Homeowners that have well water save money by not having a water bill each month, but it comes with a catch. Well-water systems need proper care and maintenance but with regular inspections and at-home tests, your well can live a happy life span of about 10 years. Following 5 other advice tips in this article will allow your well water system to operate efficiently. These tips include paying attention to your water for any changes, taking an annual water test to look for any contaminants, check your water softener, and keeping a clean water house. Lastly, it is always great advice to consult a professional well water specialist to inspect your system routinely. Older systems should be checked yearly while the newer ones can be done every 5 years. Following these time lengths will help any negligence that could create larger issues from occurring.
Salt Vs Salt Free Water Softeners
A recent debate that is brought up often after water softeners are which systems are better, the salt based or salt free softeners? Several factors will need to be considered when answering this question. In this installment we will look at how both systems work and what advantages/ disadvantages of each to understand which system is best suited in a certain situation.
Salt Based Water Softeners
Taking a closer look at how these products work, these systems are designed to remove hard water minerals like calcium and magnesium from your water which than provided soft water. This process of hard water removal is done through “ion exchange”. Salt based softeners require the use of salt pellets and regeneration periods or a recharge cycle. As a result, these systems will prevent scale buildup, reduce future staining on appliances and laundry, and personal hair and skin softness. They will ultimately save you money by prolonging the life of your water base appliances and use less soap/ detergent when cleaning. If your home has high levels of hard water, this type of softener will be your best choice for your concerns.
Salt Free Water Softeners
Despite their name, salt free water softeners do not soften hard water. They work by crystallizing calcium but does not remove it. Salt free water softeners are more specifically a water conditioner that prevent the hard water from adhering to the surface of an object such as the inside of your water pipes. An advantage of using this type of water softener/ water conditioner is that they do not waste water the same way as traditional softeners. They are also less expensive to operate and require less maintenance. This method of hard water treatment is not as effective as a salt-based system and will not be able to remove high levels of hard water.
Choosing Potassium Chloride
A third option that can be done to remove your hard water issues but will remain on the healthier side would be soften water by using the alternative of potassium instead of sodium. Potassium is an essential mineral that provides good health to people and to the environment. Water conditioning units at Reynolds Water are designed to use potassium just as well as the use of sodium. Simply change the product by changing to a different bag option and your set.
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.
How are Water Filters and Water Softeners Different?
Two common words used when speaking about devices that help control and monitor the water that comes into your home are water softener and water filter. People often confuse them for being the same device, but they are very different in terms of what they do and how they operate. A water softener may help make drinking water taste better similar to a filtration system, but it does not clean or
Bottle Water Vs Tap Water
Fun fact: Americans on average drink 28 gallons of bottled water each year. That is a lot of water to be drinking out of bottles, but why? Most people drink water from bottles because they believe that tap water is not safe due to news media reporting about lead in municipal water supplies. Taken data shows that 25% or more of bottled water is found as tap water in many cases. In the article, the details of what different types of bottled water contain. Not only is bottled water much more expensive in cost compared to regular tap water but can also be harmful the same amount if not more than your household water. Water is the absolute most important element in our lives that we need in order to continue living and is of utmost importance to be conscious of. If you are concerned about your home
Types of Salt for Your Water Softener
As a homeowner, certain appliances will need to be maintained in order to keep your house running efficiently, including your water softener. Regularly, the salt supply will need to be replenished in order to keep hard water from coming into your water system. While out shopping, you may find yourself questioning what the best choice for salt is exactly where to purchase since there is a variety of choices to choose from. In today’s article we will discuss the difference between those salt options and help you decide which choice is best for your softener and home.
Sodium Chloride Options
Water softeners or conditioners can be used with either sodium chloride (most commonly called salt) or potassium chloride. When at your local grocery store or home improvement store one thing to keep in mind when looking at the bags for purchase is the purity levels. Many of the bags sold in these places will contain a high level of water-insoluble material. This impurity over time can cause buildup in the water reservoir or cause the water softener to not function properly. If you notice this buildup occurring the brine tank will need to be cleaned more often to avoid this from happening in the future. A closer look at sodium chloride and you will see there are 3 different forms to choose from: pellets, crystal, or block salt. Salt pellets are the most common and typically are less costly than potassium pellets. Like many things found in the consumer world spending a little more money upfront for higher quality products is well worth the expense since this typically will mean less maintenance and fewer cleanings needed to keep your softener functioning efficiently.
