!#8# 10 Frequently Asked Questions Regarding Water Softeners

!±8± 10 Frequently Asked Questions Regarding Water Softeners

1. What are the different types of water treatment systems?

There are three types of water present in your home. Raw water is brought in from the city, county, or a well. Raw water is typically used for watering your lawn and is untreated. Working water is the water treated by your water treatment system, and is used for bathing, washing, and cleaning. Finally, the third type of water present in your home is drinking water. Drinking water treatment systems such as reverse osmosis are available to better the quality of the water you drink.

2. What does a water softener do?

Hard water has large deposits of calcium and magnesium, and once it evaporates it leaves a white film on sink fixtures and showers that can often be difficult to clean. A water softener eliminates these mineral deposits with the following steps. First, the water travels into the resin bed where the resin beads bind to calcium and magnesium molecules. The resin bed will eventually become saturated, calling for the use of salt. Contrary to common belief, salt is not directly added to the water. Instead, it is used to clean the resin bed, and only a small amount of sodium actually is added to your water with the removal of calcium and magnesium.

3. What are the benefits of a water softener?

Benefits are evident to both your body and your home with the use of soft water. Your skin will feel softer and free of any scum or residue left by soaps, and your hair will have more shine and luster. Any skin irritations or issues will be improved with the use of soft water as well. No scale will be visible in your ice cube tray, water heater, plumbing pipes, or bathroom fixtures. The life of your fixtures and water heater will be vastly improved. Soft water will also advance the quality of your drinking water.

4. What is the difference between an electrical water softener and a mechanical water softener?

Electrical water softeners are often found at your local home improvement stores. They require a power source nearby and are run on a timer on top of the resin bed. Like an alarm clock, the timer tells the unit when to regenerate. Mechanical systems, like a Kinetico, only work when you are using water, increasing its efficiency. Other chemical free units exist, and there are countless options available.

5. How do I know if I have hard water?

Hard water causes scale to form on the inside of plumbing, water heaters, toilet bowls, sink fixtures, shower heads, shower doors, and even your skin, just to name a few. It is visible in the form of white film on your fixtures and shower. If you have a sprayer or shower head, flip it over and check the openings. If the holes are filled, hard water could be impeding you from getting the best results from your fixtures. Hard water can also stick to skin and clothing.

6. What is involved in getting my water tested?

Water is tested directly at the source, your kitchen sink for city and county water, or directly at the well pump. The test will include checking for hardness as well as chlorine levels and TDS (total dissolved solids). With well water, sulfide, sediment, and tannin tests could also be performed. Representatives may show you a soap test, in which they will demonstrate the different reactions of soap between hard and soft treated water. Tests will last about 30-45 minutes.

7. Does size or capacity matter when choosing a water softener?

When buying electrical systems with one tank of resin, take capacity into account. It is important to remember how much water your home uses and the amount of water pressure necessary. With mechanical units, capacity does not matter. They have an infinite reserve of soft and treated water. Size depends on how much water pressure your family needs.

8. What are the operating costs of a water softener?

Salt and water are the main operating costs of a water treatment system. The unit will need both salt and water to regenerate and clean the resin bed. With an electrical machine, the average salt per day is one pound per person. Thus, for a family of two people, about 60 pounds of salt per month will be necessary. Electrical units also use between 45 and 100 gallons of water every time it cleans, which could amount to over 1,000 gallons per month depending on how often you have it set for. Non-electrical units are much more efficient, using about 7 pounds of salt per person per month, and approximately 7 gallons of water each time it cleans. Keep in mind that carbon beds and systems treating well water may require more maintenance.

9. Where is the softener installed?

Contrary to common belief, you do not always have to put your water softener in your garage. Check with your homeowner's association to be sure. Electrical units will need to be installed in the garage because it provides a power source for the system. Mechanical units, however, can be installed completely outdoor, as they do not have any power source requirements or corrosive parts.

10. How long will the unit take to install?

Install should not take more than 2-3 hours. If installing an electrical unit, be sure your power source is available and working. Mechanical machines usually have a shorter install period than electrical machines.