener get Rid of Chlorine?
Depending on the situation, the word “chlorine” carries both positive and negative connotations. When it comes to cleaning your home, you may seek out products that contain chlorine because of its disinfecting properties. On its own, chlorine is a gas that has a very pungent smell, even in low doses. In high doses, exposure to chlorine gas can cause chemical burns and other skin injuries. When mixed with other substances, it is part of what makes bleach so corrosive, and it is the reason swimming pools smell the way they do. Adding chlorine to a big pool of water dilutes it so we can take advantage of the cleaning properties without risking burns.
Chlorine in Municipal Water
It also gets added to water supplies in many cities to help prevent the growth of bacteria as it flows through the treatment facilities and into the city’s pipes to your home. A wide range of bacteria could end up in a city’s water supply without added chlorine, but the pool-like stench coming from your faucets and shower heads can be more than a little off-putting. The scent can be bad enough to make you avoid the tap altogether when you are thirsty. Many refuse to drink tap water altogether, opting for wasteful bottled water or unhealthy sugary drinks.
If you can smell a little or a lot of that chemical scent in your water, it might mean your municipal water treatment plant is adding chlorine to your water. Some cities use more, and some use less, but chlorine is usually added in small amounts, so you don’t have to worry about adverse effects. As nice as it is to know it can help protect you from bacterial illnesses, that protection is no longer needed when your water arrives at your home. Chlorine acts like a protective barrier, much like an orange peel protects the juice inside. You peel that layer off before you eat an orange, so why wouldn’t you take out the chlorine before you drink your water? Wouldn’t you rather have that smell and taste removed from your water? You shouldn’t have to wonder what chemicals come into your home. Take control and get some peace of mind with our advanced filtration solutions from WaterCare.
What do Water Softeners Do?
Water treatment is the key to clean-smelling and tasting water. One of the most common ways you can treat your water is by installing a water softener, especially if you live in a city because municipal water treatment will not remove hardness from water. That is where water softeners come in. Water softeners use tiny beads called resin to catch most of the heavy minerals (like calcium and magnesium) in your water, turning “hard” water into “soft” water. But can a water softener help get rid of that chlorine smell? Buying a water softener is a great idea, but a softener alone cannot get rid of chlorine. In fact, if you have chlorinated water, the chemical can damage the resin in a water softener instead of being removed by it. Since chlorine is a gas at room temperature, a water softener alone won’t cut it. Add a carbon filter designed to absorb the chemicals and you can expect to see the end of your chlorine woes.
Chlorine and Hard Water Solutions
WaterCare has more than one answer to chlorine and hard water. Both the CareSoft Pro and CareSoft Elite resin carbon units have two chambers: one with water filtering carbon on top and another with water softening resin in the bottom of the tank. That way, you avoid the hassle and extra costs of having a filter, a water softener, and a water softener brine tank installed next to each other in your home. That’s a lot of space you get to save in your basement!
Our team of water treatment experts can help you find the right system for your home so you can say goodbye to hard water and that nasty chlorine smell. Get ready to enjoy fresh, clean, and delicious water without ever needing to crack open a plastic bottle again. Call us today for your free consultation!