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To Soften or not to Soften - that is the question.
Hard water interferes with almost every cleaning task from laundering and dishwashing to bathing and personal grooming. Clothes laundered in hard water may look dingy and feel harsh and scratchy. Dishes and glasses may be spotted when dry. Hard water may also cause a film on glass shower doors, shower walls and bathtubs. Hair washed in hard water may feel sticky and look dull.
Hard water also may affect the performance of household appliances. In water heaters, accumulated scale build-up from hard water insulates the water from the heat source. Then it requires more energy to deliver a given amount of hot water. Lowering the water heater temperature will lessen scale build-up. Before you do, however, consider the effect lower water temperatures will have on automatic dishwashers and in the laundry. What Causes Hard Water?
Water hardness is caused by calcium and magnesium ions present as sulfates, chlorides, carbonates and bicarbonates. Water chemists measure water impurities in either parts per million (ppm) or milligrams per liter (mg/L). However, hardness usually is expressed in grains of hardness per gallon of water (gpg). Water supply companies and health departments can tell you how hard the water is in your area.
You can reduce water hardness by using a mechanical water softening tank connected to your water supply line. According to the Water Quality Research Council, most home water softening equipment now on the market operates on the ion exchange principle to remove hardness minerals from water.
In this process, water passes through a bed of softening material, usually sulfonated polystyrene beads. The beads are supersaturated with sodium to cover both their exterior and interior surfaces.
The ion exchange process takes place as the hard water passes through the softening material. The hardness minerals attach themselves to the resin beads while the sodium in the resin beads is released simultaneously into the water.
This ion exchange process occurs billions of times during softening. Eventually, so much hardness collects on the softening material that the unit can no longer soften the water. The system needs recharging. Softening material is then washed automatically with a brine solution to replace the sodium and enable the ion exchange process to continue.
The advantages of softened water are numerous. You can expect cleaner, softer-feeling clothes, less use of household cleaning products, such as detergents, less use of shampoo and other personal cleanliness products and all-around easier maintenance and upkeep of the home. You can also expect longer life of appliances, including washing machines, dishwashers and water heaters.
Types Of Water Softeners
Mechanical water softeners are classified in four different categories as follows:
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Manual--There are several types of manual units. All manual units require you initiate some or all of the steps in the softener operation. The most basic unit requires the operator to initiate all the functions: backwash, brining, rinsing and the return to service.
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Semi-automatic--The more complex semi-automatic units require only the manual start-up of the regeneration cycle. All necessary steps of regeneration and return to service are then handled by the softener controls.
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Automatic-- The fully automatic softener is usually equipped with a timer, which automatically initiates the regeneration cycle and every step in the regeneration process. The regeneration of the unit is usually done during periods of low water usage, such as the hours between midnight and 4 a.m. or in the middle of the afternoon.
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Demand Initiated Regeneration (DIR)--With a demand initiated regeneration unit, all operations are initiated and performed automatically in response to the demand for treated water. The need for regeneration is determined by measuring gallons of water used, or by measuring the exchange in the electrical conductivity of the resin bed, or by sensing a change in water hardness.
Buying A Softener
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Buying a water softener requires comparison shopping and investigation. Here are some hints to help you as you shop:
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Expect prices to range from about $200 to more than $3,000. Make certain the unit you purchase has only the features you need.
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Buy only from a reputable dealer. Be wary of door-to-door salespeople.
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Decide on a system only after you have considered the cost of the equipment and its installation, and have obtained approximate operating costs. Expensive units are sometimes called "water treatment" systems. Make sure you understand what the system provides.
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Ask about service: Is it available locally? What is the cost?
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Check the warranty. Make sure it is a written warranty and be sure you understand it.
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If installation fees are included in the price, be sure there are no extra charges for bypassing lawn and garden water systems, replenishing swimming pools, water lines, etc. Be certain that you understand the method and cost of recharging the system.
