What are the benefits of Soft Water?
Water Softeners are used to make water better for washing and cleaning purposes. With soft water comes many favorable changes. Washed clothes come out cleaner. Hair is softer. Water spotting and bathtub rings are less frequent and less severe, so bathroom cleanup is much easier. Soft water has a slippery feeling compared with hard water. Some people think they aren’t getting the soap off as well, but actually soft water rinses soap off better. Rinsing with hard water introduces more hardness minerals, which then combine with the soap. This forms soap scum, a sticky substance that coats skin, causes bath tub ring, etc. and kills the slippery feeling generally associated with soap. The soap is still there but can no longer clean, suds up, or feel slippery. Half as much shampoo is plenty with soft water. In most other places where soap is used you can use half as much as with hard water. Customers may be considering softening only the hot water. 60% of the benefit is obtained by treated the water going to the water heater, 25% of the benefit is obtained by treating the cold water going to the washing machine, 10% of the benefit is obtained by treating the cold water going to the tub and showers, and 5% of the benefit is obtained by treating the cold water going to the toilets. There is almost no benefit to treating the cold water going to the sinks, and hard water should continue to flow to the sprinkler system and the outside faucets.
Does water treated with your softener contain salt?
Water softened using regular water softener salt does not contain salt, but it is not sodium free. Some people want sodium free water to drink. This can be achieved by running a hard water line to the kitchen cold. Another alternative is using potassium chloride instead of salt as a regenerant. However, potassium chloride is more expensive than salt. However, potassium chloride is more expensive than salt.
What size water softener is right for me?
The size needed for each home is dependent on the maximum number of people who will occupy that home as each person typically uses 75 gallons per day in the home. Hundreds of gallons can be used in the yard each day; therefore the outside water should not be treated.
Assuming the hardness is between 10 and 12 grains per gallon (many places in Northwest Montana have twice this much hardness):
Number of people in home softener size
2-3 people 16000 grain
4-5 people 24000 grain
6 people 32000 grain
7-8 people 40000 grain
9-10 people 48000 grain
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