You might be wondering about the differences between ‘hard’ and ‘soft’ water, which is safer and healthier to consume. Even though water is colorless and clear, there are minerals and chemicals present in it, and the concentration of these minerals determines if it is ideal for human consumption.
Hard water contains high levels of calcium and magnesium. In contrast, soft water usually contains high amounts of sodium and shows having the unique features that can be used to identify them.
There are no serious adverse health effects of consuming hard water but causes skin irritations and changes in the pH balance of the skin. According to the United States Geological Survey, over 85% of American homes hard water.
The hard water can be gotten rid of using a home water softener, which works by running the hard water through a resin. These water softening units, however, require ongoing maintenance, by replacing the pellets on it and cleaning regularly. In addition to reading reviews online, here are some of the best water softeners that might be good for you:
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Fleck 5600SXT Water Softener
This standard and well-regarded water softener have high-class features, a digital meter, and functionality to make the water softening process more streamlined and accurate. This is an ideal choice for processes involving the removal of hardness minerals from water. The digital device allows the system to measure the water usage and run the generation cycles needed using only a necessary amount of salt.
The Fleck 5600SXT water softener is available in a wide range of sizes and best suited for medium to very hard water. It uses an ion exchange system to increase the longevity of the water using the plumbing system and appliances. Access to full control of all settings makes the set-up process more convenient and faster.
This is a great option to go for when dealing with medium to high levels of water hardness with all the features needed to be provided by the package – says QualityWaterLab. Here are some product details and features:
- Grain Size: Comes in capacities of 16,000, 24,000, 32,000, 40,000, 48,000,
- and 64,000.
- Dimension: 27 x 17 x 62 inches.
- Resin: 1.5 cubic feet.
- Flow Rate: Up to 28 GPM.
- Warranty: Extended span of 10 years for tanks and five years for the valves.
- Weight: 20.8 pounds.
- Digital LCD with controls.
- Suitable for a household of up to 6 persons.
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ABCWaters 48k-5600SXT Water Softener
This is a salt-based ion exchange water softener which comes with a Fleck digital meter valve that helps in automatic regeneration to ensure soft water is always available. Maintenance and installation are easy to accomplish with a simplified guide available to reference.
Its compact design and complete household water softening system make it suitable for household use. This product comes at a reasonable price relative to other prices in the market. The product details include:
- Grain size: 48,000.
- Installation kit with a guide available.
- Digital LCD for easy control.
- Hardness test kit included.
- Pre-calibrated meter valve by Fleck.
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Iron Pro 2 Combination Water Softener
The parts that make up this water softener were made by the biggest names in the market, Fleck and Pentair. The package has an assured track record of performance with its high-end components like the durable resin tank, a Fleck 5600SXT digital control head with a metered valve, and a large-capacity brine tank.
This water softener has an ion exchange process that aids in easy removal of hardness in water and clears up the scale built-up on washbasins, taps, and other appliances. Iron Pro 2 has a large unit capacity that can easily serve a family of ten or more, an outstanding flow rate of 15 GPM, and a digital meter which works as an iron filter and chemical removal system. It comes in different grain models for customers to buy and use. The resin can last
up to five years, depending on the rate of water usage. The backlit LCD display makes it user-friendly to use with an internal power backup to protect and retain the user settings during an event of a power outage. Some of the product details include:
- Size: 14 x 7 x 21 inches.
- Grain size: 64,000
- Warranty: 5 years for control head and ten years for the tank.
- Product weight: 119.5 pounds.
- Flow rate: 16 GPM.
- Memory backup that lasts up to 48 hours.
- Digital LCD display.
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Aquasana 1,000,000 Gallon Rhino Water Filter
This high-capacity and saltless water softener come equipped with a mechanical prefilter as well as two chemical filters to ensure a total water-conditioning solution for a household. The base system of the water softener neither needs any electrical connections, nor does it require any drain for wastewater.
A system of filters is used by the water softener to remove several unwanted minerals and micro-organisms from the water. The water treated using a salt-free process retains its original hardness, but crystallized minerals won’t form scales inside the pipes or stain sinks, tubs, and dishes.
Extra but optional components added to the set-up include UV and submicron filters to make the whole process more effective. The UV filter, however, requires an electrical connection for it to work. The product details include:
- Combined water filter and conditioner system.
- 3-stage multi-flow design process.
- Capacity: 1,000,000 gallons.
- Product dimensions: 9 x 46 x 44 inches.
- Warranty: 10 years.
- Product lifespan: 10 years.
- NSF full system certification.
Conclusion
These water softeners can protect against build-up caused by hard water within the plumbing system of a household. Before deciding on the water softener to get, determine the size of the product needed for usage, also considering the size of the family and property.
The products available should also be compared in terms of price, features, functionality, warranty, and installation and maintenance requirements. The best water softener you can get depends on your preferences and usage, but all the factors mentioned should be weighed before buying.
