Are Ion Exchange water softeners a good investment? 

• Ion Exchange water softeners are the most beneficial appliance you can own. It is not an appliance that just gets used occasionally in the home. Everyone in the house uses softened water every day. An IE softener truly pays for itself in real dollars saved on detergent, soap and household cleaning products, as well as true energy savings for your water heater. You will save countless dollars on plumbing repairs, water heater replacement, and water using appliance repairs due to problems resulting from hard water scale. You will also save personal time and energy on everyday cleaning chores.

Why is hard water undesirable?

• "Hard water interferes with almost every cleaning task from laundering to dishwashing to bathing and personal grooming. Clothes and linens laundered in hard water may look dingy or gray, feel harsh and scratchy, and will not last as long as clothes and linens washed in soft water. Dishes and glasses may be spotted when dry. Hard water may cause film on shower doors, shower walls, bathtubs, sinks, fixtures, etc. Hair washed in hard water may feel sticky and look dull. Water flow may be reduced by deposits in pipes.” (reprinted from Wilkes University article).

How is hard water measured?

• The Water Quality Association classifies water hardness in the following chart:

      Classification  mg/l         ppm grains/gal 

      Soft water 0-1         Slightly hard 1-3.5         Moderately hard 3.5-7.0         Hard 7.0-10.5         Very hard 10.5 & over 

Are you already buying water softeners, but not getting the full benefit of soft water?

• Since we live in a hard water area, you see ads for soaps and detergents made specifically for overcoming hardness. You are paying for chemical water softeners, without the additional benefits of having a water softener supplying the whole house. What are chemical water softeners? Read the lists on Tide, Cheer, Fabricare, Cascade, Sun Light, Calgon, Palmolive, etc. You will fine “Anionic and nonionic surfactants, water softeners- sodium carbonate and bicarbonate, fabric whitening agents, etc”. Are you also buying “Lime Away” and other cleansers specifically to remove the unsightly and irritating hardness scale and spots on your fixtures, toilets, bathtubs, etc.?

What does hard water cost the average family?

 

• Although it is hard to calculate an exact cost for having to deal with hard water, the experts agree that an average family will spend over $10,000.00 over a ten-year period. That breaks down to an average monthly, unnecessary hard water and detergent expense of $90.00 per month- FOREVER!

Will a water softener really pay for itself?

If you do math you will find that a Quality softeners cost an average of $2,000.00 - 3,000.00 when installed professionally so the  "Pay Back" can easily be less than 3 years!

 

What are the benefits of soft water?

1.Use substantially less soap and household cleaners- good for you and the environment.

2. Softer skin- reduces dry skin problems

3. Clothes and linens last longer

4. Water heaters work more efficiently

5. Water heaters last significantly longer- especially important in new homes with water heaters installed in the attic !

6. Less cleaning- more personal time for you

7. Reduces bath tub and shower scum

8. Razor blades last longer

9. Hair looks and feels better- less shampoo and conditioner needed to get great results

10. Plumbing and fixtures last longer

11. Reduces fixture spotting

12. SAVES MONEY- bottom line

 

Have you heard the urban legends and myths?

 

Myth- “over softened water” will cause copper leaching and plumbing problems. Soft water produced from Ion Exchange water softeners DOES NOT CAUSE corrosion and leaching of copper piping. The American Water Works Association published an extensive, scientific paper on this topic in the August 1999 issue of the AWWA Journal magazine, disproving claims that water softened by ion exchange water softeners is more corrosive.

Myth- Consumers will not benefit from a water softener if the water has 3.5 to 4 grains per gallon hardness. Savvy consumers will enjoy real savings in real dollars, and time, for all of the reasons listed previously in this newsletter. Who wants to replace a water heater in the attic every 5 years? Especially one that is full of hardness scale? 

Myth- All water softeners perform the same function and are therefore the same. This could not be further from the truth. All water softeners are not created equal. There are significant differences in materials of construction, internal port sizing, efficiency, and types of controls. You want to buy a quality product that will last 10-15 years, like your other appliances. 

So what is the best water softener?

