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Whether you own a private well or use city services, you might need a water softener or filtration system to make the liquid suitable for your home and household. Since different equipment serves different functions, first determine what issues you need to combat before making a decision. To help decide, below is an overview of how water softeners and filters work. 

What to Know About Water Softeners 

Hard water has high calcium and magnesium levels, which can affect its taste and create a cloudy appearance. Soap and detergent won’t dissolve in hard water, either, which can leave clothes gritty and skin irritated.

The minerals can also collect in plumbing fixtures, requiring more frequent pipe and drain cleaning to clear clogs. Installing a water softener will put an end to hard water problems. The device replaces calcium, magnesium, and iron ions with sodium ions. During the ion exchange process, the discarded hard minerals are stored in a conditioning tank for later removal.

Spring-Branch-Texas-water-softenersWater softeners only remove hardness minerals, so you’ll need additional filtration equipment to remove other substances. Also, 7.5 milligrams of sodium are added for each grain per gallon of hard minerals that are removed. This can be problematic for people on low-sodium diets. In this case, consider using a device that replaces the ions with potassium instead of sodium. 

How Filtration Systems Work 

Water softeners are a specific type of water filtration system for removing certain minerals associated with hardness. However, other systems can remove more contaminants. With an activated carbon filtration, for example, carbon binds to water molecules to remove chlorine, mercury, or lead.

Similar to how HVAC filters keep contaminants out of the air, reverse osmosis systems have screens that trap dirt and other larger particles. This can remove gunk pumped into a private well before water reaches home faucets.

Filters can be connected directly to the house water line or a specific faucet. As water conditions are constantly changing, you might need to update the water filtration system from time to time to keep up with treatment needs.   

 

If you need a water softener or additional filtration solutions to improve the taste and quality of the liquid, contact the master licensed plumbers at Don's Plumbing in Spring Branch, TX. With over three decades of experience, the residential plumbers will provide solutions to keep unwanted minerals, bacteria, and toxins out of the supply. For a service appointment in Canyon Lake or the surrounding areas, call (830) 964-4477. Learn more about the team online and get troubleshooting advice for plumbing problems on Facebook

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