Many people are deciding to invest in water treatment systems for their home and office and with the health and money saving benefits they offer it is easy to see why. The two main types of water softener you have from which to choose are those which replace the lime scale in the water with sodium (salt), and electronic water softeners which hold the lime scale in suspension. A little time taken in deciding which water softener system is right for you will ensure that your choice will repay you with years of good service.
Hard water is created when rainwater passes through chalk or limestone rock. As it does so it absorbs mineral salts from the rock, principally calcium bicarbonate, which can later be deposited in our domestic water systems as lime scale.
Those of us who live in hard water areas know the effect that the build up of scale can have on our taps and shower heads, in fact in any areas which our water supply comes into regular contact. In addition to being unpleasant to look at lime scale also reduces the efficiency of these items. However the damage done by lime scale build up is not just cosmetic. Over the years scale will have built up inside the pipes of your water supply and heating system, in more severe cases reducing the flow of water to not much more than a trickle, seriously affecting the ability of your heating system to cope with the rigors of the American winter. Heating elements in hot water tanks and washing machines can become seriously affected by scale build up, reducing their efficiency and ultimately leading to costly repairs or replacement.
Perhaps the worst affected domestic appliance is the combination or condensing boiler. These modern energy efficient boilers are quite complex and therefore much more expensive to replace or repair than the older systems and unfortunately can be easily affected by lime, to the extent that they must be fitted with their own electronic water softener by your plumber on installation in hard water areas if you do not already have water softeners in use.
Health-wise soft water can have many benefits. Skin and hair will feel naturally softer without the use of expensive moisturizers and conditioners. You will find that you need to use far less soap, shampoo and washing powder to get the same amount of lather, saving you money whilst at the same time reducing your impact on the environment. People who suffer from Eczema and Psoriasis benefit greatly from water softening systems, in fact several studies in Europe have suggested that their conditions can improve by on average 50% after switching from a hard water supply.
Traditionally people looking to introduce a water softener to their home have opted for salt based water filters. The brine tank is fitted into the water supply where it enters the property and as the water moves through the system the ions of calcium are replaced by sodium, or salt, ions. The unit is periodically recharged with sodium by flushing through with a brine solution. Although these are effective at removing the calcium from your water system they have a number of disadvantages. They are relatively expensive to buy, costing typically 0 to 0, with additional plumbing costs for installation. They are quite bulky and require maintenance and are unsuitable for people on a low sodium diet or for use in the preparation of baby feeds.
The new types of electronic water softener can have many advantages over an ion replacement system. Also known as an electronic water conditioner, these systems work by passing a very small electric current through the water supply as it enters the property. This causes tiny crystals to be formed, which the calcium attaches itself to instead of the pipe work, which are then removed with the waste water in the normal way. A popular development of this system is the ClearWave heavy-duty water softener. This system works by bombarding your water supply with a series of inaudible electromagnetic pulses. These increase the electromotive attraction of the water to calcium particles, allowing them to be held in suspension and not deposited as lime. Additionally the treated water supply cleans your system of previously deposited lime scale as it goes, in a short time removing all traces of lime scale. As this type of model is available at a price of around 0 including shipping, in several grain sizes to cater for most capacities, the advantages of such a system are clear. Factor in the ease of installation, merely wrap two wires around the water pipe and plug into your electrical system, maintenance free operation and lack of potentially harmful salt, it is very obvious why they are gaining in popularity.
The installation of electronic water softeners is one of the most cost effective ways that you can improve the health of both your family and property.
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