Of the various types of water softener systems, the most common are ion exchange water softeners, dual-tank water softeners and salt-free water softeners. Ion exchange water softeners use the method described above to exchange ions, or electrically charged particles, in a water supply.
For the vast majority of households and businesses that use a water softening system, the best salts you can buy are sodium chloride evaporated pellets. Although they are a bit more costly than solar and rock salt, they pay for themselves by preventing expensive and unnecessary repairs.
What size water softener is right for a family of 4? In general, a 32,000 or 33,000 grain water softener will suit most families of four.
The size of the softener you choose, as well as knowing your water hardness level will determine the regeneration cycle and how much salt is needed. All water softeners, regardless of the cost, will soften your water, bringing the hardness grains per gallon to zero.
Multiply the water hardness by the water usage in the home to determine what size water softener is needed.. For example, a home that uses 225 gallons of water per day with a water hardness of 10 grains per gallon requires a water softener with a capacity of 2,250 grains per day.
Each brand has about 4 or so different types of salt for you to choose from. The brand doesn't really matter, but the type very much does.
Because regeneration occurs less frequently with a larger softener, you may use less salt in the long run. However, getting an appliance that's far too big for your needs may be more costly upfront, and you should still use a size that requires regular regeneration.
If you too dramatically oversize a softener you may accidentally make the system operate in a very inefficient manner: the system will use salt and water to regenerate to its full capacity, but there's a risk that it's so much capacity that your home won't consume all of it by the time the day override kicks in.
A water softener should last 10 to 15 years. If your unit is facing more wear and tear, it could be due to improper maintenance or particularly hard water. If you'd like to extend the lifespan of your water softener, one option is to add a pre-filter.
Disadvantages of home water softening
Can corrode your pipes. The corroded metal from the pipes can end up in your water. This can contribute to elevated lead and copper levels in drinking water. Potential health effects from additional sodium.
While they can last much longer if well maintained, water softeners have a typical lifespan of between 10 and 15 years. If your water softener was installed more than a decade ago, replacing it may be the right option.
Can I Drink Softened Water? While most softened water is perfectly safe to drink, the amount of sodium in the treated water will depend on the hardness of the original water. If the water hardness is below 400 ppm calcium before you soften it, then you can drink it with little concern.
Water softener crystals are better for two-part water softening systems, but it's still best to use pellets in homes with a high water (and therefore salt) usage, because they're less prone to clogging the brine tank.
The latest systems also have low salt indicators or even a remote monitoring alert to let you know you are running low on salt and help make water softener maintenance easy. Overall, because newer models are more efficient with salt use, they typically only need to have salt added every 6-8 weeks.
The average family of four with hard water (7-10 grains per gallon hardness level) will use about one 40-lb bag of salt each month. Hardness levels above 10 grains per gallon or more, might require more salt.
40,000 Grain Water Softener. Uses Demand Regeneration technology to regenerate only when you need it – saving you money. Removes up to 125 grains per gallon of hardness and 10 ppm of clear water iron making it an ideal softener for households with high levels of hardness and iron.
What is sold typically as a 32,000 grain system contains 1 cubic foot of water softening resin. If one looks at the specification provided by the resin manufacturer you will see that 1 cubic foot of resin under ideal laboratory conditions can remove about 32,000 grains of hardness.
Each grain of hardness is equal to 17.1 milligrams of calcium carbonate per liter, so the higher the grain capacity, the more hard minerals it can tackle before needing to recharge its resin bed through a regeneration cycle and start again.
In short, the answer is No. Your softener will perform best if it is programmed based on the true hardness and iron levels in your water supply.
The brilliant news is that a water softener will help to reduce your monthly household bills. No question about it. Of course, you will have the initial expense of having the water softener installed. But once it's in place, you'll start to make savings on your household bills straightaway.
Solar salt is as effective at regenerating a water softener as pellets and is a lower price alternative. It is not as clean as pellets and does require more frequent cleanings of your day brine tank due to the sediment left behind.
Regardless of the type of tank you have, you need water for the brine tank to perform properly. On the other hand, a dry brine tank is going to be empty after your water softener carries out a regeneration cycle. Just before the ion exchange process takes place, it will fill with water.
You'll have the beauty of soft water flowing through your house. Instantly, you'll notice dramatically lower monthly water, salt, and electricity costs. You'll receive automated service notifications. Makes all of your household appliances last much longer.