When it comes to home water conditioning, it is important to know how to size a water softener correctly. This way, you are sure to purchase the appropriate and most effective water purification system for your household. There are a few different ways to measure or size-up a water conditioning system. One full-proof way to determine which system to buy for your property is to consult a professional in the industry. They retain the experience and knowledge to set you in the right direction.
In the meantime, it is always a good idea to catch up on simple tips and general advice for water softener systems. With that said, continue reading to learn how to size a water softener for your home and how to be sure it is the right system for your water conditioning needs.
Water Softener Sizing Directions
The best place to start, when it comes to learning how to size a water softener, is by learning how the entire system all works. Basically, water softeners swap hard minerals for soft ones in a property’s water supply. Hard minerals include calcium, magnesium, and other metal ions and compounds, while soft minerals include sodium and potassium. Within a water softener, there are several tiny chemical magnets called ion exchange resin. These magnets are the agents that facilitate the mineral exchanges within the system. The more chemical magnets a water softener has, the higher its capacity will be.
Understanding Water Softener Capacity
Capacity is a common term measuring the number of gallons a system can purify before needing more salt or a new cartridge; depending on the type of system it is. Capacity is measured in “grains” or its rate or grain removal; and one grain per gallon is equal to 17.1 parts per million. On average, the water in the U.S. contains nearly ten grains of hardness per gallon and the average person uses 80 gallons of water per day.
Hard Water Testing
By using a water hardness testing kit, you can quickly determine the level of hardness in your home’s water supply. In order to calculate the amount of water you need to purify, multiply the number of people living within the home by the number 80; and then multiply that number by the number of grains per gallon (10) to get the total number of grains used per day in a home.
Here is an example of the formula for a family of five:
Number of People: 5
Gallons of Water Used per Person: 80
Gallons of Water Used Per Day: 5 x 80 = 400
Average Grains of Hardness: 10
Total Grains Used per Day: 400 x 10 = 4,000
Answer: Using this example, a 40,000 grain capacity water softener would likely be recommended for the average family of five.
Would you like to upgrade or replace your water softener? Contact Weilhammer Plumbing Company at 317-784-1870 for water softener sales, service, and installation in Indianapolis, Indiana. We serve residential and commercial clients.
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