| Benefits of a Water Softener |
| Written by Kevin Hairston | |
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A water softener is a wonderful appliance and addition to any home that is functioning and operating with hard water. Depending on location and availability will determine the need for a water softener. There are different types and models for you to consider and many benefits to putting a system into your home in order to improve water quality. Using a system to improve taste and make the water soft is something that can only help a household. As you may have noticed in your home or you may not have noticed in your home, a slight residue left on some things even when using soap to clean them. What some people refer to as soap scum is the residue you observe. This is actually a chemical reaction between the soap and the mineral deposits that are in hard water. The dissolved minerals that have come in with the water to your home mix with the soap you are using when bathing or cleaning something and leave a residue on some things to create and unsightly film. Some to most of this can be eliminated with the use of a water softening system. By having a system for softening your water in place it will reduce and remove some of the dissolved minerals that have traveled in with the water to your home. By reducing impurities you not only will reduce the time spent cleaning, but you will create a healthier and brighter home. Using a water softener can also lead to not only a cleaner home, but to a cleaner and healthier you as well. Because of the mixture of the impurities in the water with the soap used to clean yourself, the soap will not all rinse off your skin as well if the water is not softened. Using a softener to take out the impurities will lead to softer skin as well as less rashes and skin problems because of the soap left on the skin. There are different types of water softener systems to consider depending on the type of water that you have as well as the location you are in. The first thing that should be done to determine which is the best system to use is. Have a professional come to your home and perform a simple water test to see what it is that is in your water. They will be able to tell you how what minerals are in it as well as what the quantities of such minerals are. These tests allow the homeowner to see how hard the water is and whether or not a softener is a necessary appliance to purchase. Try to find someone to do the test that is independent of a filtration or softening company so as to not feel pressured by skewed results. There are three types of water softening systems and each is a salt-based treatment system, however they offer different benefits from cost to quality. Depending on demand for water in the home as well as time when water will be needed for the home will lead to determining the type of water softening system to put in place in your home. Trying to determine which is best will be up to you. There is a single tank style that is set to clean water on a timer, there is a single tank system that is set to clean water as it is used and there is a twin tank system that will clean water on demand. Each of these is listed in order of efficiency and cost to put into your home. Therefore, depending on how much water is needed and the rate at which it is needed will lead to deciding on a system. The types of softener systems put in all have differing levels of benefits to consider. The single tank timer system is the most cost effective of the water systems, however it also has the most disadvantages. This type of system only cleans the water once per 24-hour period and that is the clean water that is available until the next cycle is initiated for use. Also, if power is lost to the home, the clock that is set for regeneration will need to be reset and reprogrammed in order for water cleaning to occur. This allows for what could be a great amount of water that is untreated to flow throughout the home causing damage to not only sinks and showers, but to the hot water tank as well. The single tank on demand regeneration tank is more beneficial and a little more expensive, because yes it will refill the clean water supply after it is exhausted, however while it is regenerating new clean water it is sending water to the home that is not purified in order maintain the proper flow to your home. The third type of tank the two tank on demand regeneration system is of course the most expensive, but produces a constant supply of clean water to the home. By having two tanks in place, the water is constantly fresh and you never receive unpurified water into the home. This is because as one tank is in use the other is being filled with filtered water that goes through the salt system. This creates a constant flow of clean water with no interruption and never having bypassed water going into the home. Consider how much water will be used and which system will be most beneficial for your home on each individual situation. Water softening is something that many people will need to do depending of course on location as well as the water source that is feeding into the home. Not all homes will need this water treatment system to aid in water quality and purity, which is why having a water test to determine water quality. Note what the impurities in the water are and what the best approach to elimination those impurities are. Find out what you will need and implement it as soon as possible. |