Potassium Chloride as Alternative
If sodium chloride doesn’t seem to be the right fit for your home’s needs, the alternative option can be potassium chloride for your brine tank. Potassium chloride is 99.9% sodium-free, so this option is great for individuals who are looking to decrease their sodium intake. The largest disadvantage with this type is the price tag attached, which is much higher in comparison to sodium chloride. It can also be less readily available when searching at your local stores with fewer options. Switching your home from sodium to potassium may require an increase of salt dosage on the program settings value by an extra 10% to guarantee proper regeneration. If needing assistance with this, Reynolds Water Conditioning technicians can assist with this.
Salt Maintenance Tips
Checking your salt level inside your brine tank monthly is recommended. If your system regenerates more frequently, more checks and salt refills will need to be done more often as well. The salt in the brine tank should be at least 3 to 4 inches above the water level, but less than 4 inches below the top of the brine tank for best efficiency. If regular checks on the salt levels are performed you will begin to have nonconditioned water through the household and will notice hard water as indicated by an orange appearance and foul odor. Be sure to loosen any hardened salt around the edges of the tank or any large solid masses (also known as salt bridges) before adding additional salt each time.
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.
Well Water System Musts
You may be surprised to know how often it is that a homeowner doesn’t know where their own water is coming from. Well water and city water are very different, so it benefits everybody to be as knowledgeable as possible on the quality of your home’s water.
In a Realter.com article, the author lists 5 important things you need to know if your water is indeed coming from a well. Important tasks for well water homes can be common sense but some are often overlooked, such as getting not only your water, but your water system tested annually. Oftentimes issues with well water can be noticed by both a sense of smell and taste that are both exceedingly noticeable. It’s also very important to understand your water softener and being accustomed to its needs. Overall, the quality of your water can be consistently efficient if you understand what needs to be done for maintenance. However, plenty of people may need an extra push in the right direction that can be found with tips inside this article.
Basic Water Softener Maintenance
Maintenance and service on water softeners is pretty basic when it comes to the world of appliance upkeep. The exception to this, however, is the initial installation of the water softener. Determining the water hardness level, regeneration timing parameters, salt to use, and when to refill the salt so the softener can perform properly can be a bit tricky. Proper water softener set up can make long term maintenance easier and the softener perform more efficiently and last longer.
Ongoing Maintenance – Tips for Residential Water Softeners
Avoid Salt Bridges
Salt bridges occur when an empty space is created in the brine tank between the water and the salt. This prevents the salt from dissolving in the water which is how brine is made. Without brine the resin beads that soften the water are unable to do their job.
The most common cause of bridges are high humidity, temperature changes, or using the wrong type of salt. Salt bridges make it appear that the salt in your water softener tank is full. Your water, however, will be hard because the salt is not dissolving to make
Prevent Salt Mushing
Salt mushing is more serious than salt bridges. This occurs when the salt dissolves and then recrystallizes to form a sludge on the bottom or the brine tank. This thick layer of sludge keeps the softener from cycling properly during the regeneration process. Hard water remains and a serious blockage is created in the tank. If you attempt to remove a salt bridge and it does not break up, salt mushing is probably the cause of your hard water problem. The only way to fix the issue of salt mushing is to drain the softener of all water, remove the old salt and sludge, and replace it with fresh salt.
To prevent both salt bridges and salt mushing it is important to use high quality salt products as they greatly reduce the potential for problems. Also, it is important not to overfill the brine tank with salt. Keeping it only half-fill will prevent older salt from sticking to the walls of the softener tanks. Preventing humidity around the water softener can also help. An environment with high humidity can lead to condensation in the brine tank which will cause salt to bond together.
Water Softener Salt
In choosing salt to use in your water softener you will be able to choose from rock, solar, and evaporated salt. Rock salt is the cheapest however contains the highest level of insoluble minerals. When this occurs, the result is a muddy tank which decreases the softening efficiency and leaves impurities in your water. Solar salt is more soluble than rock salt. Solar salt is obtained through the evaporation of sea water and is found in crystal and pellet form. The best option for salt to use in your softener is evaporated salt. This is obtained through the combination of evaporation and mining. Solar salt is 99.99% sodium chloride and is the purest form of salt.
