What Size Water Softener For Family Of 4?
Do you need to purchase a water softener and are wondering what size water softener is sufficient for a family of 4? This post can help. It may be a daunting task to know which size to purchase, so we have outlined an easy formula to calculate exactly which softener capacity will best suit your family's unique specifications. If you are looking for a trustworthy, local, and reliable company to buy your new water softener from, look no further than the experts at WaterSmart. Contact us today and we will answer any questions you may have.
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- Kim Pickles
How to Know The Right Size Of Water Softener For Your Family
Step 1: Figure Out Your Average Daily Water Use Per Person In Gallons.
According to Watersoftenerfacts.ca the average person in the Waterloo Region consumes about 195 litres (51.5 US gallons) of water per day. You can use this number in your calculation.
OR
If you would like to be more accurate do the following. Take a look at either your fall or winter water bills. This will give you a better idea of your indoor water usage since during these months you are not using water outside. To calculate your household's average daily water use, divide your fall or winter water consumption (given in cubic metres) by the number of billing days for that billing period. You will find both of these amounts on your bill. Convert cubic metres to gallons by multiplying by 264.
Step 2: Multiply Your Average Daily Water Use By The Number Of People In Your Household
Take the number that you calculated in step 1 and multiply it by the number of people in your household.
Step 3: Determine Your Water Hardness Level
You can determine your actual water hardness level by looking at the maps of the Kitchener-Waterloo, Cambridge, and Guelph Regions provided here. The following chart will also give you a rough idea of the water hardness level in your area. If you are using a private well you should get your water hardness and iron tested separately in order to get your hardness rating.
Source: Softener Buyers Guide
Step 4: Calculate The Grains Per Day Of Hardness That Your Softener Will Need To Remove.
Plug your household's figures into the following equation to determine the Grains of Hardness needed to be removed daily by a water softener.
What Size Water Softener For Family of 4
Using the above formula, you can calculate what size water softener is needed for a family of 4 living in Waterloo and using 50 gallons of water per day per person as follows.
4 people X 50 gallons of water X 26 gpg = 5,200 grains per day
Suggested Softener Size
The following chart gives you the recommended water softener size to purchase according to the grains of hardness needed to be removed for your household each day.
According to our sample family of 4 above using 5,200 grains per day, the recommended size of softener they should buy is one with a 40,000 grain capacity.
Why Is It Important To Choose The Right Size of Softener?
Choosing the right size water softener is important. According to watersoftenerfacts.ca, http://watersoftenerfacts.ca/softener-buyers-guide/ it is estimated that "134,723 household water softeners use at least 2.7 billion litres of water and 44,700 tonnes of salt every year. To put that in perspective, it is equal to more than 10 Olympic-sized swimming pools and about one third of the weight of the CN Tower in salt!" The right sized softener will operate more efficiently, use less salt and less water, which is good for the environment and will help you save money.
How To Install a Water Softener
The following video shows you how to install a water softener. If you purchase a water softener from WaterSmart, we will install and program it for you correctly, free of charge. We will also go over how to operate and maintain it.
The Watersmart Advantage
At WaterSmart we carry an excellent line of water softeners that we are proud to install and maintain. We have been serving the tri-city region for more than 28 years so we understand the unique water softening challenges of this area. If you are considering installing a water softener in the Kitchener-Waterloo, Cambridge, or Guelph area, contact us today for a professional consultation and installation.
