Water Softening and Alternatives
I do offer water softeners and scale reducing equipment, also known as water conditioners. Water softening is something I only recommend when it seems an absolute necessity … and the cutoff point for me is about 15 grains of hardness. Unlike traditional water softener sales people I do not believe that softening is critical at low levels of hardness. In fact, I like hard water. Hardness consists of calcium and magnesium and generally results in an off white colored build up on fixtures or spotting on glass.
Water softeners remove calcium and magnesium from water. This is done for maintenance purposes, build up on glass shower doors, preserving water heaters, and spotting of coffee makers. They will also remove low levels of iron.
Traditionally water with a hardness of 5 grains would lead to a recommendation of softening. My threshold is 15 grains. At that level or higher I don’t think you have any choice but to manage water hardness because it will be damaging. My water is 12 grains hard and I do not soften. I prefer it this way.
Water softeners use salt, either sodium or potassium chloride, to cleanse a resin bead media. The resin attracts calcium ions and releases sodium into your water. A backwash then cleanses the resin replacing the calcium with more sodium and washing the calcium and the chloride down the drain. Water softeners will also remove magnesium, iron, and manganese at very low levels. I do not use water softeners to treat iron.
It’s my view that if you soften your water then you must add reverse osmosis for drinking water. The reason for this is that you are proportionately increasing the sodium in your water.
My water softener is constructed to match my Urban Defender whole house water filter. It is the taller skinny unit on the left plus the brine tank on the right:
Many people buy the wrong water softener and are then disappointed with the results. You have to match the capacity of the softener to the hardness of your water. You may request my short paper on this topic here: How to Buy the Right Water Softener.
There is both consumer and environmental pressure to move away from water softeners to systems which don’t use salt. I’ve tried a number of these and found that most don’t work. But a review of a study by ASU that compared various systems led me to start selling the Scalenet system by Watts Water ( I have since left Watts Water due to conflicts having to do with their ability to maintain stocks of the equipment I sell). The technology is proprietary so I don’t at this time know exactly how it works but the basic idea is this: the calcium is not removed but somehow modified so that it is less likely to stick on fixtures and more readily removed by cleaning. The system is very low maintenance with media being replaced every three years. Of course this depends on water use and is only an estimate.
Most companies have access to this same technology. What I can tell you from experience is that when a person purchases a water conditioner of this type they are generally disappointed in the results and buy an actual water softener a year later.
Urban Defender and Scale Conditioner:
Urban Defender on the left with Scalenet on the right in photo above
As always, any sales with me are by phone so you can call to place an order.
When you call, you’ll reach me directly. Together we will solve the water problems in your home.
866-691-4214 (toll-free)
970-259-2171
Monday – Friday
Try between 9 AM – 5 PM Mountain Time. I take weekends off
My Pledge to You:
“Honesty and Integrity in providing what you need, along with good old-fashioned service and values.”
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Contact Jim
- 866-691-4214
- 970-259-2171
- Mon - Fri, 9 - 5, Mountain Time
- Monday - Friday
- jim@cleanairpurewater.com
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