Introducing the Water Softener System Buying Guide that will take the guess-work out of purchasing a water softener. Get your new water softener now.
Why Do You Need a Water Softener?
It will soften your hard water
A water softener does exactly what its name suggests, it softens your water. It does this by removing the minerals that make your water hard; the result is that your water will actually feel softer.
Many areas in Canada, and especially the Kitchener-Waterloo region, have very hard water. Hard water is water that has a lot of minerals such as calcium, magnesium carbonate, and manganese deposits in it.
These minerals don't usually cause any major health risks but they do cause other issues around your home such as:
Spots on your dishes and scale on your cookware
Rings around your bathtub and toilet
Scum on your bathroom tiles
Dingy laundry
Scale deposits on your coffee maker and kettle
Soap and shampoo that doesn't lather up well
Damage to your plumbing, water heater, and other water-using appliances
A water softener will remove the minerals from your water so that your water will be soft and you won’t have the above issues.
It will prolong the life of your water-heating appliances
When hard water is heated up, the minerals recrystallize and form a scale on whatever surface they are touching.
This scale can build up over time and eventually clog your pipes and reduce the flow of water.
Over time, these deposits can also damage your water-heating appliances such as your hot water tank, kettle, coffee maker, and dishwasher - necessitating repairs or replacements.
Hard water can leave a scale build-up on your hot water heating appliances
It may improve the taste of your water
You may find that some of the hard-water minerals found in your water such as iron and manganese will give it an unappealing odour, taste, and or appearance. A water softener will remove these minerals and improve the quality of your water.
How a Water Softener Works
Ion Exchange Water Softener System
The most popular type of water softener is the ion-exchange type. the following diagram explains how this type of water softener works.
A water softener makes your home’s water soft by removing the calcium and magnesium ions from it
Other Types of Water Softeners
Side-By-Side Salt-Based Ion Exchange Softener
A side-by-side salt-based ion exchange softener uses two separate tanks: a resin tank and a brine tank. The resin tank is where the main regeneration cycle takes place.
It contains resin beads that attract the hard water minerals, such as calcium and magnesium, like a magnet, effectively removing them from your water. The brine tank contains the water softening salt that is used to regenerate the resin beads.
Cabinet Ion Exchange Softener
The cabinet ion exchange softener have all of the components of a water softener including the salt tank enclosed into a single container. This type of softener can be very bulky and heavy. You will not want to move it often.
They can be difficult to clean, so you should consider using a very high purity water softener salt in order to cut down on how often you need to clean it.
Reverse Osmosis
A reverse osmosis system uses a filter that has pores which are large enough for water molecules to pass through, yet small enough to prevent the hardness ions, such as calcium and magnesium, from passing through. These hard ions are left behind and flushed away with excess water.
Reverse osmosis is another great way of softening your hard water
Reverse osmosis systems do not need to use salt or potassium chloride to produce soft water, so there are no added ions. This is a good solution for people concerned about additional sodium.
These systems remove many other harmful chemicals from your water. Some people find that a reverse osmosis system also improves the taste of their water.
Distillation
Water can also be softened by distillation. This is the process where pure water is separated from the other components found in tap water by evaporation, condensation, and collection of the resulting pure water. The resulting pure water is free from any hardening minerals as well as other harmful substances.
Distillers, however, are often too expensive and the process takes too long to make them a viable alternative to water softeners and reverse osmosis systems.
What Size of Water Softener Do You Need?
Water softeners are not a one-size-fits-all appliance; they come in many different sizes. The size of family you have and the amount of water that you use will determine the size of water softener that you need.
You don't want to spend extra on a larger capacity softener if you don't need to nor do you want to purchase one that is too small for your needs.
WaterSmart has a handy water softener size calculator to take the guess work out of knowing which size of water softener system is best for you. Click here to access the calculator!
A larger family will require a higher capacity water softener
WaterSmart: For All Your Water Softener and Plumbing Needs
WaterSmart is your local water softener and plumbing experts in the Kitchener-Waterloo region.
We're proudly celebrating 25 year of professional service, and we would love to put our knowledge and expertise to work for you.
If you are looking for a new water softener or you require servicing for your existing unit, contact us today.
WaterSmart also offers a full range of plumbing services that include but are not limited to:
Kitchens and Bathrooms
Leaks
Toilets and Taps
Clogged or Slow Drains
Countertop Pre and Post Installation
Dishwasher Installations
Sump Pumps
Tankless Hot Water Heaters
New Plumbing and Renovations
Master Plumber and Gas Fitter
Backflow Testing or Device Installation
Save up to $250.00 on our 25th Anniversary Sale
Right now, we have some great deals on Water Softeners!
Get our Smart Series 30, regularly $1,295.00 for just $1,195 plus HST - Save $100.00, or Our 25th Anniversary Tahoe Series 30, for just $1,345 plus HST , regularly $1,595.00 -Save $250.00 and pay using 12 Equal payments with No Interest!
Here's what WaterSmart customers are saying:
"What a great experience!! I did a search on the internet, called regarding the price of a water softener and the next day it was installed and we had soft water again. Paul removed the old softener, installed and setup the new one and was out in just over an hour. He also noted that the grounding of water pipe was not done by previous installer and he corrected that as well. Cost was the same as softener that was installed 14 years ago - I am impressed."
- Larry Roes