• Water softeners are available from several sources. The best source, while appearing to initially cost more, is from a local water treatment specialty company, who provides sales, service and installation. Usually, these companies sell better equipment because they want consumer loyalty and satisfaction by not having frequent service calls from low quality equipment. Unlike Big Box retail stores (i.e. Home Depot and Sears), the water treatment companies have knowledgeable, certified people on staff, to give you the best possible advice and service. The best softeners in the market feature high quality Noryl plastic bodies (a superior GE plastic, usually black for UV resistance), with DIR (Demand Initiated Regeneration) controls that include a reliable built in water meter so the unit only regenerates based on your family water usage. Softeners with proportional brining and up flow regeneration also save salt and water, thereby giving discriminating homeowners even more savings. Softeners with frictionless, non-sliding seals, or “flappers” are simply the most durable. Softeners with the quality features listed are the best available, and usually include realistic warranties. The best softeners come from Professional water treatment companies. Period. (Caution- beware of “Rotary Disc” valves, as they frequently fail in this area.)

What about my drinking water? Will a water softener give me better drinking water?

• 95% or more of the water used in the home is “utility water” for bathing, washing, flushing toilets, etc. Water softeners are designed to give you better utility water, though they also give you clear ice tea and coffee by reducing the hardness in the water. Have you ever wondered how restaurants have really clear ice tea? It’s because they have water softeners for their commercial dishwashers, so they benefit with clear ice tea, and less service on their coffee makers.

How do I improve my drinking water?

• Carbon filters and Reverse Osmosis systems are designed to improve the aesthetics of your water.

What is an Activated Carbon Filter and what does it do? 

• Water pitcher filters use small, flow through carbon filters to produce “better tasting water”. Activated carbon filters will effectively reduce most taste and odor, usually due to reactions between chlorine and chlorine compounds used by municipalities for disinfecting the water supply. Carbon block filters actually have better filtering characteristics, and have better contact time with the water to remove the objectionable tastes and odors. Carbon block filters systems are installed under the kitchen and bathroom sinks on the cold water line to improve the water.

What is a Reverse Osmosis system?

 

 

Why is it better than a carbon filter? 

Why should I spend the extra money to put one in my home?

• A RO system filters out sediment, tastes and odors, and reduces the total dissolved solids from your water supply by 95% or more. This means you are getting very pure water, right there in your kitchen. Have you heard the ad “We promise you nothing and we give you nothing”? That’s right. “Aquafina”. Read the label and you will see that they are producing and bottling RO water and selling it as premium water. Do you buy this water and use it for making Kool-Aid for the kids? Do you use it to make your coffee or iced tea? How about for soups or juices? Do you use premium bottled water for cooking and steaming your vegetables? 

Would you use RO water for all of your beverages, concentrates and cooking if it were cost effective and convenient to do so

• An under the sink RO system with a “third faucet” at your kitchen sink is a tremendous convenience and LESS EXPENSIVE THAN YOU THINK. RO water, even with the required filter changes and periodic service, costs only 6-10 cents per gallon when you own your system. Protect your RO system by installing a water softener and feeding the RO with cold, soft water. Hard water will ruin an RO system in a matter of weeks or months.

 

Reverse Osmosis Contaminant Removal List:

Giardia cysts	100%	Criptosporidium cysts	100%	DDT	>99.9%	PCB	>99.9%
E.coli bacteria	>99.9%	Fecal bacteria	>99.9%	Lindane	>99.9%	Salmonella typhi	>99.9%
Vibrio choleriae	>99.9%	Shigella disinteriae	>99.9%	Serratia marcescenes	>99.9%	Toluane	>99.9%
Sodium Fluoride	99%	Calcium Cloride	99%	Sodium Chloride NaCl	99%	Sucrose	99%
Magnesium Cloride	99%	Nickel Sulfate NiSO4	>99%	Copper Sulfate CuSO4	>99%	Lactic Acid pH5	99%
Glucose	98%	Sodium Nitrate NaNO3	97-99%	Chlorinated Pesticides	99.9%	Silica SiO2	98%
Sodium	95-99%	Nickel	95-99%	Chloride	99.9%	Radioactivity	95-99%
Potassium	92-99%	Zinc	95-99%	Bicarbonate	99%	Sulfate	95-99%
Calcium	95-99%	Strontium	95-99%	Nitrate 3	90-99%	Ferro cyanide	96-99%
Magnesium	95-99%	Cadmium	95-99%	Fluoride	90-95%	Arsenic +3	95-99%
Iron	95-99%	Silver	95-99%	Silicate	95-99%	Arsenic +5	95-99%
Aluminum	95-99%	Mercury	95-99%	Phosphate	95-99%	Lead	95-99%
Ammonium	95-99%	Barium	95-99%	Chromate	95-99%	Copper	95-99%