Where to purchase water softener

Hardness Of Water. Geological Survey. Softened Water Benefits Study. Water Quality Research Foundation. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Bakshi, Baishali et al. Public Library Of Science Plos , doi Lin, Lu et al. Npj Clean Water , vol 3, no. Actively scan device characteristics for identification. Use precise geolocation data. Select personalised content. Create a personalised content profile. Measure ad performance. Select basic ads. Create a personalised ads profile. Select personalised ads.

Apply market research to generate audience insights. Measure content performance. Develop and improve products. List of Partners vendors. The 7 Best Water Softeners of Remove minerals from the source with these products. By Austin Fracchia Austin Fracchia. Austin Fracchia is a writer specializing in home design, DIY projects, and technology. He has five years of experience. Learn more about The Spruce's Editorial Process. Fact checked by Emily Estep. Emily Estep is a plant biologist and fact-checker focused on environmental sciences.

Emily has been a proofreader and editor at a variety of online media outlets over the past decade. Our Top Picks. Best Overall:. Adjust the hardness of your water with a built-in blending valve, a unique feature of this best-selling water softener. Best Budget:. A compact footprint and speedy regeneration are two big benefits of this affordable water softener for person households. Best System:. Generally, the higher the gallon-per-minute capacity, the bigger the tank is likely to be and the deeper the resin beads.

Equipped with the knowledge of what causes the water hardness, how much hardness your water contains and the amount of water being used, you will be able to select the right water softener for your situation. Average water usage stands at 80 gallons per person, per day. So, a two-person household would use gallons, a four-person home would use gallons, and so on. For a hypothetical example, say you have a four-person household using the average amount of water, gallons.

Your water test reveals that your water contains nine grains of hardness per gallon. If your household realistically uses more or less water than average or your water test reveals a higher or lower number, the factors of the equation can be adjusted.

If the capacity of a water softener is expressed in gallons per minute it can soften, you can use the basics of how much water your family uses along with the level of hardness in your water to calculate how many grains you need removed per gallon, per minute. Some softeners are specialized to focus on certain issues, while others may be standard and generalized.

To help you decide which water softener to buy, it would be ideal to have at least a little understanding about the technology they have inside them. In particular, the regeneration frequency is probably more important than any other feature. Examine how often the cycle happens and how much water and salt it uses during each one. You may be tempted to jump on the cheapest model, but you might find that less regeneration and more efficient operation pays off over time as it needs less salt and water.

Besides water type and flow rate to determine water-softener needs, a local professional is always a huge help since they know what models and brands demonstrate good success in a specific region. To a certain extent, a water-softening-treatment-filtration system can and needs to be customized to the characteristics of your water and family. For example, a family with two people who have calcium but not minerals or metals in their water would probably use a different setup than would a family of six with water that contains calcium carbonate and a few types of hardening minerals.

The water-softener controls also make a difference in costs over time and impact operation. Some have a timer control that prompts regeneration at a preset time of day on the basis of average daily usage. This method works fine until you end up using more water than average on a given day or week, say if you have houseguests. In addition, this type of control automatically uses X amount of salt to regenerate according to time and not necessity. Other softeners offer the more advanced demand-initiated regeneration DIR , which is recommended by the Environmental Protection Agency.

This type of control senses when the resin needs to be recharged and only regenerates when needed. The sensor mechanism is usually an electronic component or a usage meter that measures and calculates how much water and salt are being used.

Not only does this technology reduce the amount of water and salt the softener uses, but it also decreases the number of times you have to fill it and eliminates any concerns about above-average usage days.

Several types of water softeners also offer filtering options in addition to treatment, such as reverse osmosis to remove salt from drinking water. Most softeners run on electricity, need a volt outlet and use about as much power as a digital alarm clock, though some do run on batteries.

