This is why buying a water softener is a good investment

If you have plans to sell your home, it is advisable to look into investments that will increase the value of your house. That way, you are more likely to sell your home faster AND you can raise the selling price a little. In recent years, sustainable investments are a must. More and more Dutch people want to live more sustainably, according to research by MilieuCentraal.

Besides the well-known investment in green electricity and water-saving measures, we recommend buying a water softener. By doing so, you ensure that the water in your home is softer and appliances can last much longer. But: what exactly does a water softener cost? And what are the advantages of such a device? In this article, we tell you more about them.

Buying a water softener: what exactly is a water softener?

Chances are you have heard of a water softener, but don't know exactly what it does or how it works. The main function of a water softener is that it removes calcium and magnesium from water in order to convert hard water into softer water. In other words, a water softener is a device that converts hard water into soft water. In many places in the Netherlands, the water coming out of the tap is hard water. This kind of water can cause various problems in the home, such as scale on household appliances and water with a foul aftertaste.

A typical water softener works on the principle of ion exchange. Inside the device is a so-called resin bed consisting of small resin spheres. These spheres are charged with sodium ions. When hard water flows through the water softener, the magnesium and calcium ions adhere to the resin beads while the sodium ions are released. This way, the minerals are removed from the water and you get soft water in return. This results in a host of benefits for your home. That is why many Dutch people already have a water softener in their homes.

Advantages of buying a water softener for your home

The biggest benefit, in fact, has to do with sustainable living. A water softener allows you to use household appliances such as washing machines and dishwashers for much longer. This is because the likelihood of limescale is significantly reduced, making these types of appliances work better and extending their lifespan considerably. You need to buy a new appliance less often and your energy consumption goes down. Both effects are more than welcome with a view to a better world. Other benefits include:

• A water softener can increase the value of a house, as soft water is much more attractive than hard water to potential buyers. After all, houses with soft water are much less likely to have limescale and problems associated with it.

• In addition, having soft water can lead to lower maintenance costs for homeowners. That too is, logically, very attractive. It saves a homeowner not only a lot of time and energy, but also an awful lot of money.

• What is also nice to know is that a water softener offers all kinds of health benefits. Softer water is tastier and better for your skin and hair. Many people get skin problems from hard water, such as dry or itchy skin. With softer water, there is much less of that problem.

What exactly does a water softener cost? Here are some things you should pay attention to

The cost of a water softener varies based on several factors, including the type of water softener, the capacity of the device, the brand and, of course, the costs involved in installing it. Generally speaking, you should consider a cost somewhere between €1,000 and €3,000. Installation costs are usually between €200 and €500. Nevertheless, you should not go for the cheapest option by default. It is advisable to look carefully at which type of water softener fits your household. For example, there are different water softeners for sale. Besides ion exchangers, there are magnetic water softeners and reverse osmosis systems.

Ion exchangers are often the most common as this is also considered the most effective method of softening water. People have been using this technique for years for good reason. You should also look at the capacity of the device. Although a higher capacity often results in a higher price, this is not necessarily the case. Finally, it is good to know that there are water softeners with extra features, such as automatic regeneration, energy-efficient settings and salt-saving technology. These kinds of extras provide just that little bit of convenience in terms of maintenance, durability and cost savings and are therefore also recommended to purchase.