Do You Know The Difference Between A Water Filter And A Water Softener?

Several years ago I moved into a new home located in a rural area that was not supplied by the nearest municipal water system. My source of fresh water was a drilled well. The water is of very good quality but is very hard water. I really did not fully understand the term "hard water" for several years but I have finally come to grips with issues related to hard water.

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I have been using a water conditioning system produced by Culligan since I moved into my home. I thought it was a water softener. Everyone called it a water softener and that is what I called it. I got a little discouraged with the system performance and began considering a change. The Culligan system required the addition of peroxide to operate correctly and I was using nearly 10 gallons per month. My water was still showing some iron and system pressure was falling considerably.

WATER SOFTENER

I began researching water softeners. To my surprise I was not operating a water softener. It was merely a deluxe "water filter". The water was passing through a media bed that filtered the water but it did not soften it. I realized at that point that two completely distinct processes were involved in proper water conditioning.

For optimum water quality the water should be filtered and then it should be "softened". I found that the softening process removed dissolved minerals that a filter allowed to pass through. That accounted for the mineral build-up on my appliances such as electric tea kettle and porcelain fixtures etc. Even system iron is present in different forms. Some iron is actually dissolved in the water and passes through a filter. It will however solidify when it is not circulating. It contributes a very large build-up inside hot water heaters.

I decided on a simple but high quality cartridge filter and a water softener that required salt pellets for constant optimum softening. The salt used by the softener does not actually enter your water supply. I found that it's only purpose was to flush out a special media bed that has special physical qualities that attract the minerals like a magnet. Many people are under the misguided belief that salt goes into your useable water - not so.

The media bed requires flushing at regular intervals to continue working at peak performance. The system will shut down at predetermined times and close itself off from your water supply. It then takes the salted water into the media bed. This will cause the accumulated minerals to release from the media. It is all flushed into your waste water system by a separate plumbing connection. Once this cleaning cycle completes, the system re-opens and sends fresh, conditioned water to your water supply again.

This is the point where I discovered "soft water". I was amazed. After I installed my new filter and conditioner it took about 2 days to fully displace all previous water from the water heater and storage system. Now when I take a bath the difference is absolutely amazing. After several years of "hard water", the water now truly felt soft and slippery. This is soft water. Soap lathers so much better and laundry detergent can be reduced considerably yet with better results.

This was my education regarding water softening and water filtering. There is considerable difference between the two processes. I hope this will help someone still lucky enough to be using fresh underground water.

Do You Know The Difference Between A Water Filter And A Water Softener?

WATER SOFTENER

Whole House Water Filter Vs Water Softener

The type of water treatment system you purchase will depend on what type of issue(s) you need to address. There isn't one system for all needs. Certain conditions will require the need for a filter and others for a softener. In some instances you may want to do both. This article will briefly explain what the different functions of each unit are. This should help you determine which system will be most beneficial to you.

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Whole House Water Filters

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Whole house filters are made for city water and well water. Both types of filters remove sediment (larger particles of dirt and rust). City water filters use carbon to remove chlorine and other chemicals. Well water filters may also still employ carbon as a means of filtration, but many times use a media designed to remove minerals. Some are designed to address both issues. Aside from a water softener, the most effective means of removing hard water minerals is a scale inhibitor, which is designed for use in conjunction with a whole house water filter.

Installation Requirements

Most systems are required to be installed by a licensed plumber in order to maintain the validity of the warranty. Also, certain areas require whole house systems be installed by a licensed plumber, as well. If the manufacturer doesn't require a licensed plumber, you'll need to check with your city to see what is required.

Maintenance Requirements

The filters need to be changed periodically.

Water Softeners

A traditional water softener uses an ion-exchange resin to remove hard water minerals. This resin attracts hard water minerals (calcium and magnesium) and "exchanges" them with sodium. This process will completely remove hard water minerals, and it is the most reliable means of doing so. If you have hard water issues, your best option is a water softener. This is the only advantage a water softener has over a whole house water filter.

Installation Requirements

Water softeners are much more difficult to install than whole house filters, and most people don't have the tools or means to properly install one. As is the case with whole house filters, most systems are required to be installed by a licensed plumber in order to maintain the validity of the warranty. Also, certain areas require water softeners be installed by a licensed plumber, as well. If the manufacturer doesn't require a licensed plumber, you'll need to check with your city to see what is required if you would like to install the system yourself.

Maintenance Requirements

All that is required is filling up the brine tank with salt.

Whole House Water Filter Vs Water Softener

WATER SOFTENER

Healthy Living - Water Softener Or Water Filter?

Water, the substance we depend on for survival; odorless, colorless and tasteless yet fundamental to the survival of all life. It will dissolve nearly everything it comes in contact with and carry that substance with it. Knowing that our water supply is safe is important; and knowing potential problems with the water coming into our home and how to make it safer is equally important.

