An electric water softener is a device which reduces and monitors the hardness of water that we use everyday. The hardness of water is measured by computing the amount of sediments that are dissolved in the water. One grain of hardness equates to about one seven thousandth of a pound. In general, water that has three point five or more grains per one gallon is regarded as hard water. If it contains more than ten point five grains per gallon, it is regarded as extremely hard. Hard water causes many problems which otherwise would not be encountered if soft water is used.

An electric water softener increases the quality of the water. It also takes away the unsightly water spots which hard water can cause on sinks, faucets, shower doors and other items that are washed with hard water. As more hard water is used, more residues from it are accumulated making them harder to remove. Dishes that are washed with soft water are cleaner, because there are less soap spots and water marks. These can usually be removed by treating them with a solution of water and white vinegar, but they will keep coming back because water and vinegar is not a permanent solution to the problem. In addition, hard water creates problems for washing your clothes. Soft water makes clothes brighter, cleaner and softer, making them last longer and look better. Furthermore, energy consumption around the house is lessened since the build up of hard water scale is reduced on water heaters.

Traditionally, an electric water softener works to soften hard water by changing its composition through a process called ion exchange. The method does not allow high concentrations of salt or sodium to be introduced into the water. There are many electric water softeners that are in the market and the choice will depend on your personal requirements. There are water softener models which you can purchase for as low as six hundred and fifty pounds sterling and as high as one thousand five hundred pounds.

Installing an electric water softener is rather expensive because it requires its own plumbing modifications, as well as a set of problems that is unique to the device. As compared to a water descaler, a water softener also requires more space because it is considerably larger in size. This can create some problems when the time comes to fill it up with salt, because there is less room to manoeuvre if you have a confined space. The salt which you will use in your electric water softener can cost you between fifty pounds to a hundred and fifty pounds. It might also be well to point out that the soft water produced from the device is not suitable to drink for babies as well as some adults. This will require you to have set up an additional drinking water supply which will involve additional cost. In addition, the waste matter produced by the water softener is not friendly to the environment.

Joshua Hind is the author of this article on Water Descaler.

Find more information about Water Softener here.

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By Hannah Pauline

How to Find the Most Efficient Water Softener for You

The signs of hard water are fairly obvious which makes it that much easier to know when you must soften your water. However, the difficult part can be selecting which water softener is the best for you. There are several water softeners to choose from, so it is important you do your research to decide what is most efficient for your needs.

The most vital aspect to selecting a quality water softener is being an educated consumer. There are tons of different water softeners to choose from, so what makes one better than another? You will want to look at different manufacturers, compare prices, and determine what type of setup will fit and be most convenient for what you're looking for.

Water softeners come in all sizes, so make sure to find the one that fits. You don't want to get home and find out that you can't use your new water softener because of a size problem. Also, look into what type of environment the water softener will be used in. They are quite versatile, but certain units are better than others in certain environments.

A great way to know if you are getting a quality water softener is to look at water softener ratings. This will inform you of the amount of minerals that can be removed from the hard water before the unit requires recharging. Some units may appear promising but require consistent maintenance that can become quite costly.

There are numerous water softener vendors to choose from, so it is recommended that you research and talk to others for any comments they may have. Some of the more popular vendors include Kenmore, Kinetico, and General Electric. Kinetico is known for their convenience and ease of use. However, they are costly units for the amount of upkeep that is required. Kenmore offers a wide range of water softeners from very basic to high-quality units.

Another thing to consider when purchasing your water softener is whether the unit is electric or non-electric. It makes it much more convenient if the unit is electric, but some of the more popular brands like Kinetico are non-electric. The last thing to consider is if you are looking for an ionic exchange unit or a magnetic water softening unit. Both styles are offered by most vendors.

It can be a difficult task to find the perfect water softening system for you. However, with the proper research and some feedback you should have no problem eliminating your daunting hard water dilemma.

