What’s Better for Your Water: Potassium Chloride (Salt-Fee) or Salt Water Softeners?

There are both advantages and disadvantages to the two types of water softeners commonly purchased: potassium chloride (salt-free) and salt water softeners. The choice if often based on the area in which you live, the quality of your homes water, and health concerns that may or may not exist.

It is important to note that although we refer to potassium chloride, salt-free units as water softeners they are technically not water softeners at all and instead water conditioners or descalers. Systems that use potassium chloride over salt are known to reduce the build up of limescale. Limescale is the chalk like substance that leaves dried up hard water spots on faucets, glass wear, and such. Water conditioning systems alter the chemical make up of the waters minerals through a descaling process. Solids are then prevented from depositing within pipes and other water-using fixtures.

So, is a salt-free water conditioner beneficial over a traditional water softener that uses a salt ion exchange process to remove the minerals from your homes water? One of the nicest things that come along with salt-free water systems is that they don’t waste water in the same manner as traditional water softeners. Salt-free water softeners/conditioners are less expensive to operate and require less maintenance. Water that has been conditioned isn’t slippery like water coming from a water softener can. One concern with a potassium chloride system is that they are not as effective as water softeners when it comes to improving the water in places where water sits in place, such as a water heater. These areas can still have issues where limestone builds up.

How well a salt-free water softener will work to improve the quality of your homes water will depending on the minerals and contaminants in your water. Some areas saltless water softeners/conditioners don’t work as well as others due to the hardness of the water. It is important to have your homes water properly analyzed to see exactly what you are dealing with before purchasing a unit for your home.

When water softeners are utilized it has been proven that they extend the lifetime of appliances that require water. Water softeners are good for your plumbing, water heaters, shower heads all while using less soap in laundry, dishes, and baths.

In order to ensure that you are purchasing the right system for your families need it is crucial that you speak with professional at Reynolds Water Conditioning and have them test your water. It is up to you to know the difference between products that will work for your water situation and work with an expert to find a system that will offer you the benefits of quality water, longer lasting appliances, and more efficient soap usage.

The experts at Reynolds Water Conditioning have a solution to your homes unique water quality needs including: arsenic, bacteria, chlorine, rotten egg smell, fluoride, hard water, iron, lead, acid, tannins, radon, and more. More information on our water treatment solutions including water softeners and conditioners, water filtration and purification, reverse osmosis drinking water, and iron & odor removal can be found online at https://reynoldswater.com.

November 16, 2018

The Basics of Choosing the Right Water Softener For Your Home and Family

Water softeners take bathing to an all new level, especially after accepting and coming accustomed to hard water showers. If you are ready to bathe in silky smooth water, if you are excited for clear uncolored, smell free water, and if you are anxious to stop cleaning with harsh rust removers, we might just have the perfection solution for you.

Choosing a water softener, often misspelled as “water softner”, we can help with options ranging from traditional household water softeners, salt-free water softeners, dual- tank softeners and combinations that include reverse osmosis, whole house filters, arsenic removal and more.

Issues With Hard Water

Water softeners solve the problem of hard water. When your homes water is filled with extra minerals such as calcium, magnesium carbonate or manganese it is considered hard. Some homeowners note that soap doesn’t lather correctly, their dishes are spotted, sinks and tubs have rings, bright colored laundry looks dingy, skin feels rough, and other annoying side effects. An analysis of your homes water is the only way to truly “diagnosis” your homes water and determine if a water softener is truly the right solution. These extra minerals don’t normally pose a risk to your overall health however, not treating hard water can cause issues with your homes plumbing, water heating system, appliances, and such. In research done by the U.S. Geological Survey over eighty five percent of American homes have problems with hard water in their homes.

As previously mentioned, one way to get rid of hard water is to install a water softener. The water from your home is not considered hard unless it contains more than 1 GPG of dissolved hard materials however, water with up to 3.5 GPG is considered soft. Noticeably hard water contains upward of 3.5 GPG with 10.5 GPG being considered extremely hard. Anything between the two extremes is considered moderately hard and should be properly treated.

