Water very commonly contains hardness elements such as magnesium and calcium, dissolved rock, hence the description of hard water. Soft water is when these minerals are removed through a process known as ion exchange. If you have hard water, you may see staining or scaling build up on your sinks, tubs, showers and clothing; scaling deposits on your glassware; and damage due to scale in your pipes and appliances. You will also notice less lather from your shampoos/soaps and a filmy dryness feeling on your skin. Often, types of skin irritations are tied to hard water. All of these are symptoms of the need for softened water.

Hard water can also produce a rock-like scale that builds up in pipes, water heaters, plumbing fixtures, dishwashers and other water-related appliances. This scale will reduce water flow, clog valves and vents and create maintenance problems reducing the life of your appliances.

Your city water supplier is not required to provide you with soft water. Many municipalities reduce the amount of hardness to some degree. But according to the U.S. Geological Survey, 85% of cities are still supplied with hard water. Your city is required to provide you with water test results that show water hardness; just call the number on your water bill.

Many people that use city water choose to soften it to save money on soaps and cleaners, protect their plumbing systems from scale buildup, protect their water-using appliances from hard water scale, provide better water for bathing, healthier skin and hair and eliminate hard water spots, among other things.

We can provide a water analysis for hardness, iron, pH and total dissolved solids, at no cost to you, and determine what treatment is best for you.

Soap and detergent usage can be dramatically lowered with soft water. Since the water is already soft, cleaning agents have no hard minerals to react with and overcome. This allows cleaning agents to lather more readily and work more effectively. In fact, a large proportion of the ingredients in most soaps and detergents consist of chemical “water softeners” added to prevent the reaction between the detergent and the hard minerals present in most water (the reaction that forms a sticky residue or soap curd). Since, such chemicals are not necessary for cleaning with soft water, less soap is required. Soft water households experience considerable savings on laundry soap, dish-washing detergent, hand soap and many other cleaning products.

Given that soft water contains no scale forming minerals, it leaves the inside of plumbing and water-using appliances free of solidified rock. Appliances operate more efficiently and last longer when using soft water. Leading appliance manufacturers have recognized the problems caused by hard water and recommend the use of home water softeners to help their own products operate more efficiently.

In addition, calcium and magnesium, the two minerals that make water hard, might actually have some adverse effects on the foods you eat and the beverages you drink.

First, hardness minerals can detract from the taste of the water, as well as any beverage or food made with water, such as coffee, concentrated juice, soup or even gelatin. Other water contaminants can affect foods by imparting bad tastes or unhealthy compounds.

Second, some foods, especially fresh vegetables, don’t cook or taste as good when prepared with hard water because the calcium combines with a protein in vegetable skins, making them tough and sometimes shriveled.

Yes, but be certain to check with the authorized Kinetico dealer in the new area to be certain it is compatible with the local water supply.

Kinetico’s whole home water treatment system provides non-electric operation. There's nothing to plug in, no buttons to push, timers to set and reset or adjustments to make. There won't be an increase in your electric bill. And you won't have any problems with power outages or surges. Best of all, there are no expensive electrical components to repair or replace.

Did you know that your hot water tank is the second largest energy user in your home? That's right! Only your heating and air-conditioning system uses more.

Hard water scale can coat the inside of a water heater and drastically reduce its heating efficiency. Greater fuel consumption and higher utility bills are a result when the appliance has to heat water through a layer of rock. According to a study commissioned by the Water Quality Research Council and conducted at New Mexico State University, water heaters work 22-30 percent less efficiently with hard water, driving up utility bills unnecessarily.

With soft water, you'll not only protect your hot water tank and make it last longer, but you'll also save money on your energy bill.

We believe everyone deserves a clear, understandable and stress-free journey to better water. At Kinetico of Omaha, we help you identify and fix all of your water issues through custom analysis and treatment.

Each home’s water problems are unique — don’t settle for out-of-the-box answers when it comes to your family’s health and wellbeing.

• Customer-first approach – Expect no aggressive sales tactics and world-class customer service from our team.

• State-of-the-art equipment – We are the industry’s first and only non-electric water treatment solution, manufactured here in the U.S. Our systems are more effective, energy efficient and eco-friendly than anything else on the market.

• Industry-leading warranty – No fine print or hidden fees. Just the most comprehensive warranty.