For more information related to water and air filtration related products and topics please visit- Water Filter Articles

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By Nick Wright

Magnetic Water Softener Benefits Galore!

The types of water softeners on the residential market continue to grow and your options become better and better by the day! While many of the original softening systems which hit the market sucked up energy, were a major hassle to install, and still weren't all that effective, times have definitely changed! With the wonders of technological advances, you can now purchase a magnetic water softener which doesn't take any electricity at all, is fast and easy to install, and which is extremely effective at eliminating the dangerous minerals found in your tap water.

Magnetic Water Treatment Softener - No Salt Water Conditioners

There are many different benefits to using a magnetic water softener over any other type, so let's jump to the point and give them to you right away:

Benefit 1: Easy Installation

You don't even need tools to install most magnetic softening systems into your home! While some other types of water softeners require you to turn off the water to your home and then actually cut into pipes and make permanent structural changes to your plumbing, you don't have to do that at all with a magnetic system!

The technology used for this type of home water softening system has made it easier and faster than ever to get your system up and running in the home. If you are uncomfortable with the installation process of other units you can now purchase a magnet system and even install it yourself since you don't even need tools!

Benefit 2: No Salt

One of the huge criticisms of early day home water softening systems was the amount of sodium that they put into the environment. Salt is needed for many types of softening systems to work effectively, but a magnetic water softener does not use any salt at all. This will not only decrease your carbon footprint by saving the environment from an assault of salt from your home, but it will make your system more effective in every possible way.

All of the benefits of a home water softening system are magnified when you eliminate the salt from your system!

Benefit 3: Lime Scale Build-Up No More

If you worry about lime building up in your pipes and causing common plumbing problems which can wreck your home and cost you tons of money in repairs, then purchasing a magnetic water softening system is the best home improvement project you could ever take on. This system will eliminate the build-up of minerals in your pipes and thus prevent some very serious plumbing issues down the line!

Benefit 4: Completely Safe Consumption

The best thing about a magnetic water softener is that every aspect of the system is completely safe for you, all of your pets, and even the environment. This is an innovative technology which has taken a product that was already great for your health and made it as healthy as can possibly be. The technology is safe and will be a completely safe addition to your family, whether you are using the water to cook for your children or fill the water bowl for your new puppy!

See, there are some great benefits to purchasing a magnetic water softening system over other types. While some homeowners just like purchasing the newest technology, most end up going with this type of softening system because it is so simple to install and doesn't have to be a permanent feature in the home if they don't want it to be. Portability is definitely a plus in this market!

Magnetic Water Conditioner - Magnet Water Treatment - No Salt Water Softener

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Allen_Taigom

Water Softener Cleaning

When your water softener is not working at its optimal level, you may notice salt residue on glass and sinks even when you've been adding enough softener solution. This is a sign that the injector needs to be cleaned. Cleaning the injector at least twice a year can help improve the efficiency and performance of your unit. Here's how to get started with the water softener cleaning process.

nuvoH2O Home Salt-Free Water Softener System

1. Switch your water softener to bypass mode. Turning on the bypass valve ensures that water will not be run through the softener during the cleaning process.
2. Disconnect the water softener from the electrical outlet. This is a safety measure that also reduces the chances of interference during the cleaning process.
3. Remove the water softener injector cap. This is usually found at the back of the water softener near the top of the unit. Move this slowly and set it aside.
4. Remove the injector screen. This is located behind the cap, you will need to wash the screen with warm soapy water.
5. Clean the water softener injector nozzle. Use the canned air to clean out any dust or debris that has accumulated in and around the nozzle. Continue cleaning using the end of a paperclip.
6. Put the injector screen back in place. Secure the screen back to its original position over the nozzle.
7. Screw the injector cap back to its original position. Slowly place the injector cap onto the screen and tighten it to secure it.

Prepare the water softener for testing. Plug the water softener unit back into the electrical outlet.

