How to Compare Water Conditioners

Although state-government agencies set standards on water purity, public water systems often contain harmless but annoying mineral deposits like iron, calcium or sulphur. These minerals can make water "hard," and when the water dries, these minerals get left behind as chalky, hard water (mineral) deposits. Water conditioners (also known as water softeners) consist of chemicals that counteract the mineralized water. Water conditioners can help your washer clean your clothes more effectively and they can help your soap and shampoo lather like it should. Many types of water conditioners exist, so you must know the type your water requires.

Instructions

1. Identify the type of mineral within your water by obtaining a test kit from sites like Mortonsalt.com, Prolabin.com or Labwater.com. For a small fee, you will get a test to identify excess levels of common minerals like iron or calcium.

2. Select one of three types of conditioners: manual, metered or timed. Manual conditioners require that you manually soften the water by adding salt to a container of water, but they allow you to get the exact amount of conditioner for the right volume of water. Metered or timed conditioners offer automatic, hassle-free conditioning, but they provide less exact conditioning because metered units condition water at various volume levels like every hundred gallons; timed conditioning units soften your water automatically according to date.

3. Size your water softener to the amount of water that needs softening by measuring your water's "grain" volume. Water conditioners treat the number of mineral particles (grains) per million particles of water and as the unit ionizes and pulls hard water chemicals like calcium, it then swaps them with the proper amount of negating ions like salt ions. Low-volume conditioners can process 20,000 to 32,000 grains per day. Moderate and high-volume conditioners can process 40,000 to 60,000 grains per day.

4. Compare whole-house systems that hook to your incoming water line to single-source systems that hook to the faucet. Whole-house systems cost more and require you have plumbing experience or hire a professional to install, but they provide conditioned water for all your appliances and faucets. Single-source systems cost less, but they require you to manually fill a single resevoir and treat it or plug a conditioner to a single faucet or washer's incoming water line.

5. Compare system prices. Whole-house manual conditioners capable of treating 24,000 to 64,000 grains cost $540 to $700. Single-source water-line systems with tanks capable of treating 30,000 to 50,000 grains cost $300 to $640. Single-source faucet systems cost $19.99 to $39.99. Prices are as of June 2010.

6. Compare miscellaneous costs like chemical or chemical-filter replacement prices and installation charges. Installation for whole-house or single-source water line systems costs $300 to $500. Replacement chemicals like salt or potassium cost $6 to $15 for 40 pounds and replacement filters for single-faucet systems cost $6 to $32 each or $15 to $20 for a package of three. Price are as of June 2010.

Tips & Warnings

• Some people fear increased sodium intake can harm people on low-sodium diets, but the amounts involved would require that you drink up to 17 liters per day to experience any increase in sodium intake.

References

• Home Tips: Water Softener Systems
• Guide 4 Home: Water Softener Reviews
• APS Water: How to Select a Water Softener
• Best Water Softener: Best Water Softeners
• All Water Purification: Best Water Softeners

Resources

• Obtain Water Conditioning Systems and Supplies Online