Many households have wanted to get better water for the whole house – like laundry, showering, and cooking – everything that involves water at home. How can a home guarantee its water with a safe and clean water system?
Underground water is the most well-known source of water for municipal systems. It is identified as having a higher percentage of minerals than surface water. This article explains the method behind each system, which is important for deciding on a home water filtration system.
You will not only find some real, easy-to-understand reviews of water filters and softeners, but you will also be able to take advantage of the many informational pages that have been added.
Water Softener Systems and Water Filter Systems – What’s the difference?
What are the main differences between a water filter and a water softener? Which system is more necessary and important for my home? These are a few of the questions that smart consumers often ask when considering a whole-house water filter.
You must understand how each operates and the differences between water softening and filtration systems.
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Both two systems have different water treatments.
Water Softeners are supposed to remove hardness-causing minerals and contaminants from water, like magnesium and calcium.
Water filters treat contamination and remove impurities from water, like heavy metals (lead, copper, cadmium, mercury), pesticides (herbicides, insecticides), dirt, and sediment from your drinking water.
Therefore, you can say that a water softener is also a whole-house water filter. The term ‘water filter’ covers many products that include more than water softeners.
Other whole-house filters include iron & sulfur removal filters, sediment filters, back-washing carbon filters, and fluoride adsorption filters. These are completely different systems that perform essential water decontamination functions.
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Both two systems have different technology.
Water softeners use salt and ion exchange resins to remove calcium and magnesium from hard water, preventing limescale damage in your home. Tank resin beads attract these minerals, replacing them with sodium ions and giving you soft water.
Conversely, water filters can use various purification techniques to treat contamination and remove impurities such as lead and pesticides from drinking water.
Advanced media beds remove pollutants from water through oxidation, catalytic conversion, microfiltration, ion exchange, and adsorption.
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Both two systems have different maintenance needs.
Salt-based water softeners need to be maintained regularly. One of the main maintenance tasks that need to be done is restocking consumable salt. Non-salt-based systems need less maintenance, but trace amounts of oil often damage them.
Magnetic systems have the least maintenance requirements and can be installed cheaply, but they are ineffective against metallic dissolved materials.
While water filtration systems require little maintenance, they are more expensive to install. Water softener systems are more cost-efficient if you only need to make the water less hard.
Which one is better for my home?
Perhaps you've had the same questions. Let's examine these solutions closely and see how they can help around the house.
THE WATER SOFTENER
A Water Softener is a filtration system that removes high concentrations of calcium and magnesium that cause hard water. When water flows through a Water Softener, the system filters out these hard water minerals, and the softened water then leaves the water softening system to flow through plumbing.
It also typically uses salt as the primary chemical agent to modify water properties, while filtration can involve many other methods.
What are the Key Features?
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It acts like a traditional “bar magnet” – one end is positive, and the other is negative. Calcium and magnesium, the key culprits of hard water, are positively charged molecules. As the hard water pumps through the softening system, it passes through a filter filled with negatively charged resin beads.
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It completely removes both elements (calcium and magnesium) before water runs through your system. These are salt-based water softeners.
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They will neutralize these elements through electromagnetic waves before the water enters your faucet. Since these do not eliminate the hardness minerals from the water, they are also called water conditioners.
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It helps prolong the life of your appliances and plumbing. You will probably find that it tastes different.
At home, you’ll need a Water Softener if…
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Mineral-like crust built up around your faucets or on your shower head
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Soap scum build up in your sinks or on your shower walls
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Irritated or dry skin and dull hair after showering
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Stiff clothing after a load of laundry
The Benefits of Having a Water Softener at Home
The water softener is most important to protect your home and prolong the lifespan of pipes and home appliances from scale buildup and clogging. Compare to water treated with a water softener versus untreated hard water has many benefits:
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Cleaner and shinier silverware, glassware, mirrors, tiles, cars, or any plumbing fixtures;
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Softer skin and clean, smooth hair;
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Uses less soap and shampoo because of the rich lather softened water and soap produces;
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Softer clothes without hard minerals trapped in the fabric. Fabrics last longer, and whites stay whiter without the dingy gray caused by hard water;
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Save money on monthly energy costs and damages to appliances.
Is it safe to drink water from a water softener?
While many consumers use water softeners to enjoy their benefits, there is confusion about whether softened water is safe to drink, and some are concerned about the risks.
