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Salt-Softened Water PRINCIPAL Salt softened water is based on ionic exchange. For each calcium and magnesium ion (the hardness minerals) two sodium ions go into the water. A traditional softener using salt does not filter chlorine, volatile organic compounds, or is considered a filtration system. A salt softener usually has a reverse osmosis system at the kitchen sink to remove the added sodium. FEEL Salt-softened water feels mushy and has a slippery or slimy feel when bathing with soap. Many people do not like the feel of salt softened water, because it feels as if they can't ever completely rinse off the soap ? your skin feels like it has a slippery coating. Consumers are told that salt softeners bring out the natural oils of your body. This is not true. It is a sign of over regeneration and over softening. AESTHETICS Salt softeners can prevent the scale build-up in pipes and water heaters by removing the hardness minerals of calcium and magnesium. Because of the sodium content, softened water unites with soap limiting bathtub rings, allows better results with clothes washers and dishwashers, and leaves shower doors virtually free of the usual soap scum build-up. Most laundry and dishwashing detergents contain a lot of sodium. Sodium causes more suds, however suds do not clean. Even though the minerals are gone, the total dissolved solids in the water has not changed and therefore when water is left, it will leave a residue on surfaces or around faucets which is simply wiped up. Salt softened water can also cause spotting depending on how much sodium is in the water. SALT IS CORROSIVE Those in The Navy are familiar with the term "Marine Whites." Sailors used to put their white clothes in ocean water to whiten them. Caution had to be used because if the clothes remained too long in the heavily salt-laden water, they would deteriorate. Salt is corrosive. Softeners use the same salt spread on icy roads, which destroys the underside of cars. Those living near oceans know well the corrosiveness of salt to cars, houses, etc. Many people with galvanized pipes found that salt softened water did prevent scale build-up, but the trade-off was the salt also corroded their pipes. Homeowners with salt softeners will go through more water heaters because of the salt?s corrosive effect on the heating coils. Always check with a manufacturer's warranty related to water. Softened water should not go to a pool or spa. Hard water and naturally soft water have their maintenance issues, however softened water offers potential problems that may imply or outright void the warranty on certain products. |
The EWS whole house water conditioner PRINCIPLE The EWS combines both filtration and conditioning in one system. The filtration is accomplished with a very high grade of Granular Activated Carbon (GAC). Used extensively in both water and air filtration, GAC works on the principle of adsorption, where substances in water are attracted to, and adhere to the surface of the carbon. GAC is carbon that has been activated to produce an extensive intricate inner pore structure with a large surface area. GAC is most widely used for the removal of chlorine, chloramines (chlorine and ammonia), bad taste and odors. It is also used to remove volatile organic compounds, phenols, herbicides, pesticides, and surfactants. Most minerals, having the same polarity as carbon, are not removed when filtering through carbon. Carbon is the last stage in both reverse osmosis and distillation systems for removal of chlorine and volatile organic compounds. The ICN Conditioner causes a physical change of the minerals. The minerals are breaking apart from the water molecules and bond together. Operating on principles of polarity, the calcium and magnesium are attracted each other rather than attaching to pipes and other surfaces. The minerals are put into a suspended state, making them less adhering. Technically, this is called "increased calcite nucleation". FEEL Environmental Water has more of the feel of naturally soft water (water with lower mineral content). It does not feel slippery, slimy, or mushy soft, like salt softened water. No water in its natural state feels like salt softened water. Soaps produce more lather with The EWS conditioned and filtered water versus untreated water. However, these soaps will rinse off quickly and cleanly, unlike salt softened water. Less soaps, shampoos, coffee grounds, tea, etc., are needed with The EWS system. AESTHETICS THE EWS conditioned water will tend to sheet. If water is left to dry on any surface it will leave something behind. These spots will simply wipe off versus untreated water where more work and special products may have to be used. Those who are replacing a salt softener must be told that there will be fewer suds with The EWS water. The sodium content of salt softened water causes more suds. This is particularly true with some of the biodegradable laundry detergents. You should not use more soap to get more suds. Clothes will get clean without the excess soap and suds and rinse out and dry easier. The same with your dishwasher - use the appliance properly and with less powdered detergent. When showering, The EWS water rinses off quickly and cleanly. The EWS makes the water easier to clean up, just like a softener, (our approach is different). A dishwasher still needs to be used properly, toilets need to be cleaned, and surfaces need to be wiped off. The EWS will prevent new scale and corrosion in pipes, and will de-scale existing pipes and fixtures. Older water heaters should be drained to remove scale and sediment after an initial installation. Water heaters will work more efficiently, and a savings on fuel and/or electricity will result. After de-scaling water heaters, they should be drained at least once a year. Water heater manufacturers recommend this procedure as preventive maintenance. |
It's not bananas or a healthy potassium (K). It is potassium chloride (KCl), a substitute for salt (sodium chloride) to "soften" The water. It is also based on ionic exchange. The drawbacks to potassium chloride are:
a) Anyone with diabetes, heart disease or other conditions should be advised that the use of this product with the increased potassium chloride intake might be a concern to their health and may negate the medications used to treat these conditions. Let's face it! It's still a salt, but the semantics make for a good sales pitch.
