By Bellevue Plumbing Pro
You know the importance of a water softener if you have hard water in your home.
Although hard water is not harmful, it can cause problems. Hard water can reduce the life expectancy of plumbing appliances by as much as a third. Additionally, your water may not taste as good. Hard water can dry out hair and skin. If you don’t have one already, it’s worth getting one.
Water softeners are designed to last for between 10 and 15 years. However, if you are thinking of buying a new one, here are some things to consider. This buying guide will help you choose the right water softener for you home.
How Can I Tell When My Water Softener Is Time for Replacement?
These are signs that your water softener might need replacing or need to be serviced. Your water softener might not be working correctly if you notice that the soap doesn’t lather up in the shower or that the clothes don’t come out of the washer as straight. Your pipes and faucets might be experiencing a buildup of minerals from hard water.
Different Types of Water Softeners:
It is possible that you are wondering which type of water softener would be best for your household. Let’s first take a look at all the available water softeners.
Salt-Based Water Softeners
This is the most popular type of water softener. These water softeners are often called ion-exchange water softeners. They use resin beads to remove calcium and magnesium. Then, they release sodium ions. You should look for softeners that can regenerate after a set amount of time or after water passes through it. Most regenerate once per week.
Salt-Free Water Softeners
These water softeners do not use salt to remove heavy minerals. They use a system to attract minerals and make them crystals. This prevents mineral buildup.
Dual Tank Water Softeners
Dual-tank water softeners are different from traditional water softeners. This is because of the way that they are named. The water softener is composed of two tanks. One that works continuously and one that is always in use. Dual tanks are also available for a salt-free water softener.
Magnetic Water Softeners
These compact water softeners are ideal for homeowners who don’t have much space. They attach directly to your water pipe. These water softeners use a magnetic field to remove negative and positive ions. Because the minerals are neutral, they won’t stick to one another and will remain water-soluble.
What Should I Look Out for When Purchasing a Water Softener?
The size of your water softener is an important consideration when shopping for one. To calculate this, you will need to take into account your water hardness as well as your daily water consumption.
Water hardness is often measured in grains per gallon. A water hardness test kit can give you an accurate measurement. Call us to test your water and inspect your pipes to determine if there are any other issues that could be causing hard water.
Higher grains per gallon means harder water. This means that you will need to buy a water softener that has a higher grain capacity. You should also ensure that you buy a salt-based softener with enough resin beads to last for at least seven days before it needs to be regenerated. If you have extremely hard water, we don’t recommend salt-free water softeners.
Water that contains 3.5 to 7 grains per gallons is considered to be moderately hard, with 7-10 considered hard, and being very hard above 10.
Next, consider how much water your household uses. Consider how many people you have in your home and how many water-based devices you use. Your water softener should be larger if you use a lot of water.
To find out how much water your household needs, multiply 75 by the number of people living in your home to get an estimate of how many gallons you require each day.
Next, multiply that number by the number grains per gallon. Multiply that number by seven if you’re going with a salt-based softener. This will give you an idea of how much grain capacity your water-softener will require.
What Is the Cost of a Water Softener?
There will be a wide range of prices for water softeners. You will pay around $500 for a basic salt-based water softener. A high-end water softener, such as a dual tank or salt-free model, can cost up to $3,000 per Angis List.
Magnetic water softeners are the smallest and most affordable, and they generally don’t cost more than $200.
We are available to help you if you have any questions or want to install your new water softener. Contact us online or call at (509) 245-6477.