A water softener has become one of the necessities of everyday life. It can help you remove hardness from water, by eliminating certain minerals. In this article, we will discuss how to size a water softener.
You will be amazed to know that the internet is filled with tools that can help consumers choose the best water softener for themselves. However, the majority of these tools fail because they are not very efficient.
So, why these online tools fail? The reason is simple and clear, they do not understand the concept of water softener salt.
When buying these tools online or in-store, they will look very properly sized but will fail in practical use. They can consume a massive amount of salt (often more than 2000 pounds every year). But, a proper water softener would only use 200 to 300 pounds every year. See the difference!
If you care about all this, I would urge you to read this full article. This is going to be a detailed guide to help you understand water softener capacity.
The Efficiency of Water Softener
The efficiency of a water softener is very important because it decides how much salt you will have to use, how much salt you will have to buy, and how much salt will be discharged into the environment.
If your water softener is efficient you will never have to worry about it running out of soft water. Moreover, you will also save a few bucks, because you will have to spend too little on purchasing salt.
Looking at the broader picture, this can help you save a lot of money and effort. So you should care about the efficiency of the water softener.
Moreover, you do not need to spend much on water softener maintenance.
How to size a water softener?
A properly sized water softener has a few characteristics:
• It will consume very less amount of salt.
• It will maximize water capacity.
You must know about your daily water softening requirement before you start to size your water softener. Simply put, this is a measure of how much hardness your device will have to deal with daily.
This information is calculated based on the hardness of water and your daily water consumption.
Once you have found out your daily water softening requirement, sizing your device is an easy task.
Know your water hardness
Water hardness is the measure of the amount of magnesium and calcium dissolved in your water. This report may be generated in mg/L or milligram per liter or GPG (Grain per Galloons). The choice between the two reports is based on the location where the test is performed.
However, the inter-conversion of these two units is fairly simple. You just need to divide mg/L by 17.1 to get the result in GPG.
As already stated, it is very important to know about the hardness of water before purchasing your water softener. You must not guess on this number. It will only lead to more cost and less durability of the device.
Moreover, when you are time programming the softener, it will again ask about water hardness. So you can understand this is an important step.
If you have your well, you will have to test the hardness of the water on your own. If you are getting water supply from the city, you can contact the respective authority for details. More often than not, you will find this information in their annual report which is posted online.
If iron is present in your water, its hardness value should be corrected. For every ppm of iron, 3 GPG hardness will be required to be added to the total hardness value.
Calculate the daily water softening requirement
Calculating the daily water softening requirement is fairly simple. You just need to multiply your daily water consumption with the hardness of the water. Simple as that!
Consider that the hardness of water is 10 GPG.
If you have a family of four people, you will use 4 x 75 gallons per day of water = 300 gallons.
Daily water softening = hardness x daily water consumption
= 10 x 300 = 3000 grains.
In this example, your water softener will remove 3000 grains of hardness daily.
Pre Requirements for Water Softener Installation
The installation of a water softener can be an easy or a difficult task – it completely depends on your home, your requirements and where you want to install it.
If you do not have proper knowledge, in this case, it is always beneficial to hire a professional. However, we will provide you a detailed guide in this post. So stay tuned.
Some pre-requirements for water softener installation are:
- Tape measure
- Gate valves
- Pipe wrench
- Pipe cutters
- Two compression fitting
- Teflon tape
- Solder
- Tee valves
- Copper pipe or tubing
- Two union fitting
- Flux or PVC solvent
- Torch
- Flexible tubing
Make sure you have all these items in your reach before you start to install the device. It would make the process smooth and easy.
Here are 5 Best Water Softeners Currently Available in the Market
iSpring ED2000 Salt-Free Electronic Descaler Water Conditioner
It solves the problem of hard water. It does not need any chemical or maintenance. iSpring does not allow scale deposit formation.
Moreover, it can break all scale deposits present in the container due to which the healthy minerals are not eliminated from the water.
It descales the water system and solves the problem of scale build-up in your pipe. It saves energy and increases the lifetime of appliances.
For installation, it requires very less space. You can install this device even on copper, PVC, and CPVC pipe. It is best for home use as well as for companies.
And it is very beneficial for your hair and skin. It comes with a one-year warranty. Moreover, they provide lifetime technical support. If you need any assistance you can contact iSpring at any time.
It is best for the environment as it uses very less salt and energy. This product does not waste water like other softeners. It requires only as much water as for a load of laundry. You do not need any plumbing modification.
It is innovatively designed for hard water (10 to 19 grains) and increases the lifetime of the appliances.
On The Go OTG3NTP1DS Double STD Water Softener
This is one of the best water softeners on the market. This can soften almost double the amount of water as compared to another softener in this list.
On The Go can supply more than 40% soft water than any other product available in the market. It has a capacity of 16,000 grain. This product can provide soft water for almost 40 days. It uses very less salt as well, only 2 boxes.
Its space-saver and compact design make it possible to install it at any place you want. It requires very little space. And it can provide high pressure of water flow at a very less water pressure drop.
It is provided with a handle on the top, which makes it very easy to carry. This product has a large mouth where you can easily pour the salt. It is provided with very premium quality resin.
