Choosing the perfect water softener system, in the end, comes to the size of your household and your overall water needs. For homes where there is an increased usage of water, we recommend models with larger flow capacity to meet your water demand on a daily basis. Those who are looking to soften water only in some parts of their home can opt for much simpler and cost effective units. It all comes to the planning before choosing the right type. We will show you some of the best water softeners on the market made for various types of uses and sizes of homes.
Watts WH-LD Premier Whole House Filter System
3M Aqua-Pure Whole House Water Filtration System – Model AP 903
Nuvo DPMB Manor Salt Water Softener System
Fleck 5600SXT 48,000 Grain Softener
Watts RV PRO-1000 10000 Grains Portable Water Softener
Eddy Electronic Water Descaler
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]]>Looking for Water Softener Companies? Choose the right brand when making your next water softener purchase. This article will take you through reviews of top quality water softener manufacturers and brands; and the top quality products that they have to offer on the market. We will go in-depth about the products themselves in different individual articles we have lined up for October 2019.
Choosing the right water softener is essential for any house owner who is looking to maintain the higher quality of the water supply for their home. The market is full of water softening products however not all of them are equal in terms of performance and value for money. Going with an unproven manufacturer based on the lowest price can have catastrophic consequences for your budget and your house plumbing too.
When it comes to water purification and demineralization it is crucial that homeowners choose their water softening system according to their specific needs. Here are some of the best water softener manufacturers of the the highest quality right now on the market:
Fleck Systems
Fleck Systems has some of the best water treatment products currently available. They have contributed to so many technological advances during their 50 year-long presence in the water treatment market. This is one of the most recognised brands which has so many satisfied customers.
With its impeccable quality products and a strong customer support, Fleck Systems positioned itself as a true leader in the water treatment products market.
Their portfolio includes water softeners, water filters, different valve types as well as all the separate part for water treatment systems. Their products come with warranties ranging from 5 and go up to 10 years of guarantee. That speaks volumes about the quality of everything that is made by Fleck Systems. Their current bestseller is the Fleck 5600SXT 48,000 Grain Softener which offers incredible value for its great performance.
The customer feedback has been overwhelmingly positive and our testing showed this to be the best water softener system currently available in the market.
Watts Water Technologies
A company with a truly impressive history. Founded first in 1874 as Watts Regulator Company that began as a small machine shop that provided parts for textile mills. One of the first company in the world to manufacture pressure-reducing valves which helped ensure the safety of boilers and water heaters.
Their operational portfolio includes water quality and conditioning, plumbing and flow control, water reuse and drainage among other services.
Long ago started as a small shop, Watts Water Technologies since became a global consortium that provides all types of products for plumbing, water processing and heating for both industrial and home use. Today their products can be found throughout the world. Their commercially available water softeners are one of the most reliable and score some of the highest marks for quality from satisfied buyers from all around the globe.
Watts WH-LD Premier Whole House Filter System is their bestselling water softener model and with a good reason. It offers unmatched performance for its compact size and is a great system at a very affordable price.
Eddy Water Descalers
This is a fairly young brand on the market for water treatment, however, it positioned itself among the top brass with incredible innovation and excellent value for all of their products. Eddy Water Descalers is a UK based company which was founded in 1999. What separates them from the competition is the innovative approach their products use to rid the water of its heavy elements.
Their water softener products are all electrical. EWD are guided by the motive to make all of their products universal – they created one of the most revolutionary devices used for water softening.
Their no-salt approach proved to be a global success and completely changed the way homeowners removed the hard water from their water pipes. The reception for their magnetic water softeners has been very positive and proved that there is always a place in the market for the new companies which innovate. Their signature product is Eddy Electronic Water Descaler and using its innovative approach of water softening.
It is reasonably priced and with a lifetime warranty makes this the only choice for those looking for water softener systems that require no maintenance at all.
APEC Water Systems
Short for Advanced Purification Engineering Corp. – APEC pride themselves as being the leading US based manufacturer of reverse osmosis water treatment systems for residential homes. Their award winning Reverse Osmosis System has gathered a true customer following from ever since it first appeared on the market.
APEC is based in California and has more than 17 years of experience in research and development of highest quality water treatment products and supplies.
The quality of their proprietary reverse osmosis designed water softeners needs no introduction. Strong and positive customer feedback cemented their leading position in the market of salt-free water treatment systems. They are also one of the very few large manufacturers that entirely design, make and test their products in the United States. Their market includes countries from all around the world for systems ready for both commercial and industrial use.
The APEC Essence Ultra Safe Reverse Osmosis Drinking Water Filter System (ROES-50) is currently the most sought after water processing system which affirms the APEC as being one of the best manufacturers of the water softening products available on market today.
3M Purification
A true industrial giant, 3M revolutionised so much and with some of its products changed the way we function through our daily lives. it was inevitable for the company of such greatness to venture and improve the way we use the most precious substance in the world.
3M Purification Inc is a section of 3M which offers a complete line of water treatment and filtration systems available for commercial use.
Their water softeners cover any type of home use. Their water softener systems for the processing of the water supply for the entire house received much praise from their customers. Some of the most popular under-the-sink water treatment products on the market today are made by 3M. With more than 40 years of experience in the water treatment research, they make products which are certified by NSF International which is a verified testing system accepted as a standard by America National
Standards Institute. The 3M Aqua-Pure Whole House Water Filtration System – Model AP 903 represents their flagship water softener system which holds great value and offers best possible performance with low maintenance requirements.
All of these companies we wrote about present excellent choice for all homeowners looking to buy or even replace their old water softener systems in 2017. Each of these companies offers long guarantee periods which will give you little concern about the duration of their equipment and spare parts availability. You can’t go wrong no matter which one from these manufacturers you choose.
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]]>The commonest solution to hard water in households is the use of a water softener. Hard water is any water which contains high mineral content. Although they are relatively safe for drinking, they lead to constant repairs of pipes and appliances, dry skin and hair, faded clothes, and stains on the kitchen sink and in the bathroom. Seeing as every home is heavily reliant on water, hard water isn’t very convenient for a lot of people. Water softener prices are very reasonable and they are a long-term solution to hard water.
Because of these problems that hard water brings, a water softener is needed to turn the hard water into soft water. Water softeners prevent you from constant repairs and stubborn stains. If you want to purchase a water softener, you might be wondering, how does a water softener work?
What is a Water Softener?
Before going into the question of how do water softeners work, what is a water softener? A water softener is a filtration system that is used to remove the hardness minerals in a water, which are calcium and magnesium, in order to make the water soft. The process used is called ion exchange. This is because the hard water mineral ions are replaced with soft water mineral ions. Before purchasing a water softener, it is advisable to test for hardness levels in advance.
A water softener is meant to solve the problem of hard water dominantly, although some of them also remove many other contaminants in the water. When using a water softener, the problem of limescale and soap scum which are caused by hard water, are solved. Your appliances work better and have a longer lifespan. Also, water softeners solve the problem of clogged pipes caused by limescale. Your skin and hair are no longer dry and itchy after washing and your clothes would be brighter and cleaner.
A water softener makes the household chores that involve water easier, and it provides safe cleaning and drinking water for your home. There are a lot of great water softeners out there. Read our water softener reviews to learn more.
How Does a Water Softener Work?
