If you have thought about adding a water softener to your home or office, there are a few things to consider first. These considerations will help you determine which type of water softener best suits your water softening and conditioning needs.
Continue reading to learn where to start when choosing a new water softener for your home or office.
Step By Step Guide to Buying a Water Softener
Buy a Hard Water Testing Kit
The first thing you need to consider is the hardness of your water. The degree of iron and other minerals in the water supply will give you an understanding on how necessary it is to purchase a water softener. Depending on where you live, the hardness of water can differ substantially. Typically, hard water is influenced by the amount of region rainfall and drought patterns. It can fluctuate from city to city. Once you have tested your water, you can continue on the path of choosing the right water softening system for your individual needs.
Determine What Size You Will Need
Choosing the right size water softener can be complicated. This is a good place to ask a professional for assistance. It is helpful to understand exactly what a water softener does before attempting to calculate the proper size might need.
A water softener basically removes hard mineral from water, (i.e. iron, calcium, etc.) and trades it in for softer minerals like sodium. Inside these appliances are things called ion exchange resin. These act as little “chemical magnets”. The more ion magnets a water softener contains, the higher its capacity is.
The capacity refers to the number of gallons a system can purify before it needs regenerated or recharged. The capacity is measured by grain removal per gallon. The average water supply in America has around 10 grains of hardness per gallon. Since you have used a hard water testing kit, you already know the degree of hardness in your water.
Calculate Your Occupancy
In order to calculate how much water your home or office needs to purify, multiply the number of people in the home or building by 80. The number eighty comes from the statistic that the average person uses 80 gallons of water per day. Simply use the formula to calculate the capacity requirements. An average family of four would require a 32000 grain water softener once the math is calculated. Refer to the example below for a better understanding.
People in House: 4
Gallons Used Per Person: 80
Gallons Used Per Day in House: 80×4=320
Grains per Gallon: 10
Grains Used Per Day: 320×10=32000
What You Need to Know About Water Softener Regeneration
A water softener requires recharging after an extended amount of usage and time. The rate at which a water softener needs regenerated is determined by its capacity. There are three different regeneration options: meter regenerated, timer regenerated, and manual regeneration. Meter regenerated water softeners are highly efficient because they are programmed to acclimate to changes in water usage.
It only regenerates when it needs to, saving energy and money on salt pellets in the long run. Timer water softeners use a time clock to schedule and execute regeneration. No matter how much water is used, it will regenerate as programmed. Manual regenerated softeners are pretty self-explanatory at this point. These systems do not use timers or meters to track the amount of water used per day. They require manual draining and recharging every time.
Is your water softener in need of service or repair right now? Do you need a new water softener? Contact Weilhammer Plumbing Company at 317-784-1870 for Indianapolis Indiana plumbing services for water softeners, today. We provide residential and commercial plumbing services all throughout Central Indiana.
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