Salt with high levels of purity
Resin Bed Cleaning
Resin beads are routinely recharged by salt, but this doesn’t mean that the resin bed shouldn’t be flushed every few months with a cleaner designed for water softeners every few months to keep it in top shape. Water softening units can become polluted with iron, silt, metals, and a variety of different organic compounds which decrease your softeners efficiency. The process to reduce the ineffective resin is fairly simple. You will pour the manufacturers recommended amount of cleaner down the brine well and manually regenerate the water softener. The cleaner will be discharged during the normal flushing process during the softening cycle. This action cleans the resin and helps the absorbency of calcium and magnesium.
Clean the Venturi Valve
The venturi and nozzle work to create suction that moves brine from the brine tank into the resin tank during regeneration. Sometimes this valve can become plugged up with sand, sediment, or dirt. A clean valve is imperative for water softening to occur properly. This can be accomplished by unscrewing the cover of the valve, removing internal parts, and cleaning them all with soap and water. Completing this process twice a year will help keep the process running smoothly and more efficiently.
Periodic maintenance, regular upkeep, and monthly checkups all prevent major incidents from compiling and affecting the quality of the water running through your home. Hard water leads to major expenses, like new appliances, plumbing issues, and more, when left untreated.
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.
Switching Drinking Water to Cans?
When walking through the store these days, it is common to see many beverages are now offering their items in cans such as seltzer, beer, and wines. The idea of water being introduced in can form is on the horizon as well. PepsiCo, one of the largest beverage companies in the world, is taking on this challenge of canned water and states this new revelation is meant to improve the environment. Studies have shown that only 9% of all plastics manufactured have been recycled and end up in landfills or in our oceans, whereas about 67% of aluminum bought are recycled. The Aquafina brand made by Pepsi will be introduced early next year to test market the product. More details on this new step for water in the future can be read in this article. Many consumers oppose this new idea, however, and slowly other products have made the change with great success. Time will only tell if this new can solution will be a winner for water as well.
Benefits of Having a Water Softener In your Home
Are you curious about how your water softener is able to provide your entire house with water that is free of iron and other minerals? It always amazes me the difference between water that has gone through the ionization process and water that has not. Admittedly there are times when the salt in the softener runs out and we are left to deal with a shower or two where the water is less than soft, and we definitely notice the difference.
In the article from Popular Mechanics, “How a Water Softener Works (And Why You Might Want One)” homeowners learn about the inner workings of a water softener, how hard water affects your lives, and how a variety of other water treatment systems can improve the quality of the water in your home. Water softeners are a terrific tool for bringing soft water to faucets throughout the entire house but for true high-quality drinking water straight from the tap homeowners may consider the installation of an under sink reverse osmosis filter.
The experts at Reynolds Water Conditioning want to bring quality water to homes throughout Southeast Michigan. Let us test your water sample today to determine what water treatment system would best improve the water quality in your home.
Livingston County Under Boil Water Advisory
Three Livingston County townships are under a precautionary boil water advisory due to a low pressure in a water tower Sunday evening.
Anthony Dowson, operator in charge for the Livingston County Water Authority, said there was a well valve malfunction preventing water from filling the tower.
The advisory affects approximately 800 homes Green Oak, Hamburg and Brighton townships.
Dowson said the advisory is “just a precautionary measure” and only impacts Livingston County Water Authority customers.
The company will conduct two 24-hour bacteria tests before removing the advisory and should give the all clear Wednesday morning, he said.
What should residents do?
Do not drink water without boiling it first. Let it cool before using, or use bottled water.
Boiled or bottled water should be used for drinking, making ice, brushing teeth, washing dishes and food preparation.
Pets can get sick from the same contaminants as people. It is a good idea to give them bottled, boiled, or disinfected water
Household dishwashers generally are safe to use if the water reaches a final rinse temperature of at least 150 degrees or if the dishwasher has a sanitizing cycle, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Original Article: https://www.livingstondaily.com/story/news/local/2019/07/01/800-livingston-county-homes-under-boil-water-advisory/1616588001/