What does a water softener do to change hard water into soft water? The process of water softening called ion exchange is not complicated. Ion exchange is used to get rid of calcium and magnesium in the water. No matter the water softener brand, the processes are always similar.
The beginning of this process starts with the hard water going into the mineral talk of the water softening system. When this happens, the water goes through a bed which contains many spherical resin beads.
Resin beads are plastic beads that are charged with a sodium ion and made from polystyrene. The sodium ion that the resin beads are charged with have a negative charge, thus making the beads anions. On the other hand, the calcium and magnesium minerals are cations because they have a positive charge. Seeing as opposite charges attract, the anions or negative charges are attracted to the cations or positive charges.
When the water passes through the bed of resin beads, the beads attract the mineral ions and take them from the water. As the beads take the mineral ions, they release the sodium ions.
Through this process, soft water flows into your home and leaves the hard water minerals behind. Apart from calcium and magnesium, the water softener also removes other minerals like iron and manganese.
Water Softener Regeneration
A water softener constantly goes through a regeneration cycle. This cycle is used to recharge the resin beads after a while. Because of all the mineral ions that it attracts, the resin beads find it hard to work after a while. The regeneration cycle involves flooding the resin beads with a brine solution which removes all the hardness minerals in the beads and takes them out of the water softening system.
When this is done, the resin beads are ready to continue its work by removing the hardness minerals again. Resin beads undergo this process frequently, and they can last for about twenty years. They are very durable. The water softener regeneration process is divided into two methods. We have the counter-current regeneration cycle and the co-current regeneration cycle.
Some water softening systems automatically initiate the regeneration cycle when they detect that the resin beads need to be recharged, while others inform the user to start the cycle.
Counter-Current Regeneration Cycle
This process is also called the up flow and down flow brining. In this cycle, the water goes through the place where water normally exits which is the bottom of the mineral tank. Then, the cycle takes the brine to the resin bed and starts from the place where the resin beads are normally weaker which is at the bottom. By the time the brine gets to the top of the resin bed, it is also less depleted. The counter-current regeneration cycle is famous because it uses way less water and salt than the co-current regeneration cycle. It is also highly efficient, and it deals with the weaker resin beads first before going to the stronger ones.
Co-Current Regeneration Cycle
Unlike the counter-current process, the co-current regeneration cycle takes the brine solution into the mineral tank from a different direction, which is the same direction that the service flow comes from. This system makes use of a reverse ion exchange process in recharging the beads. The brine solution goes down to the bottom of the bed of resin beads and the solution takes away the calcium and magnesium ions that the resin beads had attracted from the hard water. The solution replaces them with new sodium ions. This process makes use of more water and salt than the counter-current regeneration cycle to recharge resin beads and finish the process. At the end of the process, the stronger beads would be on top in the tank.
Components of a Water Softener
When looking at how a water softener works, you also have to consider what the water softener system is made up of. In a water softener, there are three main components that are used to turn hard water to soft water, control the regeneration process and take note of the flow of water. The components are the brine tank, mineral tank and the control valve.
The Brine Tank
This is the component mainly used for regeneration in the water softening system. The brine tank is a short tank that is situated close to the mineral tank. The brine tank contains sodium of salt or potassium which is highly concentrated and is used in the regeneration process to recharge the resin beads. The brine tank has to be replenished with salt manually and occasionally in form of blocks or pellets. The salt would mix with the water in the tank. This solution is the brine solution and is used for regeneration. When the control valve senses that the resin beads are weak, it opens up the brine solution from the brine tank into the mineral tank. The brine tank must always be filled with salt.
The Mineral Tank
The mineral tank is the part of the water softener where hard water is turned into soft water. The water supply runs the hard water into the mineral tank. The water passes through the mineral tank and this then softens the water. The water comes out of the tank and goes into your pipes.
The Control Valve
This is the part of the water softener that monitors the water flow from the mineral tank into your house. The valve has a meter which measures the amount of water and goes into the mineral tank. The control valve also knows when the resin beads are weak and then it initiates the regeneration process.
Another important part of the water softener system is the bypass valve. This is usually not included in some water softening systems, but it is advisable to have one. This is used to halt the water softening process for a while when you need to use hard water for something. For example, you can turn on the bypass valve when watering plants, washing a car or filling up the swimming pool. These activities don’t necessarily need soft water and hard water works just fine.
How to Install a Water Softener
When installing a water softener, it should be placed close to the point of entry of water into the house. This ensures that your plumbing system and water appliances, especially a water heater, benefits from the soft water more. The water softener should also be in a dry and levelled place. You can install it in the basement or garage. Your water softener’s location should be close to the main line of the water, a drain to get rid of the brine solution after regeneration and an electrical outlet to plug the system in.
To install a water softener, you need to follow these steps:
- Firstly, ensure that the water softener has been properly positioned in the right place. The outlet should be in the direction of water appliances, especially those dealing with hot water. The inlet should be fixed to the water supply.
- Then, you will have to prevent any leaks that can happen during the installation process. You can do this by switching the water supply to your house off from the main line. Also, the water supply to the water heater should also be turned off.
- Next, you will need to drain your pipes. To do this, open the faucets on the last floor of your house so that all the water left in the pipes come out.
- Use a pipe cutter to make a cut into the main line for water supply. Because a water softener is meant for the whole house, you will have to connect both the inlet and the outlet lines into the main line of the water supply.
- After that, measure the pipes and cut them according to their measurement before you connect them to the water softener. When using copper pipes, soldering will be necessary on the fittings and nipples before it is connected to the bypass valve.
- Then, clamp the drain hose tightly and connect it to the drain meant for the used brine solution. The drain can be a utility sink or a floor drain. Also, ensure that the drain has an air gap so that it doesn’t send the water back into the house. The air gap should be two or three inches between the drain and the hose.
- Lastly, attach the overflow tube. This is a precaution to make sure that the brine tank doesn’t overflow. After you have done this, you can turn all the water supply main lines back on and test your water softener.
Although a lot of water softeners are easy to install and some allow for DIY installation, if you’re not familiar with plumbing tools or you cannot handle the installation, it is advisable to call a professional. A badly installed water softener can lead to leakages or the damaging of the water softener.
Other Types of Water Softeners
There are other types of water softeners that don’t make use of the ion exchange process. Water softeners that use the ion exchange process are known as salt-based water softeners. They have been proven to be more efficient and effective than other types of water softeners. This is because they are very thorough in their water softening process.
Salt-free water softeners are the opposite of salt-based or ion exchange water softeners. However, salt-free water softeners cannot be classified as softeners but rather as water conditioners because they don’t remove the hard water minerals in the water. They only solve the problem of limescale buildup in the home by changing the form of the water. The salt-free water softener is an alternative to the salt-based system and is only advisable for those who are on a low sodium diet.
There is also the reverse osmosis water filter in which hard water is passed through a membrane. The membrane keeps the minerals and contaminants on one side while the hard water is at the other side. This system isn’t very efficient because it removes all the minerals in the water; both the hard water minerals and the useful minerals.
Lastly, there is the magnetic based water softener system, but this system doesn’t usually work. The systems are small, and the method they use for softening is controversial. In a lot of cases, it brings different results and it is not reliable. All in all, the salt-based water softener is the most efficient and is highly recommended.
