Before you install any new appliance in your home, it's important to have all of the facts about what you're installing and be aware of any side effects it might cause. When it comes to water softeners, one question that homeowners often have is, "Do water softeners reduce the water pressure in a home?" Today we're going to answer that question by talking about the relationship between water softeners and your home's water pressure and how installing a softener might actually improve the water pressure in your home!
Do water softeners reduce water pressure on their own?
Yes, installing a water softener will slightly reduce the water pressure in your home. This is because instead of flowing directly through a pipe, the water is forced through the softener's resin bed before it exits out the other side. However, the amount of pressure that is lost by installing a softener is insignificant, and the work of the softener itself can actually help improve water pressure in many homes (as you'll see below).
What can go wrong with a water softener that will reduce water pressure?
- Bad installation. If your water softener is not installed properly, it can encounter problems that will affect your home's water pressure. In particular, if the system is not sized properly, water will not flow through the tank as easily as it would in a properly sized system. That's why it's important to work with a trusted installer like North Carolina Water Consultants.
- High chlorine levels. Chlorine can damage the resin beads inside of a water softener, which breaks them apart and forces them to settle at the bottom of the tank. This can reduce the throughput of your softener and lower your water pressure. You can remove chlorine from your water by installing a separate filtration system or by installing the WaterMax by Hague, which filters and softens your water using the same unit.
In many cases, a water softener can improve water pressure
One of the most common causes of water pressure problems in homes is hard water. That's because mineral deposits can build up inside of your pipes, which shrinks their internal diameters and limits the amount of space that's available for water to flow through. Installing a water softener will remove hardness minerals from your water, which will prevent pressure issues and many other problems associated with your plumbing system.
Use a water softener's bypass valve to test pressure issues
Water softeners come with bypass valves that allow water to flow past your softener without entering its tank. This is useful if you want to check if your softener is causing pressure problems in your home. Simply turn the bypass valve on and test your home's water pressure. If you determine that your softener is the issue, you can keep the bypass valve turned on until the system is fixed.
If you have any questions about a water softener's effects on your home's water pressure, or if you'd like a water system serviced or installed in your home, contact North Carolina Water Consultants, your water softener and water filtration system dealer in North and South Carolina. We provide service all over the Carolinas, including towns like Cornelius, Huntersville and Charlotte, NC.