This product is made for your comfort. You can easily carry it anywhere you go. It will need very little space. It is provided with 360-degree swivel. This product is designed to prevent any form of leakage.
If you want to purchase any equipment for your RV, this should be your go-to option.
15 Stage Shower Filter with Vitamin C for Hard Water
This water softener shower head is one of the top-rated products available in the market. It has a premium level ABS and a cartridge filled with Vitamin C.
It is provided with fifteen levels of dechlorination. This product can easily remove heavy metals, rust, odor, and sediments. It can soften your water and protect you from hard water.
It is provided with an innovative 15-stage softening. Moreover, the Vitamin C content nourishes your skin and protects you from skin dryness.
This product is safe and effective. It provides gentle and multi-staged cleaning. The bathing experience is comfortable using this softener. If you want to enhance this experience you can use a rain shower head that will give you a rain experience while in your bathroom.
It can fit almost all types of shower heads including rain shower head, handheld shower head, inline faucet, standard faucet, and waterfall shower head.
Additionally, this water softener contains two filter cartridges that are removable and can be changed very easily. You must give this product a try.
Tier1 Everyday Series 32,000 Grain High-Efficiency Digital Water Softener
This water softener is provided with an LCD, better features and easy operation. These features make it one of the most sought after products in the market.
It is completely traditional. Each water softener includes a brine tank, a mineral tank that is pre-filled with Cation resin, effective connections for water line, control valve, mechanical component, and drain line.
If you want to install this at your home, you may need some additional products like compression fitting which can be purchased separately.
This product is really energy efficient. It can save you a lot of bucks. It can make your soaps and detergents more effective. Water from this softener can make your skin glowing and healthier.
It has a very innovative design that requires very little space. This product is very easy to install.
It can help you alleviate dry skin, scalping and hair fall caused due to hard water. Hard water is really bad for your overall well-being. You should spend some money and purchase this item.
They provide 24/7 support so that you can contact them if you need any help.
Eddy Electronic Water Descaler
This product has a year warranty along with a lifetime repair facility, easy installation on plastic pipes and metals. And it dissolves the deposits in water and prevents the formation of limescale.
It does not remove healthy minerals from the water supply. This product manages to descale the whole water system. It is maintenance-free along with excellent results above 20 grains per gallon or GPG.
It is environment-friendly. So if you are concerned about the environment you can go for this option.
There is no extra salt added in water. So you can save a few bucks here as well. It is very economical.
Many users had seen great improvement in their hair and skin. Hard water damages your skin very fast. So investment in buying a water softener can prove to be very useful.
It does not change the chemical properties of water because of this the good effect of different particulates is not removed.
For 15 years, it has been used worldwide in many homes and companies. It should be installed away from water and moisture because it is not water-proof.
If you are thinking to buy a new water softener then this should be your go-to option. It is economical, safe, effective, as well as environmentally friendly.
High salt efficiency water softener guide
So by now, you know about some of the best water softener available in the market.
Before selecting your water softener you should consider the following:
- The design of the softener should be good so that it can soften all your water requirements.
- What is the water softening capacity of the device?
- How much water and salt it would use?
- It is best if the seller provides after-sale help.
- The price of the softener. It should not leave a heavy dent on your budget.
Are there any disadvantages of a water softener?
Like everything in this world, water softeners also come with some disadvantages. However, most of these are not very serious.
One of the most obvious disadvantages is that you will have to use water softener salt. If your device is not efficient enough, then you will have to spend a lot of bucks in buying these salts.
They can also be very bad for the environment. Many of them waste a lot of water. Moreover, the water discharged by them is salty, thus it cannot be recycled.
Common water softener FAQ
How to measure water hardness?
As already stated, the water hardness is measured in grains per gallon or GPG. You can also use a water softener hardness chart for this purpose. If you are taking water from the municipality, it will be available in their yearly report.
It can also be provided in milligrams per liter as well. The choice of units is dependent on where you live. However, the inter-conversion of these two units is fairly simple. You just need to divide mg/L by 17.1 to get the result in GPG.
How to determine water hardness?
Water hardness is the amount of calcium and magnesium dissolved in your water. Hard water is not preferred for daily use. You can make a phone call to your municipal officer and enquire about the hardness of the water. They will have all this information. If you are using water from your well, you can use a water test kit.
What is regeneration?
With use, the base of your water softener may accumulate hard particles. When this happens, your softener enters into a regeneration cycle. In this cycle, the salt in your device will mix with the incoming water. This will remove these particles from the resin bed. After regeneration, your softener can again provide a steady stream of soft water.
What type of salt should be used?
You can use nugget-style or clean pellet salt for water softener. You can also use some other type of salt. Refer to the instruction manual provided by your seller.
Does recharging water from the softener can harm my septic system?
The simple answer is no, it will not harm your septic system in any way.
How much water does each recharge consume?
This depends on the water softener capacity setting. It can use as much water as is required to clean a load of clothes. You should choose only that water softener that uses as less water as possible. You can also use a water softener system calculator to obtain this information.
How much electricity does a water softener consume?
Your water softener would not use much electricity. Moreover, if you are using the latest device in the market, it would save a lot of electricity. At most, it can use the same electricity as a digital alarm clock. If you are environmentally conscious, you would love this fact.
