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Hard
water contains dissolved calcium and magnesium that cause
rock-like scale, soap scum, hard water spots, lime curd
and other aesthetically unappealing build-up. According
to Dean Johnson, co-host of the nationally syndicated
home improvement TV series "Hometime," "Hard water
build-up can take its toll on everything from sinks and
faucets to major appliances. Above and beyond the costly
repair bills and shortened life of your appliances hard
water can also quickly dull the appearance of newly
installed faucets, sinks and shower doors."
Johnson
goes on to say that one way to keep that bathroom or
kitchen looking fresh is to remove troublesome hard
minerals from water with a home water
softener.
how
does a water softener work?
Installing
a water softener will reduce the amount of calcium and
magnesium ions in the water. This is accomplished through
a process called ion exchange. The water softener uses a
media bed of resin beads that holds sodium ions. When
hard water passes through the resin beads, the beads
attract and hold the calcium and magnesium ions and
release the sodium ions. Water without calcium and
magnesium is known as soft water.
do
you need a water softener?
Hard
water is probably the most common water problem found in
the home. According to the U.S. Geological Survey, 85
percent of homes in the United States have hard water.
And it's not just well water that's hard. City water
users also experience hard water.
Before
you even begin shopping for a softener, have your water
tested by a water specialist, or ask your water provider
for information about the degree of hardness of your
water. Alternatively, you can obtain a testing kit and
find out for yourself.
So
how do you know if your water is considered hard?
According to the Water Quality Association, hard water
contains dissolved calcium and magnesium above one GPG
(grains per gallon). Hardness levels are as follows: soft
water -- less than one GPG, slightly hard water -- one to
3.5 GPG, moderately hard -- 3.5 to 7 GPG, hard --7 to
10.5 GPG and very hard --10.5 and higher GPG.
do
your homework & explore your options
Once
the hardness of water has been determined, it's time to
choose a water softener. "Although all softeners operate
on the same basic principle, there are many options to
choose from, including everything from manually operated
units to fully automatic systems," says Johnson. "With
all the styles and brands of water softeners on the
market today, there are a number of key product
innovations to take into consideration when purchasing a
softening unit."
For
one, most softeners are electric, but there are
non-electric systems -- powered exclusively by the energy
of moving water. Non-electric softeners do have benefits
over electric units; there's nothing to plug-in, no
buttons to push, no timers to set or reset, no
adjustments to make and no cause for worry during storms
and power outages.
Another
key feature to consider is how the system regenerates, or
cleans itself. On-demand regeneration means the
regeneration cycle is based on actual water consumption,
as opposed to units with timers that regenerate only at
preset intervals. With demand operation, the water
softener can regenerate at any time of the day or night,
depending upon usage, so it is flexible to changing water
demands within the household. This is especially
important when water needs increase, such as with extra
household cleaning projects in the spring and summer.
Additionally, some units offer the advantage of using
soft water when regenerating, which provides better
overall cleaning of the unit and ultimately extends the
life of the softener.
Still
another option to keep in mind is whether to purchase a
twin-tank design softener or a single-tank design
softener. With a twin-tank design, when one tank needs to
regenerate, service automatically switches to the other
tank to provide a continuous supply of soft water any
time of the day. This means you'll never have to go
without the benefits of soft water while the unit is
cleaning itself -- something that single-tank units don't
do.
According
to Johnson, one of the most popular softeners on the
market today that encompasses all of these benefits is
Kinetico's 2020c compact water softener. "The 2020c unit
is the world's smallest twin-tank, non-electric water
softener -- and the first to accept block or pellet salt.
The twin-cylinder softener fits just about anywhere, but
it can still soften an entire home's water supply, unlike
big, old-fashioned systems. In fact, because of all of
the unit's benefits, I chose to install a Kinetico system
in my own home."
third-party
certification
When
making a final decision to purchase a water treatment
system, there are several other things to consider.
First, make sure the system is third-party certified by
an independent testing organization such as NSF
International. NSF is internationally recognized for its
experience in testing and certifying products to ensure
they perform as claimed.
The
Water Quality Association (WQA), the trade association of
the water quality industry, also validates products. Look
for certification seals on product literature and on the
products themselves. But keep in mind that just because a
manufacturer displays the WQA logo, signifying that the
company is a member of the Water Quality Association,
doesn't mean its products are validated. And just because
a component of a system is NSF certified, doesn't mean
the entire system and its performance are guaranteed.
"It's important to read all certification material
carefully, just as it's important to review and compare
warranty information," says Johnson.
You've
already made a sizable investment in the remodeling of
your home's bathroom or kitchen. So why not protect that
investment by introducing softer water into your life.
Not only will a softener increase the life of newly
installed fixtures and faucets, it can save you a
considerable amount of time and money in the long
run. |