Damage To Home From Hard Water

Hard water is more annoying and expense than a risk to the health of you and your family. In fact, many issues that are created because of a home’s hard water supply stay hidden until an actual malfunction in the plumbing or your appliances bring it to light. Scale can cake on to the inside of your plumbing, water heaters, and appliances causing major issues for you. This on top of the issues that are general nuisances in the everyday running of your household.

One of the most common fixes for hard water is the installation of a water softener. There are a variety of water softeners that people can install in their homes or businesses to improve the quality of your water. The most common whole-house water softener that is installed is known as a salt ion-exchange water softener. Salt ion-exchange water softeners have two tanks. One of the tanks is filled with brine and the other special resin beads. The water becomes soft by exchanging salt ion for hard minerals.

Another option is a salt-free water softener that operates in a similar manner as a salt ion-exchange water softener however uses potassium-chloride instead of softener salt. Hard minerals are not reduced but instead prevent the minerals from being deposited as scale to plumbing and such.

Dual-tank water softeners are yet another option. Unlike typical water softeners that disconnect from the water system when recharging making them basically out of commission during the process, dual water tanks always have on tank in use while the other regenerates. Thus, no downtime in water usage. For most families the water softening rejuvenation process in common water softeners takes place at night when water is most often not in use, for big families or families with varying schedules a dual water softener can be a better fit.

The Right Size Water Softener

Water softeners come in a variety of different sizes, the size of the softener you need for your household will depend on the size of your home and the number of people using water in your household. It is important that when purchasing a new water softener, you select one that is the right size to handle the demands of your home and family. Remember the physical size of the unit is not particularly important, it is the systems ability to remove minerals from the water at a pace that keeps up with your needs. This can be determined when the water from your home is analyzed.

Along with choosing the right size water softener for your home it is important to choose a softener with features and controls that are necessary. It is important for homeowners to know what controls the regeneration cycle, how long each regeneration cycle takes, as well as the amount of water and salt needed for recharging. Softeners use two different control options: automatic timing and demand-initiated regeneration no matter what option is on your softener, the salt needs to be monitored on a regular basis to prevent running low.

The professionals at Reynolds Water Conditioning can help you select and install the best option in water softener for your family.

November 12, 2018

Improving the Water Quality in Your Home

There are a number of reasons that the water in your home could be discolored or taste funny. Many of the causes of peculiar tasting, smelly, ill colored water comes from where the water is coming from on your property or the city. There are steps that homeowners can take to improve the quality of drinking water no matter the source of the water. From city water to well water Reynolds Water Conditioning company has a solution for your water.

City Water

When your water comes from a city source you can almost guarantee that any problems occurring with your water are derived from your property. Some areas in the state of Michigan however are an exception to this such as Flint. The municipal water source in Flint is contaminated with lead. In this situation the problem with the water does not come directly from the property and therefore is difficult for you to treat within your home.

One of the things that you can do if you have issues with your city water is to evaluate the pipes in your home. If there are changes that you can notice within the water such as color, taste, and changes to the water pressure this almost certainly means that there is an issue in your pipes. Corrosion is known to cause partial blockages decreasing water pressure and adding a presence of ill tasting and smelling elements to the water supply. If interior pipes are not found to be the source of your issue, then it is a good idea to check the exterior pipes of your home to check for leaks. In no case do we recommend tackling issues with your plumbing alone. It is always best to work with a professional.

Well Water

The process of determining where the issues lie within your well water is much simpler than it often is with city water. The first step professionals will take is to test your homes water to determine what contaminants are present. If the water is clear, then further investigation will need to be done with the infrastructure. However, more often than not the problem will be a chemical imbalance in the water. If the water balance is correct the first places to check are with the well pump and casing. Leaks and improper seals can lead to contaminated water and sediment.

Water Filtration

Whether you have city or well water, water filtration systems can be installed to remove pollutants from your homes water and make your water taste better. Water filtration units can be installed as point of use or point of entry. The professionals at Reynolds can help you determine what type of system will work the best for the water quality in your home.

Whole-House Water Filters

A whole house water filtration system is in place to filter all of the water that is used within your home. This includes the water you shower with, the water that flows through your shower, all of the water that exists a faucet is filtered when a whole house water filter is installed. Water quality professionals install whole-house filters at the main water supply.