Test the unit. Turn the softener back on after all parts of the injector have been replaced.

Article By Sabah Karimi

Water Softeners Are Useful, Not Sexy

Water softeners aren't really a sexy purchase, but they can go a long way toward making life better in your home. Hard water is a common problem associated with well water. You may have noticed rings in your toilet or dishwasher, laundry not quite getting cleaned, etc. Many times the answer can be a water softener. Most kinds of softener machines are sized according to how many people are going to use them. The bigger the unit the more expensive it is. Most people think that the typical purchase of a water softener is a sizable investment, but it doesn't have to be.

Many companies that sell water treatment equipment offer hardness tests. We went through the home demo from a major national chain (I won't name names) and of course they showed how horribly hard our water was. They gave us the speech on how much soap we can save with soft water (that is true) and showed us the difference in water types (far clearer with soft water). But then they wanted us to pay hundreds of dollars a year to use their special system plus expensive salt. No way! There has to be a cheaper option. Fortunately there is. We did our homework and compared models at the major home improvement stores. We saw that most were far cheaper than the brand name monthly subscription scenario. For about $250-$300 up front and then $12 worth of salt that lasted 8 months we had soft water. I love a bargain!

Many people think soft water tastes salty. You can control how your softener unit works to adjust the level of "softness" you want. Give it a few days and make adjustments slowly. You will soon find that perfect setting and you'll save a fortune in the process, not only in dish and laundry soaps, but in household cleaning supplies and no monthly subscriptions.

If you are having water issues at your home and hardness appears as the only substantial water problem, the installation of a water softener is recommended. Sometimes the required water treatment may range from nothing at all to simple filters, a small water softener or a small reverse osmosis system. Until you know the real problem don't go overboard getting everything. Start with filters and then get an economical unit and you'll be amazed at the difference.

Article By Kristen Easton 

Dangerous Hardness Ions

Water is everywhere. Nothing can happen without it and nothing can live. We commonly say about pure water and impure one. This recording to the possibility of drinking it or not. But except the rain there is no such thing as clean water. There is one important class of impurity: hardness.

Hard water is the type in which we have dissolved minerals of magnesium and calcium. And water that comes to our houses probably always has it. It's kind of a natural process: rain is falling and getting into the rivers and finally to our houses. But while it sleeps trough the ground it is slightly possible that it picks up minerals from the rocks like limestone, chalk. And that is the reason of hard water at home.

As it may seem natural to have that kind of water at home it may cause different problems. For example when you are wondering why your bills for heating increased the limescale might be the answer. The minerals, during the heating process, form a visible scale in pipes. As a result, the scale is clogging them and the efficiency of heat that it is needed to make water hot is increasing. That is why bills may get much higher. Whole process may also damage other appliances which are using heated water as for example kettles and dishwashers, and shorten their lives. Not speaking about smaller issues caused by hard water as sticky hair or harsh clothes.

We have two categories of hard water - temporary hard and permanent. The first one is water which hardness can be removed by boiling it. It's caused by combination of ions and bicarbonate ions in the water. And boiling promotes the formation of carbonate from the bicarbonate and precipitates calcium carbonate out of solution, leaving water that is softer upon cooling. Second type is much harder to soft and this is the one which deposits limescale and causes all the bad effects that were described above. To make permanent hard water soft you can't boil it. Heating permanent hard water increasing the problem. You need a good water treatment.

The most popular solution is using water softener. It might be one that works by replacing the calcium and magnesium in the water with sodium. Or an electronic limescale remover, that may remove lime scale problem. The truth is that all are less expensive than ignoring the problem. Prevention might be much cheaper than removing the effects. In that case the only thing left is to think about the best solution for you to deactivate dangerous 'hardness ions'.

Article By Idalia Luczak

What Exactly Are Water Softeners?

