How to choose a water softener for home?
Choosing the right water softener for your home requires some knowledge, that is why one usually rely on professional advice in this matter. But before you do the same, try to educate yourself on this topic. What to consider when choosing whole-house water softeners?
The tap water in your home is typically hard, or even very hard. In some areas, it can be as hard as 20 dH (German degrees) out of 28 permitted by the local codes. Such water is allowed for consumption, but we all know it can generate big problems in the household over time.
To get rid of this headache, homeowners decide to invest in a whole-house water softener. There are many water treatment brands in the market, that is why we recommend learning a few things about water softeners to choose the right one out of many makes and models available.
How to test the water hardness at home?
If you use city water, please check the declared level of water hardness with the local provider. If such details are not available, you can go with two options to check the hardness of your tap water:
- quick in-home testing with test strips or drops,
- testing your water sample at a professional laboratory or with a water treatment company.
The water hardness level is one of the parameters to be considered when selecting a water softener for the home. This information will also come in handy during the setup of the device.
If you source water for your home from a ground well, we highly recommend testing it thoroughly in the lab. The test results may show that more complex water treatment would be necessary, including bacteria, iron and manganese removal. In such a case, you might have to instal a full set of water filters, along with the water softener.
What to consider when choosing the best water softener system
As you may guess, multiple factors determine the choice of a whole-house water softener. Here’s what you should take into account:
Level of water hardness – the harder the water, the more softening resin the device should contain. If for some reason you choose a softener with lower resin capacity, it may need to regenerate more often. This will result in higher energy bills and increased use of tablet salt, also the softening resin will wear off faster.
Water consumption – the more family members live in your house, the more water will be consumed daily. The number of rooms the soft water will be distributed to is also important, as well as the number of water-operating appliances, such as a dishwasher, washing machine and a water heater. Will you welcome new family members soon? Take it into account, too.
The quality and the amount of softening resin – the more resin there is in the softener, the more water it can treat at once. Also, a high-quality softening resin will filter the water more efficiently and will last longer.
Quality of components – they guarantee that the softener will work failure-free. Make sure that the mineral tank and the brine tank are made of durable plastic that will not break or leak during use. Also, to prevent device downtimes, the control valve should be made by a renowned manufacturer.
Extra options – they can impact your choice in a greater manner than you think. Check all the additional functions a water softener may have, such as a wifi module to operate the softener with a smartphone app, or a sound alarming when the salt level in the brine tank is low.
How big should the water softener be?
Four things should be considered when choosing the size of the softener: the level of water hardness, the water consumption, the number of family members and the number of intake water points. To facilitate the choice, top manufacturers classify the water softeners by the number of family members:
- family of 2 people: a softener with 11 l of resin
- family of 2 – 3 people: a softener with a 20 l of resin
- family of 3 – 4 people: a softener with a 25 l of resin
Choosing the right water softener to suit your needs and your family’s lifestyle doesn’t have to be difficult. All you need is a brief research on the subject to prepare for a conversation with a water professional.
Below you will find a selection of recommended FITaqua water softeners:
For a family of 1-2 people:
Family of up to 3 people:
Family of 3 – 4 people:
Family of more than 4 people:
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