There are some places in this country where the water is extremely hard. Take Utah. Its combination of geology and climate makes it the perfect place to find some of the hardest water in the country.
It’s no wonder plumbing contractors like Salt Lake City’s SameDay encourage customers to consider installing water softeners.
SameDay explains that there are different types of water softeners. Each one accomplishes the goal a little bit differently. It’s up to a homeowner and his plumbing contractor to figure out the best option. I plan to discuss some of those options in this post. But first, what makes water hard?
High Mineral Content
Groundwater naturally comes with minerals already in it. Not only that, but the human body also needs certain minerals to function properly. But it’s possible for mineral levels to be too high. And when that’s the case, water is hard. The higher the mineral content, the harder the water.
Also, note that some minerals are more problematic than others. In terms of water hardness, the two most troublesome are calcium and magnesium. If you can reduce them, you can soften the water. That is exactly what a water softener does.
4 Types of Water Softeners
The modern plumbing industry markets four types of devices to address hard water. Only two are legitimate softeners. The others aren’t for the simple fact that they don’t actually reduce magnesium and calcium levels. Yet they are included in this list because the industry promotes them as hard-water solutions.
Here are the four types:
1. Ion-Exchange Softener
An ion-exchange water softener is a salt-based device that removes calcium and magnesium and replaces them with sodium and potassium. It uses a reverse osmosis process to make the swap. Ion-exchange units are the most effective of all four. They are also the most popular among consumers.
2. Dual-Tank Softener
The dual-tank water softener is similar to its ion-exchange cousin. It also uses reverse osmosis to swap out minerals. The big difference is that it utilizes two resin tanks running on alternate regeneration cycles. The result is higher output and greater consistency. It’s the best choice for larger families.
3. Salt-Free Softener
A salt-free softener is actually a water conditioner. It’s not a true softener because it doesn’t do the mineral swap. Instead, it conditions the water to reduce mineral buildup and scaling inside the home.
4. Magnetic/Electronic Softeners
The magnetic/electronic softener is also not a true softener. It’s more of a de-scalar. It uses magnetic or electromagnetic fields to charge mineral ions so that they are less likely to form scales inside plumbing and fixtures.
How to Choose the Right One
We finally get to the money question: how to choose the right water softener. The first step is to have your water tested for hardness. Hardness is measured in grains per gallon. The higher the number, the harder the water. Extremely hard water isn’t going to be helped much by conditioners and de-scalers, so keep that in mind.
The next step is to calculate your household water usage to ensure that the model you choose offers enough capacity. You will also need to consider operating costs. For example, an ion-exchange unit needs the salt refreshed regularly. It’s an expense you cannot avoid.
If you do all the research and still can’t choose, your plumber or installer can give you advice. The main thing to remember is that harder water requires a more aggressive approach to softening. If I were living in Utah, for example, I would go straight for the dual-tank option.