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]]>If you’ve clicked on this article, you must have heard of the effects that hard water has on our hair. Hard water is the main problem for a lot of households, but what is it, and what kind of effects would it have on your hair? This article would answer these questions and help you protect your hair!
What is Hard Water?
Hard water is water that contains very high levels of minerals, particularly high levels of calcium and magnesium. Apart from the damage that hard water can cause to your pipework and your household water appliances, they are also harmful to your hair and skin. The minerals in hard water aren’t directly harmful to your health, but when it comes to your hair, you should think again.
Effects of Hard Water on Hair
Because of the high levels of minerals that are present in hard water, when you wash your hair, the minerals would mix up with the shampoo to form limescale or salts. These salts would then cause scum to remain on your scalp and your hair. The limescale would prevent your hair from absorbing any moisturizers from the conditioner, and so you would end up with dry hair.
Hard water can also cause tangles in your hair, and makes your hair susceptible to breakage. Breakage can lead to thinning hair if you don’t do anything about it. You can also get colored hair, especially if there are high levels of other minerals like iron in the water.
If you’re not sure about the hard water levels in your home, you could simply test for water hardness by following some easy steps.
Tips for Washing Hair with Hard Water
- Use a Water Softener
This is an expensive, but long-term solution to solving the effects of hard water on your hair. If you want to keep washing your hair with your water supply, you can easily install a water softener in your home to soften the water before it gets to the house. There are a lot of great water softeners you can buy, and a lot of them are also affordable and easy to install.
You might not see the difference between soft water and hard water, but once you start washing your hair after the water softener is installed, the differences would manifest. Also, if you have a problem with dandruff or eczema, washing your hair with soft water definitely helps.
There are different water softening processes, but all of them are safe and would protect your hair. If you’re looking for a salt-based water softener as a permanent solution to protect your hair, you should check out the Fleck 5600SXT system, but for a salt-free system, the Eddy Water Descaler totally works.
- Use a Shower Head Filter
You can easily purchase a shower head filter at many home improvement stores around you, and it is also easier to install than water softeners. Although there are affordable water softener prices, a showerhead filter is much cheaper. It would reduce the minerals in hard water and prevent limescale in your showerhead. Although this doesn’t solve the problem of hard water in your whole house, it would prevent your hair from getting dry and thinning every time you take a shower. Once you purchase them, you can easily attach them to the showerhead and they are easy to install.
- Use Moisturizers and Conditioners
You can also make use of leave-in conditioners to make your hair lively again, although this won’t get rid of the limescale build-up in your home. You can apply leave-in conditioners, preferably natural oils, when your hair is still damp after a shower. Once you wash your hair with shampoo, you should dry it with a towel and use a conditioner. Natural ones like argan oil, almond oil, coconut oil and others would do the trick and make your hair glossy again.
- Use Clarifying Shampoos
Another way to adverse and prevent the effects of hard water on your hair is to make use of a clarifying shampoo. Of course, it is more advisable to make use of shampoos that are completely natural. This is because, apart from cleaning your hair, they also make your hair fuller, thicker and shinier.
If you’re looking for natural clarifying shampoos, you can try out the nut and shikakai shampoo. You can also buy shampoos from the market, but the industrialized ones are a bit harsh on hair and can worsen the effects of the hard water, so it’s best to use them very little at a time.
- Use Purified Water
If you want to avoid the effects of hard water on your hair, you can also purchase purified bottled water, or you can buy a filter jug which are made by a lot of the water softener companies out there. You can use the purified water to rinse your hair after rinsing it out with hard water.
Although this seems like a good idea, the purified bottled waters can cause harm to the environment. This is because you would have to have a lot of bottled water in your home, and plastic bottles would pile up. Plastic bottles are hard to recycle and take around four hundred years before they can fully biodegrade, thus, not eco-friendly.
When you make use of the filter jug, it does not cause plastic waste. Even with this, using purified water is more of a temporary solution to hard water effects on hair than a long term one.
- Use Natural Acidic Rinse
You can also make use of lemon, lime or vinegar to rinse your hair out because this would reduce any buildup of limescale or minerals in your hair. You can do this by mixing a tablespoon of any of the options with cups of purified water. Then, you should massage the solution into your wet hair, and after a few minutes, you would have to rinse the solution out. This method is also kind of temporary, and it can prove to be expensive if one has to purchase lemon, lime of vinegar, and purified water.
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]]>The post Hard Water vs. Soft Water – What’s the difference? appeared first on Home Fascination.
]]>What is largely understood as hard water is basically water with high levels of minerals which are largely made up of calcium carbonates and magnesium ions. Hard water forms when rainwater, which is naturally soft, seeps into the ground. As the ground contains minerals such as limestone and chalk, the water changes from soft water to hard water before it reaches our waterways.
Hard water may provide health benefits to those who drink it because of its reasonable concentration of calcium and magnesium. Generally, it has been shown that drinking hard water and beverages made with hard water can contribute to a person’s daily mineral requirements – courtesy of the calcium and magnesium it contains. It can be somewhat easy to identify whether or not the water is hard. If you notice that it is harder to rinse soap or that there is soap scum, rather than lather, when using soap, then you are using hard water. Also, the presence of limescale in kettles and water heaters after continuous use indicates hard water.
Although hard water may not be terribly troublesome in the home, it can cause problems in an industrial setting where it is used with machines such as boilers, hot-water pipes, and other machines that handle water. When hard water is boiled or heated in these machines, it leaves deposits of magnesium salts and calcium which can cause blockages in the boilers and even cause them to burst. These deposits also reduce the heating efficiency of the equipment as they reduce the flow of heat into water. It also happens that the accumulation of deposits in boilers, water heaters, and other water heating appliances causes a need to regularly descale the inside of the appliance. As a result of these adverse effects, water softening is often used to produce soft water.
What is Soft Water?
Soft water is water that contains low levels of dissolved salts of metals such as magnesium and calcium. You already know that rainwater is soft water. Another example of natural soft water is water from rivers with low-in-calcium, impermeable rocks as river basins. Snowdonia in Wales is one of such places with low levels of calcium in the basins and sea beds. Softened water is often used interchangeably with soft water, that is, when people say soft water, they oftentimes mean softened water.
Softened water is hard water that has been stripped of most of its mineral properties through a process called water softening. Softened water can be harmful if it is drunk regularly. This is because softened water contains high levels of sodium and bicarbonate. Admittedly, sodium is an essential part of a balanced diet, but taking it in excess will increase the concentration of salt in the body, and this can cause cardiovascular problems such as high blood pressure. Naturally, the body’s reaction to high levels of sodium is to retain water. If a person’s body retains a constant amount of water, the heart will be forced to work harder to supply blood to the body; thus increasing blood pressure.
However, this does not mean that soft water is without its benefits. There is no problem with soap scum or lack of formation of lather when using soap. This is because of the low concentration of calcium ions and magnesium in it. The chemicals in the soap react properly in the near-absence of calcium. The major reason water softeners are used is because softened water prevents scaling on taps, pipes and kitchen appliances.
