A Plumber’s Guide On Water Softener Systems: Different Types Of Water Softeners For Your Home | Knoxville, TN
Approximately 90 percent of homes in the United States have hard water with high levels of calcium and magnesium. If the hardness of the water is higher than seven grains per gallon, then you should consider mounting a water softener in your home to make it soft by removing the minerals.
If you do not like leaving spots in your cleaned dishes or have experienced challenges in rinsing off soap after bathing, you need to consider scheduling a plumber to install a water softener. With tons of water softeners in the market today, getting the perfect unit for your home may not be a walk in the park.
In this blog, you’ll learn about the different types of water softeners and their pros and cons to help you decide on the ideal one for your home.
Salt-Based Water Softeners
These water softeners are popular and come in various sizes for different situations. For instance, if you want to take your family on a road trip, there are small, portable water softeners that can fit in your van.
Also known as ion exchange water softeners, salt-based water softeners can draw heavy minerals such as magnesium and calcium into a resin inside the softener. To complete the ion exchange process, they release sodium ions. How well you maintain and use your system can serve you and your family for 10 to 15 years.
However, this type of water softener adds salt to the water in minimal amounts. Also, the system’s resins need to be recharged regularly. And with time, the positively charged ions required for the exchange of minerals are exhausted.
Dual-Tank Water Softeners
This water softener works the same as a salt-based water softener. However, with the dual-tank water softener, two tanks give it an advantage over the salt-based one. With the two tanks, more minerals can be managed, including the high water capacity. These systems come with two resin tanks, enabling one tank to operate while the other is undergoing a salt recycling cycle.
However, if your home is small, you might need to reconsider buying this system. This is because dual tank water softeners occupy a lot of space; hence, plumbers recommend it for large homes with high water consumption. Also, they tend to be quite costly.
Salt-Free Water Softeners
As the name suggests, these water softeners do not use salt to get rid of hard water minerals; instead, they use a template-assisted crystallization system that allows minerals in your water to be neutralized. Plumbers recommend this to homeowners who do not want to add salt to their water or are searching for a relatively maintenance-free system.
However, these water softeners are unsuitable for homeowners, whose water has a high concentration of minerals, or those who use relatively high amounts of water. Also, compared to salt-based water softeners, the initial cost of these systems is higher.
Shower Head Water Softeners
These water-softener systems are built to eliminate minerals from the shower heads by filtering the water as it comes through, for example, when bathing. Heavy minerals in your bathing water often make it hard for you to rinse out the soap and sometimes tend to dry on your hair and skin.
The shower head water systems are not costly and allow homeowners in Knoxville, TN, to enjoy soft water when bathing without installing the entire water softening system. Also, they won’t be a problem for you during installation since they are easy to mount.
With regular servicing by a professional plumber, they can serve you and your family for several years. However, they have a cartridge filter that must be changed every three months.
Magnetic Water Softeners
These systems are not exactly water softeners. They are more water descalers and work to minimize the mineral build-up that passes through your plumbing system. These systems neutralize heavy minerals such as magnesium and calcium when water passes through a magnetic field. A powerful magnet outside the pipe pulls ions found in the water before it enters your home’s plumbing system.
Unlike salt-free and salt-based water softeners, which tend to take up a lot of space, these softeners can be installed even by homeowners in Knoxville, TN, with tiny rooms. This is because they come in small sizes, which you strap onto your water pipe.
If you rent a home, the plumbers recommend this system because it’s easy to install, and whenever you move to another house, you move with it. Also, these water softeners are affordable, and you can plug them into any available power outlet.
Reverse Osmosis Water Softening System
These water-softening systems are not built to soften water for your entire home. On the contrary, plumbers install them to soften water at only one point, and these softeners are the most common type of under-the-sink installation system. Under the sink units often have one to three cartridges that the plumbers connect to the sink water pipes inside your lower cabinet.
They use high water pressure, forcing water through a semipermeable membrane and filtering nitrates, metals, and minerals from your water.
Besides softening water, the reverse osmosis systems also filter out contaminants from your water. Under proper maintenance by a licensed plumber, these systems can serve you and your family for 10 to 15 years. However, a reverse osmosis water-softening system is expensive and limited. Also, it doesn’t treat your entire home water system.
Soften Your Water Today!
Are you a Knoxville, TN, resident and would like to soften the water in your home? Contact us at My Professional Plumber. We are a plumbing company with a team of well-trained and certified plumbers who offer top-notch water softening and filtration services.
We also offer water heater installation, plumbing repairs, faucet installations, and emergency services. Call us today!
Photo By Ariwasabi at Shutterstock
