Searching for the best water softeners but don’t know which one is right for your home? You’ve come to the right place! This short guide covers the 3 most important factors to consider before you invest in a water softener.
3 Most Important Factors in Choosing A Water Softener
1. Type of Contaminants in Your Water
Before you decide on a water softener, the first thing you’ll need to do is test your water with a water testing kit. Testing your water will help you identify which contaminants specifically your water needs to be treated for.
Different types of water softener systems use different methods and different types of filters for treating your water. It’s important to get the right kind of filtration system or water treatment for the right kind of contaminant, or there’ll be no improvement to your water.
If your tap water is high in calcium or magnesium, for example, an active carbon filter is highly effective. A charcoal filter is great for removing sulphates, while UV light can be used to eliminate harmful microorganisms that may be lurking in your tap water.
Watch the video to learn how to use a water testing kit:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S8HH9DS2bOs
2. Grain Capacity and Hardness Levels
Once you’ve tested your hard water for contaminants, you’ll also need to test your water for the level of hardness. Hardness in water measures the level of contaminants present in grains per gallon, or gpg. GPG is measured in milligrams, liters, or parts per million (ppm).
1 GPG = 17.1 mg, or 17.1 liters, or 17.1 ppm.
You’ll then need a water softener with the right grain capacity for treating the level of hardness in your water. If the gpg is too low, your water softener will be ineffective at water treatment.
3. Whole House Vs Point of Use Water Softener
You wouldn’t buy a pair of shoes without sizing your feet first, right? Well, sizing a water softener is equally important when it comes to treating hard water in your home.
High water usage will require a water softener system that treats all the water outlets in your home. Typically, a whole house water softener system requires proper installation and may need to be integrated into an existing water heating system.
If you have experience with installations, you can save yourself some money and install it yourself. Otherwise, you’ll need to shell out additional dollars for either a plumber or local water softener dealer to do the job for you.
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Installing a point of use water softener system, by comparison, is a lot easier. A point of use water softener treats the water at one specific outlet – your kitchen sink, bathtub, showerhead, or washing machine for example. It’s definitely the better option if you’re only experiencing hard water issues in one room of the home.
Best Water Softener Brands to Consider
- Aquasana:Specializes in salt-free water softener systems that can be adapted to a variety of water treatment needs: descaling, filtration and sterilization. Their water systems are affordable and durable.
- Culligan: One of the oldest water treatment companies in the world, established since 1936. Their water softener solutions are salt-free, and widely available in over 90 countries. Prices range to suit just about any budget.
- Fleck: 50 yrs. old company founded in Minnesota that specializes in salt-based water softener systems of varying capacities.
- GE: You can’t talk about water softeners and not mention GE, or General Electric. GE is known primarily for electronics, but they developed a patented GE Smartsoft technology that automates the regeneration process based on your use.
- Pelican: A subsidiary of Pentair, Pelican specializes in a diverse range of water softener systems, including UV sterilizers. Their water softeners are usually among the more expensive options, but highly effective at descaling, with a 99% certification rating.
- Whirlpool: Water appliance company known for their self-cleaning filters.Based in Michigan, Whirlpool supports their water softener systems and other products with world-class customer service.
Article Submitted By Community Writer
