Unlike salt-based water softeners, Pelican Water's salt-free water softeners effectively neutralize the effects of hard water without the need for even one grain of salt. They also offer these important benefits: They do not release harmful brine back into the environment. They do not waste even one drop of water.
Like conventional water softeners containing salt, saltless systems can help reduce the buildup of limescale, the chalky substance you see in dried hard water spots, as well as other chemicals. Not only this, but saltless water softener systems don't waste water like other types of water softeners can.
Wasting Water
It is true that some old-fashioned salt-based water softeners can waste thousands of gallons of water every year in the process of “ion exchange,” through which they swap out the calcium and magnesium ions in hard water with sodium ions. However, more modern salt-free systems have eliminated that issue.
A water softener will need a drain such as a floor drain or utility sink. Most water softeners require two drain tubes. One of the drain tubes connects to the control valve and is used to void the backwash water during the regeneration cycle.
Typically, a water softener will use between 20 and 65 gallons of water during the regeneration process, but the exact amount of water your water softener uses will depend on how much water your household goes through on a daily basis.
The most common alternative to a water softening system is a water conditioner. While water softeners remove the mineral ions from hard water and replace them with sodium ions through a process known as ion exchange, water conditioners alter the structure of the mineral ions.
Customers with water softeners have higher water bills due to the regeneration or backwash cycles their systems go through. The systems are preset to regenerate or backwash on a regular basis. The systems will use water to clean the filter media and discharge the wastewater into the ground next to the system.
While a water conditioner can discharge between 50 – 100 gallons of water at one time, this is no more than what is normally discharged from a washing machine. Assessing the size of the soil absorption area is critical before adding a water softener.
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.
Brown water emerging from your water softener is usually the result of iron and manganese building up in your mineral tank and fouling the softener resin. However, brown water can also be a sign that there is a sediment build-up in your tank, that you have eroding pipes, or is the byproduct of flushed water mains.
Softened water is safe to drink. There are a few precautionary exceptions but it's a mainly a matter of preference whether you choose to drink it. Many people choose to have a drinking water tap installed at the same time as their softener, because they prefer the taste of harder water.
If your goal is only to reduce the presence of harmful contaminants, a water filter is a better solution than a water softener. When your home's water is run through a quality whole house water filter, you are reducing harmful contaminants like chlorine, chloramines, harmful VOCs, and more.
Direct discharge of sodium or potassium chloride should be avoided since it affects the osmotic pressure that plants use to regulate their water needs. The brine discharged by water softeners contains a high concentration of salt.
The discharge from a softener system has a high concentration of sodium ions and hard water minerals. Some states ban salt-based softeners as part of a wider effort to prevent too much salt from getting into natural water sources, while others issue bans due to the potential effects of sodium on septic tanks.
Water softeners should be cleaned regularly to keep them in operation. Cleaning a water softener brine tank also helps you to notice issues inside the tank, like salt sludge at the bottom of the tank (known as salt mushing) and salt bridges.
Because these water softeners use resin beads to condition the water, and these beads sometimes escape into the plumbing works, Do not be too alarmed. Those yellow resin beads are not toxic, but they do clog up the smaller passages in fixtures and appliances.
The Water Quality Improvement Industry has earnestly sought to sort out the factual information on softener effluent. The septic tank study clearly indicates that there are no adverse effects when water conditioning effluent is discharged into properly installed private septic systems.
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 difference between a good water softener and a bad one is the efficiency in which these hard water minerals are removed. High-efficiency softeners use much less salt and water needed to regenerate, reducing waste and energy costs. Ion exchange is the only way to truly soften water.
A water softener is a great addition to any home for many reasons. They are particularly useful in areas where water hardness is particularly high.
The water softener uses a pressurized system. It's advisable to avoid running water in the home during the regeneration cycle. If you do use water at this time, it can prevent water from going through the softener to complete the regeneration.
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.