Water Softener vs Water Filter

Which Do You Need?

Does the inside of your kettle look like it's trying to grow new life forms? Does your tap water taste like it's been piped from a swimming pool and left for two days?

You're not alone.

Hard water problems in Spain are common, and bad tasting tap water often the norm. You're left wondering - "Do I need a water softener, or a water filter?"

In this post we're going to explain what each system does, how it's used and how to know which is right for you.

Whether your problem is stubborn limescale, dodgy taste, 'off' smell, or lack of lather - there's a home water treatment system that can help.

What Is A Water Softener?

A water softener removes hardness minerals such as calcium and magnesium in a process called ion exchange. The result? No visible, or invisible, limescale build-up.

If you have noticed:

• Crusty limescale building up in kettles, taps and showerheads

• Dry skin and hair, or eczema getting worse

• Clothes and fabrics that feel stiff as a board after washing

• Appliances biting the dust in less time than you'd expect

.....then you need a water softener for your home in Almeria.

Twin-tank water softeners are proven to be the most effective, keeping soft water flowing 24/7, even during regeneration cycles, and without dumping salt into your drinking water the way single tank softeners do.

Water softeners are typically installed at the point mains water enters your house so it can treat all your domestic water before it reaches taps and appliances such as boilers, washing machines and dishwashers.

What Is A Water Filter?

Water filters are designed to improve the safety, taste and smell of the water you use to drink and cook with. Unlike softeners, they remove contaminants such as pesticides, metals, chlorine, sediment and bacteria.

There are a few types of water filter that have varying uses:

• Carbon filters - only improve taste and colour

• High quality Reverse Osmosis (RO) filters remove up to 99.9% of all contaminates

• UV filters kill bacteria

Typically, water filters are fitted under the kitchen sink so that you have a tap for quality drinking and cooking water. However, if your domestic supply is from well water, or a borehole, you may need a whole-house water filter system to eliminate contaminates.

How Do They Compare?

Here's a quick comparison chart of what each does:

Problem	Water Softener	Water Filter
Limescale in pipes, kettles and taps	✅	❌
Bad tasting tap water	❌	✅
Chemical smell or taste	❌	✅
Soaps and shampoos not lathering well	✅	❌
Dry skin and hair	✅	❌
Contaminants (e.g. nitrates and pesticides)	❌	✅
Safe drinking water	❌	✅

When Do I Need A Water Softener?

You are almost certain to need a water softener if:

• You live in Almeria, which is a very hard water area

• Your hot water cylinder or boiler has scale-related issues

• Your washing machine needs descaling almost as much as your kettle

• You are constantly cleaning limescale off your taps, and showerheads

Fitting a water softener to your home in Almeria prevents limescale, increases the lifespan of your appliances, and decreases your use of detergents, soaps/bodywash and shampoos by up to 50%.

When Do I Need A Water Filter?

You need a water filter if:

• Your drinking water is from a borehole or is well water

• You are concerned about pesticides, nitrates, and metals in your drinking water

• Your water smells or tastes odd (metallic or like chemicals)

• You want clean, great-tasting water for cooking and drinking

Can I Use Both?

Of course! In a hard water house with bad tap water, using a water softener and filter are like Batman and Robin, Starsky and Hutch, Morecombe and Wise. Get the two together and:

• The softener obliterates limescale and hard water

• The filter delivers water that's great tasting, a good colour and safe!

• Bonus - water filter cartridges last longer with a softener pre-removing limescale

Together, they're a dream team that's kind to your health, and gentle to your home - and this is especially true if your household has more mature residents, young children, or people who are medically vulnerable or suffer with sensitive skin.

How Do I Choose The Right System?

Your first step is a water test to find out what you're dealing with in your water before you commit your hard-earned Euros.

Ask yourself:

• Do you get your water from the mains, or a private water source?

• Is your biggest problem contaminants, limescale or taste?

• Do you want to treat all the water in the house, or just your drinking and cooking water?

• Do you want a low-maintenance system and local support?

The best water filter for Spanish water may be a little different from products you used in the UK or elsewhere. You should always choose a product that is suited to the mineral content of water in Almeria, has UNE 149101 certification to prove it's certified for Spanish drinking water systems, has a high flow-rate (nobody wants to wait 60+ seconds to fill a small glass with water), and is capable of removing the level of Total Dissolved Solids (TDS) that a water test has measured in your system.

And Finally

Want some good news? You don't have to keep battling your hard water problems in Spain, or put up with bad drinking water. There's a solution out there, and we use it in our own home!

A water softener protects your home in Almeria. A water filter protects your health. Together, they're a dynamic duo that make sure your water is doing exactly what it should - keeping you safely hydrated, soft skinned and free from limescale-induced meltdowns.

Still not sure what you need? The even better news:

We offer free home consultations and water testing, with no hard-sell and no obligation.

Get in touch today.