In the USA (United States of America), water is “soft” if it has less than 60 mg/l (milligram per litre) of calcium carbonate. Because of ancient sea beds with high levels of limestone concentration, the only states in the USA with soft water are Maine and Mississippi. Most of the other states need water softening treatments. There is a difference as regards the levels of calcium required before water can be considered “soft” in the UK (United Kingdom). If the hardness is less than 50 mg/l of calcium carbonate, water is considered as “soft” in the UK.
Hard Water vs. Soft Water
Experts have argued that, with regards to consumption and the benefits to the body, hard water is superior to soft water. This is because of the minerals it encounters on its way to our waterways. These minerals such as lime contain elements such as calcium, iron and magnesium which are essential to the growth and health of the human body. can ivermectin kill fleas This is one of the advantages hard water has over soft water; coupled with the salty taste that many claim soft water has. The salty taste is as a result of the high level of sodium which occupy the water after the process of ionization (a critical part of water softening). This high level of sodium is part of what puts soft water at a disadvantage as it causes high risk of cardiovascular diseases.
Advantages of Hard Water
- Drinking hard water may provide dietary supplements of calcium and iron which help for healthy teeth and bones.
- It tastes considerably better than soft water.
- It is useful in preventing cardiovascular diseases.
- Poisonous metal salts are prevented from dissolving in the water through the formation of insoluble carbonates on pipes. These carbonates are formed when lime scales in pipes cover the insides of the pipe, thus preventing the water in the pipe from making contact with the metal of the pipe.
Disadvantages of Hard Water
- Limescale build-up inside pipes which causes reduction of efficiency in machines.
- Reduced machine efficiency may lead to forced replacement of the appliance.
- Has numerous smells which range from earthy to a strong sulphur smell.
- There may be a correlation with eczema in children and drinking hard water.
- Constant need to descale household appliances of mineral deposits.
- It makes the skin dry.
- It makes hair look lacklustre in its appearance. que es la ivermectina para humanos
- Clothing may look dirty or retain odours because of the minerals in the water.
- A residue of sticky film in bathtubs, sinks and showers.
- Soap is wasted because more is needed for washing.
Soft water is however the preferred choice when it comes to household chores. Have you ever used soap and you’re wondering “what’s wrong with this soap? Where’s the lather?” That is all thanks to hard water. As has already been mentioned, rather than foaming, hard water causes soap scum to form. This is even harder to wash off and it leaves clothes looking grimy, dishes looking dirty and bathtubs looking filmy. Needless to say, hard water with household chores is not a particularly good sight. However, soft water is the absolute best for dishwashing, laundry, and even bathing. Soft water is good for the skin because it lacks the intense concentration of minerals found in hard water. It also does not cause accumulated scales from minerals in household appliances, thus causing a longer lifespan for such appliances. Nonetheless, one must not forget its high concentration of sodium.
Advantages of Soft Water
- Lack of scale build-up in kitchen appliances and pipes.
- Users of soft water do not suffer from dry hair or dull skin.
- Laundry becomes cleaner.
- Less detergent is needed when using soft water.
- Soap produces a rich lather, rather than sticky soap scum which films over sinks, bathtubs and showers.
- Water appliances such as water heaters and boilers, require less maintenance as they run efficiently.
Disadvantages of Soft Water
- Due to high levels of sodium, it is not suitable for drinking.
- Lack of necessary minerals such as calcium and magnesium.
- It is highly volatile and may acquire harmful elements such as lead.
Main Differences Between Hard and Soft Water
Now that the pros and cons of both types of water have been considered, it is important to address the differences between them. Although some of them have already been discussed, a recap is needed.
- Skin: Hard water makes the skin dry but soft water is good for the skin as it does not contain the minerals present in hard water.
- Drinking: It is more dangerous to continuously drink soft water as it contains high levels of sodium, whereas drinking hard water may contribute to a person’s daily dose of minerals.
- Mineral Content: Soft water contains sodium which is different in effect from the minerals contained in hard water. Hard water contains minerals made of elements such as iron, calcium and magnesium from its journey through the ground to waterways.
- Household Chores: Although hard water is good for drinking, it is terrible when used in cleaning. There will be spots on washed dishes, sticky soap scum on tubs and sinks, and other domestic nightmares. Even your clothes will suffer from the use of hard water as they will degenerate and breakdown after constant use of hard water. However, soft water does neither of these and for this reason, it is generally preferable when performing household chores.
- Effect on Appliances: When heated or boiled, hard water leaves limescale residue in water-heating appliances such as boilers, dishwashers, etc. As a result of this, appliances face constant repair and descaling and, in extreme conditions, replacement. On the other hand, soft water leaves no residue as it does not contain such minerals and thus, does not require as much repair.
Hard Water or Soft Water – Which is Better?
With regards to consumption, experts and studies show that hard water is, in fact, better than soft water. This does not mean the benefits of soft water should be ignored as, as you’ve already seen above, it has numerous advantages. It is as a result of these numerous benefits of soft water that many people consider water softening. Of course, most of us have to consider water softeners for our homes, that is why it is recommended that you use a water softener that has a bypass valve system. This will direct the hard water to the required areas in the house where it can be used for cooking and drinking purposes. If you cannot afford or find a water softener with a bypass valve, it is recommended that you use an alternate source of water such as bottled water for drinking.
Temporary and Permanent Hard Water
Have you ever been in a situation where you drank or used water and found it was hard water, rather than soft water? That is temporary hard water. No, your plumber did not do a terrible job. Temporary hardness of water happens when bicarbonate minerals such as calcium and magnesium dissolve. These dissolved minerals produce metal cations which make the water hard. The good thing about this is that temporary hardness of water can be reduced either by adding lime through the process of lime softening, or simply boiling the water.
Permanent hard water is more complex in nature to “soften”. It is difficult to soften permanent hard water by boiling because the minerals in the water are of a permanent nature. Thus, the minerals causing permanent hardness of water can be removed with an ion-exchange column, or a water softener.
Methods for Testing Water Hardness
There are ways through which you can test for water hardness. These methods are simple and efficient, and can even be carried out at home.
- Bathtub or Shower: Without all the complications, one of the easiest way to test for hard water is to look at bathtubs, showers and sinks. Hard water used with soap leaves sticky soap scum and film on your tubs and showers. A lso, if you notice white mineral scale (mineral residue) on the surfaces of your tubs and sinks, you most likely use hard water. These scales can clog your pipes when they build up.
- The Bottle Test: This test can be observed regularly as it includes the use of soap/detergent and hard water. You already know that the minerals in hard water prevent foam formation on soap. However, for this test, you will need a clean, empty plastic bottle with a cap, and dishwashing liquid. Fill the bottle halfway with clean water and add a few drops of the dishwashing liquid. Then cap the bottle and shake. Normally, you will see foam forming but if the foam disintegrates when you stop shaking, it is hard water. However, if the foam stays even after you’ve stopped shaking, it is soft water.
- Water Test Kit: A water test kit can be gotten from anywhere, even from online shops. This test is perhaps the most accurate indicator of water hardness. The first thing you need to do is to fill a vial with the water you want to test. After that, you’ll add a drop of solution and shake gently for ten seconds. Keep adding drops and shaking the vial when a half-inch of lather is sustained. Each drop of solution used is equal to a grain of hardness. topical ivermectin for goats If, after everything, you have less than 3 grains of hardness, your water is only the slightest bit hard. If, on the other hand, you have more than 3 grains, you have hard water and may consider water softening.
