A Few Considerations for Choosing a Water Softener System
If you’re buying a whole house water softener or home water systems, you’re already on the right track towards a better everyday quality of life. Water is involved in so much of what we do every day, so improving its quality makes our lives just a little comfier as a whole. But these systems can come with a fairly hefty price tag, so it’s essential to choose the right one. So, why might you go for one water softener system over another? There are a few things to account for when choosing a model, including how much water your household uses, how much installation space you have, how bad your hard water issue is, and how consistently you need soft water.
1: How Much Space is There for a Softener System?
This is a basic one, but it can be a big issue in particular for families in smaller homes: Do you have enough space to install a water softener? These systems come in both single-tank and multi-tank models. If your model also doubles as a filtration system, you might have additional components that take up even more space. As a whole, they’re not huge, but they do need space to fit into your home.
Now, making space might not be a ton of trouble if you’re not worried about money, but if you’re on a budget, that can be troubling. For instance, if you’re trying to buy a multi-tank system but don’t quite have enough room for it, you might need contractors to tear down a bit of all to make that room. That can cost money that you weren’t planning on spending.
2: When is the Water Being Used?
You’ll also want to consider your schedules when browsing models. You see, softener systems need a regeneration period every so often to self-clean, using salt to remove the excess minerals that they’ve pulled out of your water. During those regeneration periods, the tanks in water softeners can’t perform as normal, so softened water is temporarily unavailable. That’s the case with single-tank systems, at least; multi-tank systems can regenerate each tank separately, so one tank is always available to soften water, 24/7.
Usually, a single-tank system can be set to regenerate at night, when it’s less likely that people will need softened water. However, if your family has a wide range of schedules, that might be a problem. If one of you works the night shift or prefers a late shower, that might get in your way.
3: How Hard is the Water?
Different water systems such as water cleaning systems for home are designed to combat different levels of hardness. It’s important to know just where your water sits on the spectrum before purchasing. You don’t need a professional or a test to determine that, although plenty of companies offer both. You can get a decent idea of where your water sits just by observing the symptoms.
For instance, are you only noticing some moderate scale buildup in your sinks and showers? If that’s the only sign of hard water, you can most likely go with a lighter model. On the other hand, you might be seeing staining or fading on your clothing. You might notice a metallic taste to the water. Your hair and skin might be persistently dry. If that’s the case, your hard water problem is severe, and you’ll want a heavier duty system to help!