Point-of Entry Filters

When your water is on point most of the time but occasionally has an odor, weird color, or taste a point of entry water filter system installed on the kitchens water supply can improve the quality of the water you use for drinking and cooking.

Reverse Osmosis Systems

RO systems work to improve the quality of your water by passing it through multiple systems that work to eliminate bacteria, sediment, and other pollutants within the water. This leaves the natural minerals in water and oxygen behind leaving great tasting water. Reverse osmosis water systems require users to replace filters on a regular basis to keep the water quality at peak levels.

October 25, 2018

Do I need to Install a RO System If I Have a Water Softener?

More often than not, a water softener will increase the quality of your homes water however, is it enough? The truth is that although a water softener will improve the quality of your water, impurities may remain in your drinking water. A reverse osmosis water treatment system can remove the impurities from your already softened water, to give you quality drinking water. RO systems are the perfect accessory to use with a water softener because it removes 98% of the sodium from the softened water. These aren’t the only reasons to use a RO in combination with a water softener.

Although a reverse osmosis system removes a lot of impurities in your drinking water they have a hard time removing and reducing calcium and magnesium, both which are known to be in hard water. This is one of the reasons that a water softener works perfectly when used in conjunction with a reverse osmosis water treatment system. When used together a water softener and RO system will create high quality drinking water by reducing the water hardness and removing impurities.

Many homeowners elect to install an under the sink reverse osmosis system as a point of use water treatment option. A water softener is used as a whole house water treatment system. It is important that hard water is softened throughout the home however, it doesn’t really matter if the water used in your appliances has run through a RO system. An under the sink RO can also be tapped into the lines leading into the refrigerator. This assures your drinking water is of the highest of qualities. When used together a water softener and RO are a perfect combination to give you soft water throughout your home, while allowing you the purest of water from your tap.

Another benefit that comes along with using a combination of a water softener and reverse osmosis system is the amount of money you will save in energy costs, increased lifespan of your appliances, and lower soap usage throughout. Let’s not forget the money you will save in bottled water as well. So not only will you have the best quality water, you will be saving money as well.

It is important that when you are working with a water treatment company to install a RO water system after a water softener has already been installed that they do not interfere with one another. Before making a purchase be sure to have evaluated the warranties between companies. It is important to know what is covered and for how long. Another evaluation should be maintenance and noise level.

The addition of a reverse osmosis system when installed in addition to your water softener will bring you the purest drinking water possible. A RO system removes the impurities found in tap water ensuring the highest quality water for your family, direct from the source.

October 22, 2018

Treating Common Residential Water Problems

There are a number of issues that are common to residential water systems. Knowing what type of water treatment gets rid of your specific water problem is crucial in getting the highest quality water for your family. Water softeners, water filters, water purification, and water conditioners are all effective solutions in treating common issues in residential water supplies. Knowing what plagues your water allows you to have the proper equipment installed to treat it.

Depending on where you live the quality of your homes water can vary a great deal. It is crucial to have your homes water quality tested before installing any type of water treatment system. You need to know what type of issue you are dealing with before it can be treated.

Most Common Water Problems

Hard Water

Hard water is not necessarily a hazard to your health however it can be harmful to your home. There are many common indications that you are dealing with hard water such as: film and stains on dishes and appliances, dull hair, spotted dishes, dry irritated skin, and an increase in the amount of soap and detergent that is needed for cleaning clothes and dishes.

Water softeners are the most common treatment option for hard water. Water softeners are used to remove the calcium and magnesium ions with sodium ions which creates soft water. This helps eliminate nasty build up on appliances, plumbing, fixtures, skin, and so on.

Iron and Rust

It is pretty obvious to see when there is a large amount of rust and iron build up in your homes water. You will begin to see orange streaks staining the sink and spots on clothing. High iron content in your homes water is annoying to homeowners and also damages appliances including washers, water heaters, dishwashers, and bathtubs.

The most common solution for treating high levels of iron in your home water is to have a whole house water filtration system installed. Treating the high iron content with a filter helps to protect against iron build up in your homes plumbing, prevents unsightly build up, removes the smell and taste of iron, keeps appliances running more efficiently, and offers you better tasting, higher quality water.