Solutions to Hard Water
There are a few ways you can soften your water in order to make it suitable for household chores and maintain the efficiency of your appliances.
1. Shower Head Water Softener:
Showerhead water softener/filter is a reasonable solution to hard water. When you consider how much costs you will save by installing a water treatment system such as a shower head water softener, you will realize its benefits. They use different stages of filtration to remove water toxins. They use carbon filters that remove chlorine, chloramines, and VOCs (volatile organic compounds) from water. The vitamin C filters work hand-in-hand with the KDF filters which remove heavy metals and chlorine from the water.
2. Water Softeners:
A water softener is perhaps the best solution to hard water. It works by running hard water through resin – a sticky, insoluble substance from trees and plants – that has been layered with positively charged sodium or potassium ions. The concentrations of sodium or potassium basically replace the calcium and magnesium ions in the water. Water softeners require constant maintenance and salt (sodium pellets) in order to keep the resin charged. There are many companies that manufacture water softeners. Because of this, there are different types of water softeners but we will only discuss the main types:
● Salt-Free Water Softeners:
In the process of water softening, salt is an important ingredient. As a result of this, salt-free water softeners are not so effective. This does not fall into water softening but “water conditioning”. They do not remove minerals from the water, rather, they change the effects the minerals would normally have had. The main purpose of salt-free water softeners serve is to prevent minerals from clogging pipes.
● Salt-based Water Softeners:
These are also called Ion Exchange Softeners because they exchange the calcium and magnesium ions in the water with sodium ions, or, in some cases, potassium ions. They are the regular water softeners. An example of a good salt-based water softener is the Fleck 5600 SXT. It is a best seller on Amazon with numerous positive reviews. Click here for more information on Fleck 5600 SXT.
● Magnetic Water Descalers:
This is not the most popular water softener because it is largely seen as an alternative to water softeners. This does not strip it of its advantages; one of which is that it is a hassle-free service. Magnetic descalers are electric devices that require no installation. All that is needed is to wrap a few wires around your water intake pipes, thus, it does not interfere with your piping system. The plug-in device that comes with the descalers creates a magnetic field around the pipes. This causes the water to reshape the properties of the minerals. Just like salt-free softeners, magnetic water descalers are not so useful – at least they prevent limescale from lining your pipes.
● Dual Tank Water Softeners:
Dual tank water softeners come with two big iron tanks and a brined (salted) one. This type of water softener is more convenient for households with high water consumption, as it is more heavy-duty. The tanks will ensure constant, daily supply of soft water. If one of the tanks is faulty, the other will function. Although this system is more expensive than other types of water softeners, it is better in the long-run.
If you want to know more about water softeners and how to install them, check it out here.
3. Alternative Tips:
It is possible that you may not be able to afford water softeners, so these alternatives should help you use the water of your choice.
- You can use vinegar to declog your pipes and waterways, or even to prevent clogging in the first place.
- A squeegee can be used after using the bathtub or shower. This can help remove sitting water.
- We also recommend using modern detergents that react properly with hard water.
- You can also use an all-purpose cleaner to remove scale from your pipes, etc.
The post Hard Water vs. Soft Water – What’s the difference? appeared first on Home Fascination.
]]>The post Hоw tо Test and Measure Water Hardness? appeared first on Home Fascination.
]]>Tеmроrаrу Wаtеr Hаrdnеѕѕ
Tеmроrаrу hаrdnеѕѕ іѕ brоught аbоut bу thе рrеѕеnсе оf dіѕѕоlvеd bісаrbоnаtе mіnеrаlѕ (саlсіum bicarbonate and mаgnеѕіum bісаrbоnаtе). Unlіkе реrmаnеnt wаtеr hаrdnеѕѕ, tеmроrаrу hаrdnеѕѕ саn bе reduced bу thе addition оf lіmе (саlсіum hуdrоxіdе) thrоugh a water ѕоftеnіng рrосеѕѕ.
Pеrmаnеnt hаrdnеѕѕ
On thе оthеr hаnd, реrmаnеnt water hаrdnеѕѕ hаѕ tо dо wіth more реrѕіѕtеnt mineral соntеntѕ of thе wаtеr аnd саnnоt bе rеmоvеd. Pеrmаnеnt Hаrdnеѕѕ іndісаtеѕ a соmроѕіtіоn оf саlсіum Hаrdnеѕѕ + Mаgnеѕіum Hаrdnеѕѕ іn thе wаtеr.
Why you should be concerned about water hardness
Whіlе hаrd wаtеr іѕ nоt a hеаlth соnсеrn in itself, іt саn bе quіtе a nuіѕаnсе tо bоth hоmеоwnеrѕ аnd hоuѕеhоld еquірmеnt mаnufасturеrѕ. It dоеѕn’t readily fоrm lаthеr wіth soap, thuѕ іt rеquіrеѕ more ѕоар аnd ѕhаmроо. Aѕ a rеѕult, hаrd wаtеr іѕ nоt effective fоr lаundrу and dіѕhеѕ соmраrеd tо ѕоft wаtеr.
Hard wаtеr аlѕо саuѕеѕ еxсеѕѕіvе ѕсаlе buіlduр іn wаtеr ріреѕ, bоіlеrѕ, hоt-wаtеr hеаtіng ѕуѕtеmѕ аnd оthеr еquірmеnt that uѕеѕ wаtеr. Thіѕ саn rеѕult in ріре blосkаgеѕ аnd dаmаgе оf hоuѕеhоld аррlіаnсеѕ with tіmе.
How to Test and Measure Water Hardness?
Thе mоѕt соmрrеhеnѕіvе wау tо tеѕt fоr wаtеr hаrdnеѕѕ іѕ thrоugh a lаbоrаtоrу whісh can bе expensive аnd nоt соnvеnіеnt fоr еvеrуdау lіfе. Hоwеvеr, thеrе іѕ quіtе a numbеr оf other іnеxреnѕіvе аnd less fоrmаl wауѕ tо tеѕt fоr wаtеr hаrdnеѕѕ. It саn bе dеtеrmіnеd аnd measured thrоugh іnѕtrumеntаl аnаlуѕіѕ, аn іndіvіduаl tеѕt kіt, оr thrоugh thе uѕе оf tеѕt ѕtrірѕ ѕресіаllу dеѕіgnеd fоr mаkіng thеѕе mеаѕurеmеntѕ.
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Sоар Wаtеr Tеѕt
Thе ѕоар wаtеr tеѕt rеmаіnѕ thе еаѕіеѕt аnd lеаѕt expensive mеthоd оf dеtеrmіnіng wаtеr hаrdnеѕѕ.
Wаtеr hаrdnеѕѕ can be еаѕіlу measured uѕіng a ѕіmрlе ѕоар test kіt thаt will mеаѕurе іn “grains оf hаrdnеѕѕ”. Sоар wаtеr testing саn bе еаѕіlу саrrіеd оut domestically аnd іt еntаіlѕ thе fоllоwіng ѕtерѕ.
- Fіll a 400ml bоttlе wіth 360 ml оf tар wаtеr (12 оunсеѕ) frоm уоur hоmе.
- Add 10 drорѕ оf lіquіd ѕоар, сlоѕе thе соntаіnеr and ѕhаkе wеll. Nоw ореn thе lіd оr cap аnd оbѕеrvе the ѕud fоrmаtіоn.