It is difficult to pinpoint an exact number for salt usage, but someone with hard well water can probably expect to use pounds of salt per month. It typically comes in pound bags of pellets and crystals. To a certain extent, your needs and budget may drive your water-softener selection, but each will have a number of distinguishing characteristics. One of the things that will gain you confidence in a certain brand is NSF certification.

NSF is a non-profit organization that since has conducted independent research and has made resources available to protect public health and safety.

NSF examines many types of consumer products and certifies only those that meet a strict standard. The Water Quality Association, a trusted trade organization of the industry, certifies equipment, so you can seek the WQA Gold Seal as another indicator of quality. It makes life easier to have a water-softener model that can gauge the salt level on its own, which helps you achieve ideal soft water by maintaining the right levels of sodium.

The frequency of salt refills depends largely on the model of water softener you buy, its capacity, the technology inside it and how often it regenerates, as well as how much water your household uses. Naturally, a household using more gallons of water will go through salt faster than one using fewer gallons. The salt-adding intervals vary from household to household and overall, may range anywhere from once a week to every few months. Besides the variable of households, many other things affect how much salt a softener will use including and especially the technology inside it, as well as how it operates and its age.

For example, some softeners take all the salt into the water at once while others may suspend it out of the water and release it as necessary like those with DIR control.

Yes, and it pays to know more about them before purchase since the sometimes-subtle differences among them can be confusing. Either option is an ideal solution in households with orders for ultra-low salt intake as well as anyone who wants to eliminate the expense of salt and avoid the task of replenishing the supply regularly.

Generally speaking, most professionals agree that salt-using models soften more effectively than ones that use no salt. People concerned about salt intake can also use a traditional softener along with a reverse-osmosis filter to remove the salt from drinking water.

Conditioning may be a good option for folks on a zero-potassium diet or who want to avoid using water for the regeneration process. Several different methods are used to control the cycles, but the two main types are:. Water softener timer controls. Clocks or electronic timers automatically recharge the unit at a preset time and day, based on your average usage. This type may fall short if you have unusually large water usage on a particular day.

They also waste sodium and water because they regenerate whether or not recharging is necessary. They usually do this in the early morning hours. Softener DIR controls. A more sophisticated method, called demand-initiated regeneration DIR , senses when the resin needs recharging, either electronically or with a meter that measures and calculates usage. A demand-initiated regeneration system saves on salt and regeneration water because it does not recharge unless necessary.

In addition, it provides for abnormally large water usage. Should I buy or rent a water softener? In the short run, renting a water softener is often the most attractive option because there are no significant upfront costs. Here is a video of insider buying tips that can be helpful in gaining an overview of things you should consider when buying a new water softener.

Get at least two quotes from different water softener companies. And be sure the quotes are based on exactly the same type of considerations: regeneration cycle, type of controls, level of service, and, of course, warranty on both the control valve and the resin tank.

It is usually best to work with an established company. Find out whether you will need a plumber for installation or whether the work must be done by a special factory service person. And pay attention to the monthly fee for maintaining the softener. Some softener firms provide a service where they regularly exchange exhausted with charged units.

This type of service is a good bet if you live in an area where waste water from sewers is recycled for municipal watering because sodium may be considered a pollutant. Also look for certification. NSF International is an independent testing organization that tests and certifies water-treatment products. Call for free estimates from local water treatment pros now: This is important to know because you need to make sure you purchase a system that has enough softening capacity for your entire home.

Use the water softener sizing chart below to determine the rough capacity of water softener you need. As you can see in the water softener buying guide below, budget, functionality and features vary considerably across the spectrum of water softeners. Besides softening capacity, options such as energy efficiency, iron removal, salt usage and even contaminant filtration capabilities found in whole home hybrid water treatment units come into play when deciding which system is right for you.

At a glance, It may seem like a lot of technical info, but if you get to know some basic water softening terminology , narrowing down your water softener choices becomes much easier. There is a wide range of water softeners to peruse and you are more than guaranteed to find the best solution for your household.