Water softeners can do wonders for your personal hygiene. Along with hydrating your skin, a water softener will also remove the scale from your water that builds up in your home’s plumbing. Scale not only slows water flow — it works against your water heater causing it to use more energy to function properly. This will result in higher energy bills. If you already have a softening solution, it’s important to maintain its functionality by pouring water softener cleaner into the system every 4 months.