- If thеrе аrе a lоt оf bubbles ооzіng out, thеn thе wаtеr іѕ ѕоft. But іf уоu see оnlу a fеw bubblеѕ thеn аdd mоrе ѕоар аnd shake аgаіn. Yоu wіll nоtісе thе wаtеr соntаіnіng whіtе ѕuѕреndеd particles mаkіng іt сlоudу.
- Thіѕ іѕ duе tо scum fоrmаtіоn whісh happens оnlу whеn hаrd wаtеr rеасtѕ tо ѕоар.
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DIY Tеѕt Kit
Water hаrdnеѕѕ tеѕt ѕtrірѕ аrе uѕuаllу mаnufасturеd frоm рlаѕtіс, wіth chemically іmрrеgnаtеd раdѕ оn thе еnd. Thеѕе раdѕ аrе dеѕіgnеd tо rеасt tо ѕресіfіс іоnѕ аnd рrоduсе a ѕресіfіс соlоr сhаngе tо іndісаtе thе wаtеr hаrdnеѕѕ lеvеl.
After thе tеѕt ѕtrір hаѕ rеасtеd аnd thе соlоr іѕ dеvеlореd, thе ѕtrір іѕ thеn соmраrеd tо a рrіntеd соlоr сhаrt. Thе соlоr сhаrt іѕ ѕресіаllу dеѕіgnеd to rерrеѕеnt color rеасtіоnѕ аt соnсеntrаtіоn оf thе water hаrdnеѕѕ.
Hоmе tеѕt kіtѕ fоr tеѕtіng wаtеr hаrdnеѕѕ аnd wаtеr quаlіtу can bе еаѕіlу рurсhаѕеd іn hоmе іmрrоvеmеnt аnd hаrdwаrе ѕtоrеѕ. Thеу аrе аlѕо аvаіlаblе оn several оnlіnе ѕtоrеѕ.
- Ensure thаt уоu рurсhаѕе a kіt dеѕіgnеd bу a reputable wаtеr tеѕtіng mаnufасturеr, аnd аѕсеrtаіn thаt thе kіt tеѕtѕ fоr hаrdnеѕѕ.
- Sоmе kіtѕ tеѕt оnlу fоr ѕресіfіс соntаmіnаntѕ, lіkе rаdоn, whіlе оthеrѕ tеѕt fоr оvеrаll quаlіtу аnd ѕаfеtу.
- Onе оf the ѕіmрlеѕt tеѕtѕ tо реrfоrm іѕ a wеt-ѕtrір tеѕt, ѕіmіlаr tо a tеѕt fоr рооl оr spa wаtеr:
- Thіѕ саn bе dоnе bу fіllіng a соntаіnеr wіth wаtеr from уоur tар, thеn іmmеrѕе thе рареr tеѕt ѕtrір іn the water
- Cоmраrе thе rеѕultіng соlоr оf thе ѕtrір wіth thе kіt’ѕ сhаrt.
- The іnѕtruсtіоnѕ dеtаіlѕ hоw hаrd уоur wаtеr іѕ bаѕеd оn thе rеѕult.
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Tаblеtѕ Tеѕtіng
Tаblеt tеѕtіng іѕ аnоthеr еаѕу wау tо determine wаtеr hаrdnеѕѕ. Thе tаblеtѕ tеѕt kіtѕ саn bе purchased іn thе mаrkеt оr оrdеrеd оnlіnе. Tаblеt tеѕtіng іnvоlvеѕ thе following ѕtерѕ.
- Addіng thе rеаgеntѕ аѕ реr іnѕtruсtіоnѕ: оnе tablet іѕ аddеd іn thе ѕаmрlе wаtеr.
- If іt turnѕ rеd thеn thе wаtеr іѕ hаrd.
- If thе соlоr turnѕ blue or grееn thеn thе wаtеr іѕ soft.
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Tоtаl dіѕѕоlvеd solid Mеtеr (TDS)
TDS whісh ѕtаndѕ fоr tоtаl dіѕѕоlvеd ѕоlіd іѕ a little еxреnѕіvе соmраrеd tо other tеѕt kіtѕ but іt іѕ very еffесtіvе in dеtеrmіnіng thе аmоunt оf dіѕѕоlvеd mіnеrаlѕ іn wаtеr vеrу ассurаtеlу.
Thе ѕtерѕ іnvоlvеd іn mеаѕurіng wаtеr hаrdnеѕѕ uѕіng TDS аrе аѕ fоllоwѕ:
- Enѕurе tо рrераrе a сlеаn, сlеаr ѕрасе wіth thе аррrорrіаtе іnѕtrumеntѕ аnd tооlѕ fоr thе task. Thіѕ саn be рurсhаѕеd оnlіnе оr іn ѕtоrеѕ.
- A сlеаn, рrореrlу ѕtеrіlіzеd bеаkеr thаt іѕ frее оf duѕt оr оthеr раrtісlеѕ
- A ѕаmрlе оf thе wаtеr уоu wаnt tо аnаlуzе соllесtеd іntо thе ѕtеrіlіzеd bеаkеr. Idеаllу, thе ѕаmрlе ѕhоuld bе at 25° C (оr 77° F) аt the tіmе of аnаlуѕіѕ.
- An electrical соnduсtіvіtу mеtеr whісh іѕ a dеvісе uѕеd tо mеаѕurе a ѕоlutіоn’ѕ аbіlіtу tо соnduсt еlесtrісіtу. It wоrkѕ bу rеlеаѕіng a сurrеnt іntо a lіquіd, thеn mеаѕurіng thе rеѕіѕtаnсе.
- Yоu аrе required tо wаіt for a fеw ѕесоndѕ bеfоrе the rеаdіng ѕtаbіlіzеѕ, but іt’ѕ іmроrtаnt thаt уоu wаіt untіl thе number оn thе dіѕрlау ѕtорѕ сhаngіng.
- Thе measurement dіѕрlауеd оn thе еlесtrісаl соnduсtіvіtу mеtеr іѕ thе рurіtу оf thе wаtеr, mеаѕurеd іn µS (mісrо-Sіеmеnѕ). Thе lоwеr thе µS value, thе рurеr the wаtеr, with 0 µS bеіng рurе, unроllutеd H20.
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Cоntасt уоur wаtеr ѕuррlіеr
Anоthеr wау tо tеѕt fоr wаtеr hаrdnеѕѕ іѕ tо соntасt уоur lосаl wаtеr ѕuррlіеr аnd rеquеѕt fоr thеіr lаtеѕt wаtеr quаlіtу rероrt.
In mаnу сіtіеѕ thе wаtеr соrроrаtіоn аnd оthеr utіlіtіеѕ роѕt rероrtѕ online.
- These rероrtѕ саn gіvе уоu a gеnеrаl іdеа оf thе wаtеr hаrdnеѕѕ іn уоur lосаtіоn.
- Hоwеvеr, thеѕе rероrtѕ often соntаіn ѕеvеrаl tесhnісаlіtіеѕ аnd mау nоt nесеѕѕаrіlу rеflесt thе truе ѕtаtе of thе water ruѕhіng thrоugh уоur tар.