Foul Taste in Drinking Water

A number of water problems can cause smelly, bad-tasting water. Water with high levels of chlorine, hydrogen sulfide, dissolved solids, arsenic, or iron can all add to the taste of your homes water and not in a good way.

There are a number of problems that can result in smelly and/or foul-tasting water. It is important to have the water tested so that you know exactly what problem you are dealing with when treating your homes water.

The solution for foul tasting, bad smelling water is to have a water filtration and conditioning system installed. These systems address the smell and taste of chlorine through the use of active carbon filters. Oxidation tends to destroy oily tastes and gas smells and more.

October 11, 2018

Filters, Purifiers, and Softeners – What’s the Difference?

Water treatment terms are often switched between one another. Many people, mistakenly, believe that the process between filtration, purification, conditioning, and softening are all one in the same. With all of the confusion that surrounds the process of bringing quality water to your home and family it is important to have a basic understanding of the difference between each process.

Most homeowners believe, although it is incorrect, that when they are looking for cleaner drinking water, free of lead and chlorine that the installation of a water softener will meet this goal. Of course, as stated previously, this is not the case at all. Water softeners are installed in homes as a way of removing minerals in the water. The minerals that are removed are those that cause your homes water to feel “hard” and create buildup in your plumbing. To bring cleaner water, that is free of contaminants a water purification system would better suit your goal.

What Are We Trying to Eliminate in Our Water Anyhow?

Before we can truly understand the processes involved with taking the impurities out of our water it is important we understand what we are removing and why. Pure water is simply hydrogen and oxygen, H20; however, water doesn’t occur in this form naturally. It picks up minerals, impurities, and a number of other chemical compounds as it makes its way to your faucet.

Mineral sediments in our water systems can be both good and bad. Things like calcium and magnesium are needed whereas like chlorine, pesticides, herbicides, waste, bacteria, and viruses in your homes water supply can be quite harmful. Impurities in the water are removed using two different kinds of water treatment systems: filters and purifiers.

Along with creating healthy water there are other reasons that people would want to treat the water in their home such as a reduction of in scale build-up which increases the lifespan of your appliances. Water softeners are the system, once installed prevent minerals from passing through the water supply in your home into your home’s pipes and appliances.

Water Filters

Water filtration systems eliminate and work to decrease chlorine, lead, mercury, magnesium, copper, chromium, nickel, iron, hydrogen sulfide, and more.

Water Purifiers

Water purification systems work to remove bacteria and viruses. Purification does not mean that the water is free of chemical contaminants that are removed by filters.

Water Softeners

Water softening systems work to replace the “hard” elements in the water with salt or potassium that will not create build-up.

A water treatment option should be chosen only after an analysis of water is done. Many homeowners find that a combination of treatment systems work best to bring them the quality water they are looking for.

October 5, 2018

Well Water: Removing Iron from Your Homes Water

There are many issues that can affect your homes water with the two most common being hard water and increased iron levels. Using the correct water filtration system, iron can be removed from your well water in a simple and efficient manner. Water treatment systems such as water softeners and water filtration units are most often the ideal choice for homeowners looking to remove iron while reverse osmosis units are more ideal for the removal of harmful minerals and other substances. Your homes water must be analyzed before homeowners can determine what water treatment option should be installed to properly treat their unique water supply.

As mentioned above, if your homes water is affected by iron the two best options in treating your water are the installation of a water softener and/or a filtration unit. When a water softener is installed it is important for the homeowner to know what minerals are in the water. When an excess amount of iron is found in the water it is important that the water softener that is installed that exclusively removes iron from the water source. Water softeners use a process in which iron in the water is replaced with healthier minerals. The drawback is that if the water also contains more harmful materials such as arsenic or sulfur a water softener may not be the right choice for treating your water supply.

If you are restricting your sodium a water softener that uses potassium chloride will offer you similar results without the use of salt. Other methods of removing a high iron content from your water are oxidation filtration and reverse osmosis.