It transforms hard water into the so-called soft water. Reducing its mineral contents does the transformation. Hard water mainly contains calcium and magnesium metal, and sometimes bicarbonates and sulfates. Soft water, on the other hand, is the type of water with none or little content of the mentioned minerals.

A Process is used in decreasing the calcium, magnesium, and in some cases manganese and ferrous iron dissolved in hard water. The fact is softener is a system for transforming chemically hard water into a soft water.

Softeners replace the calcium and magnesium contents in hard water by sodium. Sodium does not accumulate in pipes and also does not react to soap. This means hard water effects are eliminated. The principle of the softener system is easy to understand. Hard water is allowed to enter the water softener. It contains a layer of plastic beads and in some instances, the material used is called Zeolite. The layer of materials inside the water softener is soaked with sodium ions. Sodium is exchanged with the contents of the hard water, calcium, and magnesium. When water comes out of the softener, the water is said to be of the soft water type.

At a point in time, the plastic beads or Zeolite layer will be saturated with calcium and magnesium ions only. Regeneration process follows where in water is mixed with high sodium content producing strong brine. Sodium ions again replace calcium and magnesium ions, which eventually are washed down the drain.

The ordinary cooking salt is cheap. The salt or sodium chloride is the source of sodium for water softeners. Large quantity of salt costs little. It is a good source for sodium used in water softener. Utilized in a water softener system are a number of cylindrical tanks and large square containers. The tanks are used as storage of already treated water and the container is for the salt used in the process. The number of tanks depends on the output and the system itself.

When it is installed for domestic or household purpose, the softener system is situated at the main entrance of the house plumbing system. In this manner of installation, all the water entering the house is already treated.

There are two main types of water softener systems. One is the electric single tank softener. This type, besides being costly, is a system with some setbacks. Soft water supply may run out since the system uses a single tank. It also may cause inconvenience because this type needs high pressure. Night hours bring high pressure. Noise caused by running motors is not welcome at these hours.

The hydraulic twin tank softener is the other softener type. This type ensures a continued supply of soft water for the household. The two tanks do the softening and regeneration processes alternatively. This way, there will be no chance of running out of soft water supply.

Salt containers should be refilled regularly. Most softeners do not have salt level indicator,  it is a wise decision to check salt level periodically to avoid contamination of water tanks. The softeners operate continuously even without salt, which may result in tank contamination.

Salt-based water softener systems are not effective one hundred per cent. Only 75 per cent of the calcium and magnesium water content is removed. The salt-based softener also releases to the environment huge amount of lime brine.

A newly developed softener system is digital. The Soo~Soft Digital Electronic Water Softening System is a revolutionary innovation in water softening procedures. It is environmentally friendly and as effective as a salt-type water softener.

Article By David Urmann and Nayan Choure

Install a Water Softener in 6 Simple Steps

Several homes nowadays suffer from the harsh effects of hard water. Clothes get dingy, hair dries up, skin gets rough, and water appliances get broken. This is why you need water softeners that can prevent these from happening. But for a water softener to work properly, it should also be installed properly.

Follow these 5 simple steps to a successful water softener installation so you can start enjoying softened water at home.

Step 1: Choose the best location

Before installing a water softener, you have to prepare for installation first. The first thing to do is choose where to best place your softener. You can choose to install it indoors or outdoors. The important thing is to put it somewhere dry and where it will be protected from frequent changes in temperature. If you have a two-tank system such as most demand-initiated regeneration units, the brine tank should be easily accessible but the two tanks should be close to one another. The location should also be near an electricity outlet and a drain. If a drain is a bit out of the way, you can use additional tubing to connect the unit to it.

Once you have your location, shut off your electric supply and water supply to get started.

Step 2: Install the Unit

Now you're ready to install your water softener. Before you begin, however, make sure to have your water softener manual ready. The steps to proper installation of water softeners are generally the same, but depending on your unit, there might be some special steps you need to take. So make sure to read the manual before beginning installation.