- Thеrеfоrе уоu mау ѕtіll nееd tо саrrу оut оnе of the оthеr tеѕtіng mеthоdѕ іn оrdеr tо dеtеrmіnе thе ѕtаtе of уоur wаtеr.
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]]>The post Is Your Water Softener Causing Low Water Pressure? How to Check and Fix? appeared first on Home Fascination.
]]>Popular causes of low water pressure
As mentioned earlier, there are several reasons why your water pressure level is low, and some of these reasons are common occurrences and with the right knowledge, they can be rectified or avoided altogether. Some of these reasons include:
The shut on/off valve is not fully opened:
The water into your home is regulated by a central valve located somewhere outside the home. The valve controls a mechanism that can shut off, or turn on the water into the house. The valve can also regulate the amount of water that flows into the home, and in a situation where the valve is not opened fully, it may cause the water pressure to be low. If you have used this valve to recently stop the flow of water and you turned it back on to discover that the water pressure in your home is low, then it is possible that the valve is not fully opened. In some cases, it can be accidentally turned by playing children, or pets as they move about, and if this is the case, you simply have to turn the valve open to the end, and this will increase the amount of water flowing into the house, thus increasing the water pressure.
A faulty pressure regulator:
Most water delivery systems are equipped with pressure regulators, and the pressure regulator controls the pressure level of the water flowing into the house. When a regulator is faulty, it can create several problems for the water pressure in the house. what worms does ivermectin kill in horses The water pressure regulator ensures that the amount of water flowing through your pipes is just the right amount to ensure that there is no damage to your pipes caused by water pressure. When the water pressure regulator is faulty, it causes the water pressure to drop and as such, the amount of water delivered to the house will be in little quantities, or there will be no supply to the house.
Rusty plumbing:
The plumbing is responsible for the distribution of water throughout the home. Plumbing pipes can be made of plastic or metal. Metal pipes are not used as frequently anymore, but they are found in older plumbing systems and in cases where you move into a home with plumbing already installed, this can be the case. Metals can rust with time, without the proper care and when used as pipes, with a lot of water flowing through them daily, they can rust very easily. When rust sets into metal pipes, it can cause the pipes to leak, or break in certain locations, providing an exit for the water, causing little water to be delivered to the home, and causing low water pressure in the home.
Backed-up supply pipes:
When your supply pipes are clogged, there is a reducing effect on the water pressure in the home. When there are particles present in the pipe, such as sand particles or some other strange particle present in the pipes, it can cause accumulation and block the flow of water, through the pipes and into the home. It can result in a reduced flow of water or can even cut off the flow of water into the home entirely.
Bad water dispensing outlets:
Even when there are no problems involving the water supply to the home, you can still have low water pressure if your taps are damaged. The damaged taps will not produce the amount of water it is supposed to and as such, you may believe that you have low water pressure in your home when all you have to do is change your taps, and you will have regular water pressure again.
You need to rule out all these other possibilities before considering the idea that your water softener is the cause of your low water pressure, as it will probably be best if one of these options is the cause, and it will likely cost less to fix. You also need to verify that it isn’t a problem from your water distributor, as that is also a viable possibility.
How water softeners bring about low water pressure?
If your water pressure is low and you have recently installed a water softener, or you have verified that other causes are not responsible, then it may be your water softener causing your low water pressure. If this is the case, it is important to know how the problem originated, so you can effectively handle it. Here are some of the ways, through which your water softener can be causing low water pressure:
A particle filter is blocked:
Hard water is often littered with particles and to this end, many water softeners are designed with a particle filter to trap all particles trapped in the water. When such a process continues, the particles will continue to accumulate in the filter until the path is heavily covered or blocked, and as such will cause low water pressure or will stop the flow of water altogether causing concern.
A blocked resin bed:
Some of the particles that have been filtered from the water, can sometimes escape the water filter and find itself in the resin bed. In some cases, it can be an iron build-up that causes the accumulation, and regardless of what causes it, the outcome of the accumulation is the same, it blocks the route of water flow and in turn, reduces water pressure.
Resin particles in the supply line:
When your resin bank gets filled and is not replaced on time, it can cause the tank to break open and the pieces of the tank will flow with the water and into the water supply channels of the house. The particles will eventually collect in a particular location in the supply pipe and cause a blockage, reducing the amount of water flowing into the home, thus creating low water pressure, and in extreme cases, hinder the flow of water altogether.
An undersized water softener:
The size of your water softener can also determine the water pressure in your home. A small water softener will not be able to produce enough water for high water pressure in your home, so when a small water softener is installed where there is a large demand for water, there is going to be low water pressure.
The water softener is regenerating:
The regeneration process of a water softener is the process where the hard water is converted into soft water, using the salts in the softener. The process usually requires a lot of water pressure and while it is ongoing, it can result in low water pressure in the home.
Also Read: Water Softening Process (Explained)
What to do if your water softener is the problem?
If you have realized that the cause of your low water pressure is your water softener and you have identified the way the problem is occurring, then you can carry out any one of the required processes to improve your water pressure. These processes include:
- Wait for the regeneration process to be completed: In the event that it is the regeneration process that is causing your low water pressure, you simply need to wait for the process to be completed. This should not be difficult as the process only takes a few minutes, and once it’s complete, your water pressure should return to normal.
- Clean your particle filter: Maintenance practices are very important in prolonging the life span of most equipment and it applies to the water softener. It is important to clean or replace old/damaged particle filter to ensure that particles don’t accumulate and alter your water supply, as if this is not done regularly, it can have other implications.
- Get a bigger water softener: A small water softener may have been appropriate for your home at one point but that changed with an increase in numbers, or you installed one and noticed it’s not big enough. Regardless, you will have to get a bigger unit, one that will support the required amount of water in your home.
- Unblock your resin bed: Depending on the cause of any blockage in your resin bed, you can approach it differently. Where a build-up of iron is responsible, you can simply add a cleaning agent, to eliminate the iron build-up, or you can clean the resin bed where it is necessary.
Our Top Water Softener Recommendation: Fleck 5600SXT
Other problems associated with water softeners
After you’ve done everything necessary to improve your water pressure, if you still notice that you are still having low water pressure issues, then you may have to change your water softener to ensure you no longer have low pressure related problems. Some other common problems you may notice relating to your water softener include:
The high sodium content of water:
This is common especially with a salt-based water softener, and while there are not many drawbacks to this problem, the water produce is usually unsafe for drinking and under no circumstance should you or anyone else do so.
Environmental impact:
As the water softener works, it discards and dispenses a lot of water due to a high concentration of mineral and this water is released into the environment and can be harmful to the ecosystem
The post Is Your Water Softener Causing Low Water Pressure? How to Check and Fix? appeared first on Home Fascination.
]]>Water softness or hardness level represents the value influenced by the volume of minerals found in the normal tap water coming straight out of the water treatment plant and through the piping system into your home. The minerals in question are mostly calcium and magnesium although traces of other minerals and even metals can be found in tap water too.
Water supply piping is where water hardness plays a major role. The longevity of housing and industrial piping systems is very dependent on that very content of minerals flowing non-stop to get to your home. Sensitive home appliances such as washing machines are especially affected by this. Not to mention water heaters, dishwashers and any other appliance that is using tap water during operation.
What Does Water Hardness Mean To Us?