Oxidation filtration is used to not only remove iron from your water but also arsenic. Oxidation filters are more powerful than water softeners and therefore chemical elements such as arsenic are removed when they are used to treat your water. An oxidation filtration system can also help homeowners who have a problem with water that smells like rotten eggs or a unique flavor, both caused by sulfur in the water. Increased arsenic levels are common in well water.

Another option as mentioned above is a reverse osmosis filtration system. RO filters are used in water that has a number of different trace mineral elements including: iron, salt, arsenic, fluoride, lead, and manganese. The one drawback of using reverse osmosis when treating your homes water supply is that not only does the process remove harmful minerals, it can also eliminate good minerals, such as calcium, that is naturally in your water.

September 27, 2018

How Do I Know If I Need A Water Softener?

Are you experiencing any of the following?

Dry skin?

Yellowing clothes?

Stained bathtubs?

Non-stop issue with plumbing?

Spotted dishes?

Scale build up?

The above is commonly caused by the hard water in your home. The good news is that each and every problem you are experiencing with your homes hard water can be fixed by having the correct water treatment system installed. In order to determine what option is best for your homes water an analysis will need to be run to determine what type of hard water your home has. From whole house iron water filters, reverse osmosis systems, and water softeners there is a solution for your problematic water.

Water softeners are the most commonly used appliance to assist homeowners in the removal of hard water and the issues it presents. Not only does hard water have an effect on your skin and hair it can wreak havoc to the plumbing throughout your home which can become quite costly to repair.

As mentioned above, each and every household’s water contains more than just water. The quality of water differs from each home and where your water source is delivered from: a private well, a city source, or private municipality. All water contains minerals, which ones your water has will determine the level of hardness in your water. Calcium and magnesium are commonly found in water. If a water softener is installed in your home, it will remove the hard minerals through a process of ion exchange. This will make it easier to keep your home cleaner, your skin and hair healthier, and prolong your plumbing and household appliances.

What Happens During the Ion Exchange?

Water softeners remove minerals such as calcium, magnesium, iron, and manganese, replacing them with sodium ions through a process known as an ion exchange. Ions carry a positive or negative charge due to an imbalance of electrons and protons.

The hard minerals are trapped by resin beads or zeolite crystals during the exchange. Resin and zeolite are negatively charged and has space that holds on to positive ions. The weaker sodium ions are held onto as the hard water passes through the water softener tank. The calcium and magnesium minerals are stronger and pulled to the media as a type of magnet. With the hard minerals having a higher positive charge than sodium they know them off and take over their place. The hard minerals will stay trapped in the tank and the water with a little sodium will be dispersed for use as the homes water supply.

September 21, 2018

What’s the Difference Between Reverse Osmosis and Water Softening

There are several options available to homeowners looking to improve the quality of the water in their homes but don’t know how to. There is a lot of confusion when it comes to treating water because of the vast array of options available in the market. In residential use the two most common treatments used are water softeners and reverse osmosis systems.

Determining what the right option for your household comes down to understanding what is accomplished with each treatment option. The only way to really know what needs to be done to improve your homes water is to have it analyzed through thorough water analysis. Often this process only requires a small sampling of water from each of the sources throughout your home.

Reverse Osmosis

Often reverse osmosis and filtration are lumped together. A reverse osmosis system filters the water leaving it tasting better and healthier. RO is especially popular for homeowners with wells. This type of water treatment system is set up to remove contaminates and softened minerals by pushing them through an attached filter. As with most water treatment systems you can install a whole-house or point-of-use RO osmosis system.

Benefits of Reverse Osmosis

Tasteless Water: Often times tap water will have a funny taste. You won’t be able to pin point what the taste is however, a RO system removes the source therefore the water will taste better.

Chemical Free: RO drinking water systems do not use any special chemicals in the filtration of the water which makes its use environmentally friendly.

Softened Water: Minerals in the water cause hard water. A whole-house RO system creates softer water which leads to less pipe corrosion.

Odor and Color Removal: Many homeowners experience odors and colors in their tap water. The odors and colors occur from contaminates and minerals in the water. A RO system is used to take the pollutants out of the water which leaves you with higher quality drinking water.