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There are a number of potential problems that can occur along the way with water that comes into our homes; among them, high levels of calcium, minerals and sediment, otherwise known as hardness. Hard water can really be damaging to your home's plumbing and appliances. For many years people have been turning to softeners, also known as conditioners, that use salt to neutralize minerals causing water to be "hard."

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When home owners are on municipal sewage systems the salt brine from softeners or conditioners backwashes into the system. Sodium makes its way into the nation's waterways. Those same waterways eventually become the water supply to other homes further down the stream. In areas where softeners are frequently used, large amounts of sodium have become quite a challenge! Municipal water departments are unable to bear the expense of reverse osmosis systems in order to remove the sodium, so they have no choice but to allow it on through to their customers. In some cities, sodium from water softeners has become such a challenge they have banned the use of salt brine conditioners altogether.

Beyond the challenges of sodium in the system, softeners/conditioners do nothing to address the larger problems of contamination. Cysts, chemicals and disinfection byproducts, pharmaceuticals and other carcinogens numbering in the hundreds are in the public and well water supplies. Conditioned water may help your plumbing, but it does absolutely nothing to address the real dangers to you health posed by these contaminants.

Some softener companies are going door to door or doing telephone solicitation to get into your home to sell their salt brine systems. They are promoting these systems as if they are home filtration systems. Unfortunately, their demo is pretty impressive and so are their claims. The price tag is pretty impressive too. That is, if "impressive" means up to 00.00! That's a lot of dough to make your pipes happy!

There is a new, state-of-the-art alternative that provides not only the ultimate in water softening, but the ultimate in purification as well. It's called Nano-filtration.

Nano-filtration is a system that combines the best of available technologies. It does not waste two-thirds of the water coming into the system as reverse osmosis does. And it does not add salt as conditioners do. Nano-filtration works with an advanced hollow carbon technology that is far superior to old fashioned carbon block or activated carbons. Then it forces the water through a membrane to remove everything down to .0001 microns! What does that mean to you? It means everything that could possibly be harmful to your health or your home is not getting through - even if your water source is an untreated lake or stream . Viruses, bacteria, fluoride, arsenic, lead, copper, trace pharmaceuticals, endocrine disrupting chemicals, hormones - everything you hear about in the news that makes you cringe to think about drinking and bathing in is no longer getting to you or your children. It means true peace of mind.

Nano-Filtration systems are not inexpensive - that is, unless you compare them to the hugely expensive softening systems. By comparison, they cost thousands of dollars less and give you far more protection for your money! Nano-Filtration is the solution that is truly "Good for You and Mother Earth Too!"

Healthy Living - Water Softener Or Water Filter?

WATER SOFTENER

Is a Whole House Water Filter System Also a Water Softener?

When considering the purchase of a whole house water filter and / or a water softener, you should keep a few things in mind.

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1. One of the first things to look for is that a whole house water filter system utilizes a multi-stage filtration process that is certified by NSF. Typically, if your home is on city water, the whole home system goes before the water softener. This is because it's important to remove chlorine before it mixes with the resins inside of the softener.

WATER SOFTENER

2. If your home uses well water, then chlorine is not a problem you have to deal with. In this case, it is a good idea to have the whole house filtration system treat the home after the water softener. This order helps ensure that the last system to handle the water also sends healthy filtered water to your home's water outlets.

3. Now that you know how a home water treatment system would work with a softener, let's talk about whether you need to use a water softener. The primary purpose for filtration is to make the water as healthy as possible. Since the softening process adds sodium, you are definitely not distributing the purest water possible throughout your home. The water actually becomes so full of salt that it can be tasted. If your home currently does use a softener, it is very important that the water you drink is filtered at the point of use.

4. The essential purpose of a softener is to remove high levels of "hard" minerals such as calcium. However, many whole house filters are capable of reducing iron, calcium and other hardening agents down to give microns, yet still retain healthy minerals. That means that your home water filter system won't be as effective at removing hard water but will still perform similarly to a standard softener. The big difference being that no sodium is added, which is a lot healthier for you and your family.

5. In addition to removing minerals, some softeners can also reduce other contaminants like heavy metals and sulfates. However, they don't even come close to the ultra-filtration capability of a high-quality whole house filtration system. Whole house filters like the Aquasana EQ-300 can filter out synthetic chemicals like dangerous herbicides, prescription drugs, chlorine and many more contaminants, while also softening the water. So keep in mind that a home filtration system gives many more benefits than a water softener, such as healthy drinking water, filtered showers and baths, longer-lasting appliances and less chloroform gas in the air.

Is a Whole House Water Filter System Also a Water Softener?

WATER SOFTENER