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Health
- Soft water is harmful to certain individuals who are sensitive to heightened salinity or sodium levels. Studies have shown that significantly decreasing sodium intake can lower your blood pressure. -
Risk in Plants
Plants can be extraordinarily sensitive to sodium levels. Supporting plants with soft water, which is naturally high, can stunt their growth and cause blockages in their root systems. Distilled, tepid water is best for plants. -
Washing Issues
– Soft water cannot be very useful for washing skin because you will have difficulty removing soap and shampoo from the hair. Hence, you'll use more water when you shower.
THE WATER FILTRATION
Water filters are designed to remove various impurities from water. They use two different techniques to eliminate these contaminants. Physical filtration involves straining water to remove larger impurities. The filter is made of thin gauze or a very fine textile membrane.
Another technique is chemical filtration, which involves passing water through an active material that chemically removes impurities as it passes through. Water filters are the best way to ensure you drink clean, great-tasting water.
Water Filtration generally refers to the methods or systems that remove contaminants from water, including:
- Metals such as arsenic, iron, or copper
- Industrial and pharmaceutical byproducts like pesticides or hormones
- Sediment and other organic troublemakers
Key Features:
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Water Filters are affordable and come in various forms, such as pitchers that can sit on your countertop or in the fridge and faucet-mounted filters that filter water straight from the tap.
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They're a must-have for camping or hiking trips, so you'll have safe drinking water when needed.
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The water filter group includes reverse osmosis (RO) systems, activated carbon filters, and microporous filters. Depending on the type used, contaminants are either trapped in a system and removed by cleaning or filtering cartridge replacement or flushed down the drain immediately.
Water Filters: How do they work?
We can all agree that contaminants are trapped in water filtration and removed through system cleansing or contained in a cartridge membrane that needs replacing after a certain period.
Water filters, such as Berkey Filters, remove contamination. They are used worldwide and set the international filter standard in clean or hostile environments.
Black Berkey® Elements dramatically reduce trihalomethanes, inorganic minerals, heavy metals, pharmaceuticals, pesticides, VOCs, petroleum products, perfluorinated chemicals, rust, silt, sediment, radiological, and more.
Accredited third-party labs have tested Black Berkey® Elements, which have reported that they meet the ANSI/NSF (Std. 53) protocol and address more than 200 typical contaminants in drinking water sources.
Here's Why You Need a Good Water Filter
Water is very important and sustains all forms of life. However, tap water directly from the faucet may undermine your health without you noticing it. Even the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has tested the water, and it says that more than ninety percent (90%) of the water supply in the United States is safe to drink. Still, it is not entirely free from various impurities.
The water flowing from your home tap is not entirely clean and safe. Before it reaches your faucet, it has already traveled through miles of pipeline and carried many contaminants along the way. That is why you need a water filtration system to improve the water quality for your family.
Here are a few reasons why a water filter is necessary:
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To remove chlorine.
Chlorine is an effective disinfectant but can make your drinking water smell and taste unpleasant. It could also react with other metals found in the water, forming a hazardous compound.
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To remove Fluoride.
An excessive amount of fluoride can be toxic, especially to children. High fluoride consumption is directly associated with gastrointestinal problems, low fertility, thyroid and endocrine-related ailments, and even cancer.
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To remove lead from the water.
Lead can intoxicate people if ingested. If your main water source is a well, ask the health authorities. If so, you should have the water tested at least once a year.
The Water Filter System that Suits Your Home
Berkey Water Filters will provide you with more than effective water filtration systems.
- It is gravity-fed, so no need for electricity or water pressure
- A user-friendly, cost-effective, and freshwater source for your home
Choose a System for your Home
It can sometimes be a pain in the head and inconvenient to buy the wrong product. Imagine being mesmerized by the product displayed in the store and excited to buy it. Then, you finally decide to give in to your desires, buy the product, and bring it home. Only then do you realize that it is not suitable for your needs?
You need to decide today whether to install water softeners or water filtration. The choice depends on your home problems.
- If a lot of calcium and magnesium is dissolved in it and your household appliances start to build up scale, you deal with hard water, and a softening system is likely the best solution.
- A water filter is best if chlorine affects your water's smell and taste or if you’re worried about contaminants such as lead and pesticides affecting your family.
Many households choose systems that filter chemical impurities for cleaner, healthier water.
Deciding on a water filter or softener should depend on the current condition of your water. In a nutshell, a water softener protects your possessions, while a water filter protects your health.
The bottom line here is that the choice is up to you. What has been mentioned in this article is not just giving you an opportunity but also making sure you are armed with the necessary information withal before you hit the purchase button. Both systems' differences have been explained intrinsically, which might best suit you.
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