Saturday, April 27, 2024

How to Choose a Water Softener: The Definitive Buying Guide

house water softener

Just keep in mind that the softener does add salt to the water and this salt does need to be refilled regularly. Salt-based water softeners are a familiar sight in homes supplied by hard water. A popular and affordable salt-based softener for average-sized households is the Rheem Preferred 32,000 Grain Water Softener.

🚰 Types of Water Softeners & Conditioners

A bypass valve enables you to divert water from the softener system, which can be useful in a number of situations. When turned on, the valve will direct the flow from your water pipe past the softener system—enabling you to work on the softener without shutting off water to the whole house. A bypass valve is also sometimes useful when using a volume of water where water hardness is not an issue. For example, if you’re doing yardwork it might make sense to divert water from the softener. Doing so saves the resin media from filtering water unnecessarily and shortening the time until the system’s next regeneration cycle.

house water softener

Can I Install a Water Softener Myself?

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Posted: Tue, 21 Nov 2023 08:00:00 GMT [source]

Each water softener will have different cycle lengths as well, ranging from under an hour to two or more hours. If you go through plenty of water and don’t want to wait for a long cycle, you may want to consider softeners with shorter cycle times. With 40,000 grains, the Whirlpool WHES40E can handle households ranging from one person up to as many as six people, making it a versatile pick. This article was researched and written by Erica Puisis, a professional freelance writer who specializes in large and small appliances for the home. She has written more than 200 articles for The Spruce, including articles on water testing kits, water heaters, and filtration systems. When septic tanks leak, harmful bacteria can be released, which can contaminate your water supply.

Aquasana 1,000,000 Gallon Rhino Water Softener

The salt-based softener system weighs 53 pounds and includes a bypass valve and an installation tutorial for handy DIYers. It includes a water filter that’s built right into the system to filter out any dirt or other sediment. It regenerates quickly, taking less than 25 minutes to complete a regeneration cycle—so no waiting around for hours for soft water free of metals or minerals that can cause stains. The softener uses KDF-55 and carbon media to filter out unwanted minerals like heavy metals, scale, and even chlorine. The recyclable KDF-55 used in the softener contains both zinc and copper which also cuts back on levels of chromium, lead, mercury, and nickel that may otherwise be found in your water. According to the brand, KDF-55 may prolong the water softener lifespan by about six years.

house water softener

Capacity is the measurement of grains per week that a water softener can handle before needing replenishment. Warranty is one of the most important things I’ve covered in this water softener buying guide. If a system has a warranty, it’s a positive sign that the manufacturer believes in the product they’re selling. Many modern water softeners now have Bluetooth connection, and this is a really handy feature to look for. They have no moving parts and don’t come into direct contact with water, so they should technically last forever. Plumbers typically charge around $200 to fit a water softener, although price varies depending on local competition.

Leveraging our team of bargain hunters, we’re also always sure to keep your budget in mind while we find the best water softeners on the market. Our team of experts is dedicated to accurately depicting the pros and cons of each water softener, translating technical product specifications into information you can understand. Our goal is to help you choose the ideal water-softening system for your home, so you can protect your plumbing and improve your water quality. The Iron Pro 2 features a digital LCD metered valve that measures water usage and days left for regeneration and allows adjusting salt usage. It also comes with a 1-inch bypass valve, to control water passage without shutting off the main water supply, and a brine tank for storing salt. Water first goes through a pre-filter that catches rust, silt and sediments.

Abundant Flow Water WS-48k-91SXT 9100sxt

This salt-based water softener removes magnesium, calcium, and even traces of iron to protect pipes, clothing, and hair from the effects of hard water. Water softening systems prevent common problems with water, including chalky deposits of calcium carbonate, called limescale (or scale), and other harsh minerals, like iron and magnesium. When one of these units is installed in a home, it works to soften water running out of every faucet, reducing or altogether removing these harsh minerals. This improves the quality of the home’s drinking water and leads to healthier skin, hair, and nails after bathing. The term “hard water” refers to ground water that contains high levels of such minerals as magnesium or calcium.

The whole house water filtration system that your home needs depends on the water source and your desired level of purification. There are several methods of filtering and treating water to achieve similar results. While systems and manufacturers vary in how they reach the goal, your system will include one or more of the following steps. This Pentair system is robust, and the water softener component makes it a great choice for homes with hard water issues.

Find everything from gas to electric water heaters in this handy guide with reviews. If you’re looking for other home essentials, read our best water heaters guide. There are a variety of different technology types that can be used to soften your water. To share feedback or ask a question about this article, send a note to our Reviews Team at Once we conclude our research, we craft a comprehensive, user-friendly article of recommended products and additional information to help our readers make the right purchase.

Some individuals also find that water softened with sodium can be detrimental to the kinds of houseplants they grow. In addition, some people dislike the slippery feeling of water that has been softened this way. Once the sodium ions in the resin beads are depleted, the softener will regenerate, washing the hardness minerals out of the resin and replacing them with fresh sodium chloride.

Because electronic descalers require no maintenance, you won’t need to create extra space for easy access to the tank, either. The best filtration system for city water is the one that removes what the city doesn’t address and the elements it uses to combat more damaging pollutants. A whole house filter is worth it if you purchase a lot of bottled water or have well water. If you detect contaminants in your water, a filtration system can be worth the investment, too. The best whole house filter is the one that will address all of your concerns with your water.

The larger the system, the greater the volume of hard water it can soften and the higher the price. Capacity is measured in the number of grains of hard minerals the system can remove. The capacity you need depends on how many people live in your home, how much water they use, and the hardness of your water.

Our Reviews Team is committed to delivering honest, objective, and independent reviews on home products and services. You should also factor in enough space to replace the media, though this isn’t a regular job, as most TAC media lasts up to 8 years. Your budget may affect the choices you have when buying a water softener. The smaller your budget, the more refined your search will be – but that’s not necessarily a bad thing.

There’s no denying the obvious benefits of water softeners, but not all softening systems are equal. We personally test all the water softeners featured in our guides and reviews, so we know for certain how they live up to customer expectations in real life. You should be able to install a water softener yourself if you’re used to doing odd jobs around the home, and you’ve preferably done a bit of plumbing work (plunging the toilet doesn’t count, sadly). Installing a water softening system is free – if you’re capable of doing the job yourself.

These units don’t have a resin tank or a brine tank, and they usually just need to be attached to the outside of your water pipe. Professional installation is an investment you will need to consider if you’re not up to installing your water softener yourself. All units apart from electronic descalers require plumbing into your water line, and if you aren’t very handy, you may need an expert to do the job for you. To do this, you can conduct a water test to determine your water’s grains of hardness per gallon (called grains per gallon, GPG for short).

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