Now, to install, insert the distributor tube into the mineral tank and flush. Tape up the open ends of the tube so that the plastic beads in the tank will not enter the tube.

Step 3: Add the gravel and softener resin

Once the water softener's ready, add gravel into the mineral tank using a funnel. Make sure the gravel fully covers up the screen intake. Then add softener resin, which should full up to half of the tank. Then take the tape you placed at the open ends of the distributor tubes and make sure the control valves are secure then move on to the next step.

Step 4: Install the bypass valve to connect to the water supply

With the control valves secure, take the bypass valve and connect it to the control valves. Make sure the screws are tight to avoid any problems. With the bypass valve in place, you can now connect the water softener's piping to the bypass valve then attach a plastic tube to the available fitting on the brine tank.

Step 5: Put in water and salt

When that's done, pour four gallons of water into the brine tank. This should be followed by around 40 pounds of sodium chloride. Some, however, prefer to use potassium chloride. With both salt and water in, open the water supply valve and wait until there is a steady flow of water coming from the drain.

Step 6: Run a backwash

Now you're all set and done. What's left to do is to run a backwash so you can check for leaks. Double-check to see if all fittings are secure. If yes, you can start enjoying softened water at home.

Article By Ans Van Tuel

What You Should Know Before You Buy a Water Softener

If you need to buy a Water Softener in Florida (and if you live in Florida you probably need one), it can be pretty overwhelming. There are so many different brands and models to choose from. Is there really that big a difference? What about all the companies? How do you decide what kind of softener you really need and who to install it?

The truth is, there are really just a few things that make a difference when deciding on a solution to a hard water problem. First, you need to pick a company you can trust to help you make the right choice and to install the water softener. Then, you need to know just a little about the choices available in the equipment.

The first one is probably the hardest. The Florida water softener market, has a wide variety of players. Some companies sell water softeners like time shares, using professional sales people, slick advertising and hard sell tactics. Other companies or individuals, offer "bargain" softeners made up of parts from various sources that may even have been put together in someone's garage.

So how do you get a good quality solution to your hard water problem without getting ripped off? The key is finding a company you can trust and rely on. Here are a few things to look for:

1. Make sure they are a Licensed Plumbing Contractor. Water softeners are installed in the water system for your home. A mistake in the installation could cost you thousands if there is a problem! There is even a health risk if the work is not done according to the Plumbing Code.
2. Make sure they will be around tomorrow if you have a problem. The majority of small businesses fail in the first three years. This number is even worse in a tough economic times. Make sure you choose a company with a long track record. 
3. Pick a company that offers name brand equipment. If possible, find one that uses equipment from a single source manufacturer. This means that all the components for the water softener are made by the manufacturer itself. This can be really helpful if you ever need parts or service.

Once you have narrowed the field concerning which company to work with, you just need to decide what type of water softener you want. Here are the main factors to consider:

• Cabinet vs. 2 Tank System

This really just depends on how much space you can, or want to, allocate to a water softener. Both styles have two tanks, the Cabinet model just contains everything in one unit so it takes up a little less room. Otherwise they both do exactly the same thing, get rid of hard water.

• What Kind of Controller

The controller is what keeps the water softener making soft water. It regulates the different cycles needed to allow the water softener to clean itself and flush the hard water minerals out when it becomes saturated. There are really two basic types of controllers used in the Tampa water softener market, timer types and automatic ones. Generally, automatic controllers offer better efficiency in both salt and water usage. The best ones even learn your water usage for maximum efficiency.

• What Brand

Just like the company you choose to work with, make sure the brand equipment you choose is reputable. Look for a manufacturer that has stood the test of time and who will be there if you need them down the road.

These are really the main things you need to consider when planning to install a water softener in Tampa. The most important is choosing a good company to work with. Once that is done, they can help you choose the right equipment. So don't stress out about hard water problems. The solution is not nearly as complicated as some people will try to make it.

Article By B. Stevens