b) The maintenance of adding potassium chloride to the brine tanks is the same as salt, however the potassium chloride is more expensive.
c) During regeneration, excessive amounts of chlorides (as well as TDS) are being put back into our municipal water supply. Those with septic tanks should consider that the brine discharge inhibits the bacteria necessary in the septic tank from doing its job.
d) Valuable calcium and magnesium are still being removed from the water.
Yes. In fact, our system will even help remove the existing build-up in water pipes and water-using appliances. Removing scale and corrosion will prolong the life of your water heater, your appliances, and plumbing fixtures. It will also reduce your energy costs. Hot water heaters with scale build-up require more energy to heat the water. Keep in mind, softeners use salt, and The EWS whole house conditioner does not. Salt is known to be corrosive.
Every few years, the GAC media and ICN(s) should be replaced with a replacement kit within the tank. Historically, our field surveys show 8-10 years between service depending on local water conditions and usage. Proper application, installation, set-up and backwashing affect the useful life. However, no salt, chemicals, filters, or other supplies need to be bought, added or changed on a monthly or annual basis. The automatic system requires no maintenance. A digital timer is set to automatically backwash (clean out) the carbon bed. The backwash water can be used to water a garden area so that no water is wasted. Plants flourish on this water. This water can also be put into a drain line with no detrimental effects to septic tanks or sewer lines.
The size of your home, the number of bathrooms, the size of your family, the size of the water supply pipe feeding your home, your water hardness and your personal habits are all important considerations in determining the best system for your particular application. The standard home unit (THE EWS-1054) is proper for most applications with these exceptions: The service line is 1 1/4" or greater, The hardness of The water exceeds 15 grains or 257 mg/L, five or more people reside in the home, the home exceeds 4,000 square feet, and/or their will be a considerable usage of water, two or more water heaters, etc. In these cases the larger residential unit (The EWS-1354) should be selected. The larger unit has valve options to accommodate larger main services and better water flow rates. The increase in tank size allows for an extra cubic foot of GAC for greater filtration capabilities, and an additional ICN conditioner for better conditioning effects and aesthetics.
Price: The Tap Master RO systems are more expensive than the Value Line Filtration systems.
Water Waste: The RO systems waste water, while the filters do not. However, the tap masters sold at Charlotte Environmental are all sold with a non-electric permeate pump to reduce water waste by up to 80%.
Installation: Since the RO systems produce water waste they must be connected to a drain pipe or floor drain. The filter systems do not.
Water quality: The RO systems provide purer water, since they remove virtually everything whereas the filters remove mostly chemical contaminants and not dissolved solids.
Water flow rates: The filter systems can provide thousands of gallons uninterrupted with a 1 gpm flow rate, whereas the RO system produce water very slowly and use a storage tank to provide good pressure. However, this is not a problem for most households as people tend to use not more than a few ounces or maybe 1 gallon at a time.
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