Get your water tested
Check if you get hard water in the supply and it actually needs softening. It only makes sense if you know what problems you’re planning to solve before you buy a water softener. To do that, make sure to perform a test. A large number of companies nowadays sell home water testing kits for as low as US$5-$10. You can also take the help of a professional to test the water quality to know what needs to be treated.
Hardness in water isn’t directly harmful to health, the problems caused by it are more visible in the form of scale that covers your pipeline, damages your appliances, or makes the water feel hard when you use soap or cook food. Hardness is basically the presence of calcium carbonate and other metals and minerals such as iron, magnesium, copper, manganese, and zinc, suggest a report by the North Dakota State University.
Remember that the level of hardness may vary from place to place, so it’s important to know how hard your water is. The water hardness can range from 0 milligram per liter to over 180 milligrams per liter. A water test can also help detect the levels of minerals and contaminants present in the water.
Determine the softness level you need
Evaluate how much water you need on a daily basis before you decide on a water softener to buy. Buying a water softener isn’t easy given the fact that a large number of options are present in the market. The Culligan water softener review published here is more like an eye-opener for consumers as they can learn more about why such steps are important for making an informed decision. There are many types of water softeners such as automatic, semi-automatic, and manual. Some of them are based on different media, however, most of them claim to remove or reduce hardness to some level.
Know what type of water softener you should get
Many people across the world use ion-exchange based water softener, particularly whole-house water softener units, but there are many other technologies that are being used in water softeners. Salt-based ion-exchange softener, salt-free water softener, and dual-tank water softener systems are some of the most common and widely used technologies for water softening purposes. When choosing a water softener, you will come across electronic and magnetic water softeners and descalers. On the other hand, there are more effective technologies that don’t just merely prevent scale but also effectively remove hardness from water. Template-assisted crystallization is one such method that doesn’t require electricity and it also doesn’t rely on any discharge line as it continues working efficiently.
Check features
Besides knowing what kind of water softener you need and what’s in the water, one important aspect you should consider when buying a water softener is what more it can do. Figure out your water-related needs, the capacity of the softener you’re planning to buy, the technology it uses, and the size it comes in. Remember that an oversized system can increase expenses and an undersized softener won’t solve your hard water problem.
It’s important because unless you pay attention to how a water softener functions, a lot will go unnoticed. The Culligan water softener review shows how buying a softener even from one of the most reputed brands can put a huge burden on your wallet with monthly recurring costs.
Check installation cost
Surprisingly, many companies don’t reveal the price of their water softeners before their team evaluates the model suitable for your place. This strategy seems like a smart personalized service, but not having clarity on the installation as well as maintenance cost can lead to a major potential financial crisis.
Look for new technologies
It pays to know more about the water softeners before you purchase one since many options are available in the market. Template-assisted crystallization (TAC) system is fairly new and is effective and reliable when it comes to treating hard water. The process, as defined by researchers and scientists of Arizona State University, suggests that the TAC based systems transform calcium into crystals. Since these small crystals don’t have the same scaling or binding properties, they are removed from the water and travel down the drain.
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