Minerals are found everywhere in nature and the water we use every day is rich with them. The minerals get into the water when it passes through underground soil and rocks where most of the deposits of magnesium and calcium rich limestone and chalk are found. We define water with hardness values between 3 and 10 as soft and the water with values ranging from 11 to 20 is considered hard. Water with a hardness rating of 10 is considered to be average.
Most of the commercially available water softening devices use either ion-exchange resin based system or the reverse-osmosis systems. Some systems use magnetic fields and there is even salt based and salt-free system for regulating water hardness too.
Reverse Osmosis Water Filter Systems
Most commonly used are reverse osmosis water filter systems. These systems are also used to desalinate seawater as it passes through fine membranes while leaving impurities and heavy particles on the side while allowing pure water to pass. These systems are very effective for removal of all minerals from the water. The commercially available reverse osmosis filters are often used in the replaceable water filters that are mounted above sinks and directly on to the faucets.
Salt Based Water Filtering Systems
Salt based water filtering systems are the most efficient of all the commercially available water softener systems. This type of process uses ion exchange in order to rid the water of minerals and other heavier elements. Hard water passes through a system of tanks where it is charged with ions of sodium which replace the harder elements and thus create the soft water. The major disadvantage of this system is the higher concentration of sodium so this water is not recommended to be used for drinking. These systems are often used for swimming pools.
Magnetic Field Water Softening Systems
Magnetic field water softening systems use coils which produce magnetic fields around the piping in order to reduce the water hardness. These systems are not recommended at all for homes where the water hardness reaches extreme levels as they are still not verified as being efficient enough.
Using water softener systems will improve the quality of the tap water and even improve it for the better taste. Seeing how sensitive home appliances will also benefit from the reduction of the water hardness levels, these systems are highly recommended for people where tap water reaches values beyond the level 12 of the water hardness scale.
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]]>Water rich with a high volume of minerals – most of all calcium and magnesium – is considered to be hard water. Although this type of water is perfectly safe for human health and everyday use – it is the main cause of the damage in the plumbing system as well as responsible for damage of sensitive home appliances such as washers and water heaters.
The hardness level range for soft water is between values 1 to 9 while hard water is measured by the values between 11 and 20 on the water hardness scale.
How Safe Is It To Use Hard Water?
We wouldn’t like you to think that either of the ends of scale for the water hardness is necessarily bad for human health. Minerals are essential for optimal human health and there isn’t anything wrong when it is consumed and used every day. With calcium in our bodies, we retain normal bodily functions and stimulate bone growth when we are growing up. Magnesium is essential for the health of the nervous system and it also stimulates normal heart function. Even at the end of the hard water scale, there is not enough volume of minerals that will do any harm to human health according to most scientific and medical studies.
You see, the minerals in the water are harmless on their own, however, when they dry up they create most of the plumbing problems. Hard water is the main cause of the buildup of limescale which is the main cause of plumbing malfunctions. Most of the time that the heater in your washing machine breaks is because of the scale buildup on the surface of the heater because of the hard water.
Luckily there are ways to completely prevent the damage caused by the high hardness levels of water. We can turn to efficient water softening process in order to decrease the volume of minerals in the tap water in our homes.
Ways of Getting Rid of The Hard Water
There are several ways to reduce the water from being hard and getting it to reach softness. By removing minerals, impurities and even chemicals, certain processes can purify water and make it soft. For drinking water, there are steps that are necessary in order to remove pollutants, bacteria and other contaminants before it’s safe for daily human use.
Ion Exchange System
Water hardness can be solved with ion exchange systems which will remove all mineral content as well as some of the heavier molecules such as metals from the water. This is an entirely passive process where the water passes through tanks that are using negatively charged resin beads which attract the positive ions from the metallic elements found in the tap water. Sodium ions take their place and what we get in the end is a purified water which is clear from any harmful metals such as iron and mercury just to name a few. Salt – free water softening systems use mineral crystallisation process in order to separate bigger particles from the water. They are then separated with ease and what remains is the soft water ready for home use.
Water Softening System
For those who use hard water, the best solution would be to get some of the available water softening systems. Investing in them will save you the trouble and repairs to your plumbing. This will save plenty of money that will go for the repairs of the damaged plumbing and some of the appliances over the years. These systems are easy to maintain and pay off for themselves during the time they are in use.
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]]>Did you know that most of the plumbing damage comes from the hard water? Or how about this – did you also know that hard water damages the electrical appliances which use tap water?
Yes, that’s right, the plumbing system in your home gets full of lime scale over the years and sometimes all those layers cause irreparable damage and leaks. When it comes to the possible damage to your electrical appliances it can get pretty bad. You can count that you will have to send your washing machine for repairs once that hard water damages your heater. The damage is real for dish washing machines too. In fact, any appliance which uses tap water for running operation can break down due to lime scale accumulation.
Planning on Installing your water softener system? Check this out before you start
The easiest water softener systems for installation would be the magnetic water softeners. They are easy to attach and connect to your plumbing and will take little of your time to get them up and running.
In contrast, the more complex reverse osmosis systems require professionals to do the planning and installing for the whole house. Let’s go into detail on how you can install the easier water softeners.
Choosing the right spot for installation
After you acquired the water softener which you can install on your own, it is important to install it in right place. This is dependent on the type of the system you chose.
The general rule is that the water softener systems intended for the whole house should be installed on the spot where the water from the city pipe comes into your home. In most homes, this is a single pipe which is found just outside in your yard.
It is not recommended to install your system on pipes that are downstream from water heaters as this can melt them and cause internal damage. For the system based on reverse osmosis, there will have to be a drain near it. Drainage outlet is required for salt-based systems too. Magnetic systems can be installed anywhere in your house where you have access to exposed water pipes.
Installing Your Water Softener System on Your Own
First, a disclaimer before we go into details on how you can install your system on your own:
Do not attempt to tamper with your plumbing or electrical installation if you are not sure what you are doing! Call an expert professional to do all the necessary setup for you instead.
Every water softener system comes with an instruction manual supplied from the manufacturer. Inside the manual, you will find all the required installation steps as well as all the detailed specifications about your water softener and information regarding dimensions and sizes of its components.
Make sure you have all the necessary tools required for the job!
These include a tape measure, ipe wrench, various sized valves depending on your unit specification, compression fittings, various tubing, torch, PVC solvent, bucket and Teflon tape just in case. After you have all the required equipment start going step by step exactly how it is described in the manual. Read the instructions thoroughly and pay attention that you do not skip any steps!
Proceed to attach the elbow fitting to the spot you’ve severed from the main water pipe. You will attach the adapter that will feed the water softener with incoming water. After that is done, connect the pipe between the softener and the adapter using your compression fitting. If your water softener needs a drain output, make sure to attach the drain outlet pipe to your waste disposal opening. After these steps are complete – your unit will be ready for use and some heavy-duty water softening cycles.
For those that do not want to seriously tamper with their house plumbing, we suggest simple magnetic and reverse osmosis filters that are easy to install and require little effort to get them up and running. For those who are unsure of the steps we explained, please, call a professional and you will have a piece of mind that your water softening system is working as intended. Most of them will give you a warranty for their services and these are additional benefits and a proper quality assurance.
The post Water Softener Installation Guide: How to Install a Water Softener System? appeared first on Home Fascination.
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