Choosing the best water softener

Before jumping on to the list of best water softeners, we would like to draw a clear picture on the entire concept. Why do you need a water softener? What do you need to know? How to choose the best one?

A water softener

A water softener 2

Let’s understand the need first, as per the report of U.S. Geological survey as many as 85% of the households in the U.S. have the issue of hard water. Minerals like manganese, magnesium carbonate, calcium and others make the water Hard.

You will see spots and scaling in your appliances like the coffeemaker, bathtub, dishes, soaps and shampoos won’t lather properly. Hard water is the culprit, over a period deposits are formed in the plumbing and water using appliances making these tasks difficult. Hard water also affects the skin and hair adversely.

The solution is a water softener; there are several kinds of it.

Types of water softeners

  • Ion exchange softener

Ion exchange softener

This is the most popular and common type of water softener, there are two types. The first one is Salt based and the other one is salt free. These softeners have two tanks, in the first one, water is passed through resin beads. In case of the salt-based softener, water is passed through salty water in the second tank. For people who want to avoid excess intake of salt, the slat free ion exchange softener is a better option. Here potassium chloride is used instead of sodium chloride, which substitutes the hard minerals to make the water “soft.”

  • Dual-Tank softener

Dual-Tank softener

The working principle of this softener is also based on the concept of ion exchange. In this one two-resin bead tanks are used to give you a continuous supply of water. In case of a single resin tank, there is no supply of water during the time it is recharging. Although, the down time is set at night, still the continuous supply of “soft’ water is affected.

  • Magnetic water softener

Magnetic water softener

The results of this water softener are not that clear. Some people are not convinced by the technology of this softener. The device clips on to the incoming water pipe and plugs in the power. The softener uses magnetic field to change the magnetic properties of minerals like calcium carbonate, so that they do not deposit inside the pipes. Basically, the device is a descaler.

In the event of choosing a water softener, consider the efficiency of the device in removing hardness of the water, rather than the size of the device. Estimate the amount of water consumption in your house daily and then select the size of the softener.

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