For this reason, the regeneration cycle is usually set to occur at night. If softened water is needed during the regeneration cycle, this can be problematic. If the down time of the water softener is an issue, or if a family is large or lives where water is particularly hard, it may be smart to consider a dual-tank water-softening unit with two resin tanks.
With a dual-tank unit, when one tank is in use, the other is regenerating. As a result, softened water is being supplied continuously, without any break in service. And because these units operate on demand, they can be sized smaller than single-tank units. Several models are available. One popular product, the Fleck , has a fully adjustable valve that is controlled by a meter. When the water softener starts backwashing one tank, its control switches the water supply to the other tank, offering a continuous flow rate of 21 gallons per minute.
With this model, you can buy various tank capacities—24,, 32,, 40,, 48,, 64,, 80,, and ,grain capacity per tank. When shopping for a dual-tank water softener, keep in mind the space it will require. Install it where it can serve the main inbound water line so it can supply the entire house. It will also require a drain for backwashing. If you choose a model that requires electrical power, be sure a circuit is located nearby.
For more about placing your water softener, see How to Install a Water Softener. Also look for features such as NSF National Sanitation Foundation certification and a solid warranty on the control valve and mineral tank such as three years for the valve and 10 years for the mineral tank.
A good water softener should last at least 20 years. According to manufacturers, this plug-in device, which clips onto the incoming pipe, sets up a magnetic field that changes the electromagnetic properties of the calcium-carbonate minerals so they are repelled by pipes and each other.
Please see the article for more about this. If you would like to try out one of these, please check out and read the user reviews for the Eddy Electronic Water Descaler buy on Amazon shown here. Note that the manufacturer offers a month money-back guarantee. If you do try it out, please send us your feedback. When buying or leasing a new water softener, selecting one that is the right size is important. Water softeners are sold in several sizes, each rated by the number of grains of hardness they can remove from water between regenerations.
The idea is to get a unit that will go at least three days between recharges. Ideally, the water softener can also handle periods of larger-than-normal water usage. What size water softener do I need?
You can calculate the size of water softener your family needs by multiplying the number of people in your household by 75—the average number of gallons used per person per day—to figure out the total amount of water your household uses daily. Then multiply this number by the number of grains per gallon GPG of hardness minerals in your water to figure out the capacity of whole-house water softener you need.
So, for example, figure that a family of five uses gallons of water per day 5 X Before leasing or buying a water softener, become acquainted with its features and controls. You can make an informed decision about which water softener to buy by following these steps:. This is a voluntary certification that states, when the softener is set to operate efficiently, that it will remove a minimum of 4, grains of hardness per pound of salt used.
At the same time, it will not use more than 4 U. This should be considered a minimum standard. Many softeners on the market are even more efficient. Below is an example of how the performance information about a softener may be presented:. Model No. Capacity — Grains: 5. The longer a water softener is allowed to run before regeneration, the less efficient it becomes. This happens because it takes proportionally more salt to recondition exhausted resin beads.
The above example shows how much salt the softener would use at three different settings. Capacity — Grains: Factory 5. The softener with 1 cubic foot of resin is set to regenerate when 20, grains of hardness has been removed, and will require 5. This equates to a removal of 3, grains of hardness per pound of salt used.
Note that at this setting, the softener will regenerate more often and will not run the resin to exhaustion. In the meantime, you can at least compare the salt efficiencies of water softeners. The Region of Waterloo and City of Guelph do not endorse specific brands of water softener, or provide a list of the best performers on this web site. For a list of NSF—certified water softeners, go to www. To select the right salt, read about how water softeners work.
Softener Buyers Guide. Why should I buy an efficient water softener? Did You Know: A timer—based water softener can cost twice as much to operate as a demand—based model. Water Softener Size Calculator The formula to calculate your daily hardness removal requirement is detailed below.
When picking a water softener , it is important to know just how hard your water is as each model is designed to treat a specific range of hard water levels. You need to ensure it has the capacity to treat your specific hard water symptoms.
To get a general idea of the hard water levels in your area, take a look at this water hardness map. Water softeners have clearly defined water softening capabilities, referred to as grain capacity, with a number in the 10s of thousands.
Often you will see this number in conjunction with a model number. 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.
0コメント