Most often you see whole-house RO systems installed in homes with well water as it can benefit from the extra filtration. If water from the tap tastes or smells funny and is from a city water source, then your water may benefit from a point-of-use RO system that is installed under the sink.

Water Softeners

Water softeners and water conditioners are often lumped into one category. Instead of removing contaminants and minerals from the water like a RO system does, a water softener uses a process of ionization that replaces calcium ions and magnesium with salt ions.

Water that is hard has higher concentrations of minerals like magnesium and calcium. When a water softener is installed your homes, water replaces the minerals that make it hard with a softer mineral, sodium.

Benefits of Soft Water

Better, More Natural Tasting Water

More Vivid Colored Laundry with Less Yellowing

Cleaner, More Sanitary Dishes and Flatware

Appliances That Last Longer with Fewer Repairs Needed

Fewer Clogged Pipes

There are many problems caused by hard water. Installing a water softening unit can help lessen these issues. These units do not remove contaminants within the water as they are not filtration systems however, they are perfect for homes that experience problems with pipe corrosion, iron, staining, and more.

September 14, 2018

Water Softeners: Maintenance Made Easy for Homeowners

Water softeners are just one of the many appliances that make our lives better. Once the softener has been installed there is little that needs to be done for it to do its job effectively day in and day out. Once the initial water hardness level has been set, regeneration parameters are set, and the salt is filled (or potassium) the softener will run as intended without a lot of attending too. Even though they are low maintenance appliance within the home they do require general maintenance to increase longevity and effectiveness, as do most appliances around your home.

Tips for Maintaining Your Water Softener

Keep an Eye Out for Salt Bridges

Salt bridges can occur in the water softeners brine tank when the salt hardens, creating an empty space between the water and salt which then stops the salt from dissolving and making the brine. If the brine is not created, then the resin beads that are used to soften your water will not work as intended. Most often a salt bridge occurs if the salt used in the tank is the wrong kind, in areas with high humidity, or when the water softener is stored in a location where the temperature varies. The best way to treat a salt bridge is to use a long piece of wood to carefully push down on the top of the solidified salt. This should, without a lot of force, break the bridge that was created in the salt free.

Watch for Salt Sludge

Salt sludge is a more severe issue that a salt bridge. When the salt dissolves and recrystallizes, a mush is created on the bottom of the brine tank. This layer of salt on the bottom of the tank keeps the system from regenerating properly which will leave a blockage in the tank that doesn’t allow the water to properly soften. The only way in which to solve the problem of salt sludge is to completely clean out the brine tank by digging out the used salt and adding fresh salt.

The best way to avoid salt bridges and salt sludges are to use the highest quality salt pellets available. Also, avoid putting too much salt in the brine tank, overfilling the tank will decrease the quality of the water that is produced. It is also crucial that the humidity and temperature in the space where the water softener is kept.

Water Softener Salt Choices

When it comes to maintaining your homes water softener, as mentioned above, it is critical that you choose the right type of salt. There are three basic types of salt you can purchase for your water softening system including: rock salt, solar salt, and evaporated salt.

Rock Salt: This is the least expensive of the options thus contains increased levels of impurities. This can result in a sludgy tank overtime which we know decreases the effectiveness of the system. Rock salt also leaves the most impurities in the water.

Solar Salt: This type of salt dissolves more easily then rock salt. Solar salt can be found in pellets and crystals and is obtained by the evaporation of seawater.

Evaporated Salt: Acquired through a mixture of mining and evaporation, this is the purest form of salt weighing in at 99.99% sodium chloride.

The purer the salt that you put into your water softener the less residue that will be left within the tank. This leads to fewer salt bridges and less salt sludge thus less maintenance to your water softener.

Flushing the Resin Bed

Resin beads are recharged by salt on a regular basis but even though this occurs it doesn’t hurt to fully flush the resin bed with a special water softening cleanser, which will help to keep it in top form. To prevent ineffective resin, cleanser can be poured into the brine well and the system manually regenerated. The system with normally discharge the cleanser during the cycle performed by the water softener. This process will help to keep the resin functioning effectively.

Regular maintenance helps to keep all appliances running smoother and the same is true of your homes water treatment systems.