Other plants thrive with filtered RO water. Good luck! You have some sort of resin. So, sure, some fancy word like polystyrene divinylbenzene beads. Ignore the cation and anion geeky stuff. Then the new, hard water comes over the bed. The calcium is way sexier to the resin. So the resin drops the sodium ion, takes the calcium ion. The sodium ions really exist in two ways, some went to the drain during the regen.
Or, since you reference kg in your post, you might be in an area where hardness is measured in ppm, then the formula is simply:. We have a water softener system in our home which has salt pellets. We also have osmosis systems in our kitchens. My question is this. Does any of the salt used in the softening system, get into our drinking water? Hope this helps! I have been using salt in my softener for years and have always had a problem with a bad odor in my laundry. The laundry smells fine after washing but if it gets wet from bath water, sweat, etc, it develops a strong and unpleasant smell.
When my water softener stopped working and we were without softened water for a while, there was no more smelly laundry.
My theory is that the salt gets deposited in the clothes and when they get wet, it activates a smell. Do you have any suggestions for how to combat this problem or do you think switching to potassium would make a difference? Any input would be appreciated. We recommend that you have a local water treatment professional check out your system. We have the same issue with smelly laundry — it is a mildew-type odor. We did not have a problem before purchasing our water softener over a dozen years ago, and once or twice recently, when our softener was non-functioning, we did not have any loads with odors.
It is not an issue of clothes sitting wet in the machine, and our softener has been serviced annually. Hi Danny, Have you contacted the manufacturer of your water softener? If this smell issue has been a problem for the manufacturer, they may have suggestions. That would be step 1. Municipal plants can change their treatment level for certain contaminants as long as treatment falls within EPA guidelines. The professional should also thoroughly check out your unit to make sure that the unit is completely sanitized and free of impurities that could be building up—and are possibly the culprit of your problem.
You probably have something growing in the resin at this point. Needs to be replaced.. I use a 1 cap of bleach for my towels, That eliminates the smell. You probably need to replace the anode rod in your water heater. If the original one is corroded away, the softened water will aggressively attack any exposed metal in the tank, leaving your hot water with various metal ions.
Using potassium chloride in a softener just under a year old. Likely causes? If you do indeed have hydrogen sulfide, do not install a reverse osmosis system as hydrogen sulfide will destroy RO membranes. Hi Cathy: Just to be clear, do you already own a softener? Because every well-water situation is unique, the first thing we recommend is calling your local water treatment professional to test your water. Knowing the constituents of your water will help determine what needs to be done to make sure you have great water.
A softener might be all that is needed. Or test results might indicate that a pre-filter or RO unit is needed. Please let us know if you have additional questions. I live in Nigeria. Do have any dealer on your products here. I need the salt tablets, sodium chloride crystals to be precise. Hello Mrs. Boron ppm 0. As you can see it is primarily a sodium chloride water well.
What do I need to do to make this water useful for home and garden pursuits? You have extremely hard water and need a water softener. You also have a lot of sodium in the water and will need an RO System.
RO is really the only way to reduce sodium levels that high. If you are only concerned about drinking water, then you could do an under the counter RO unit for drinking water at the kitchen sink.
Or to have drinkable water throughout the house you will need a whole-house RO system. I recently had a water softener installed that uses potassium, but it is hard to find here.
Can I use salt instead or does it take a different system? Hi Jerry, yes, you can use either potassium or sodium chloride pellets in most systems. Hi we want to switch from potassium to salt to reduce expenses. We have a culligan system. Can we just start using salt, with no issues. Also how can I tell I my system bypasses outdoor faucets. Yes, you can switch from potassium to salt at anytime. For the faucet question, we recommend checking to see if the indoor faucets and outdoor spigots have the same hardness.
You can buy water test strips at Home Depot. If the water on the outer spigots has high hardness, then they were bypassed. I have Whirlpool water softener and want to switch from potassium to salt also. When you say you can switch anytime does that mean even if there is still some KCl in the water softener you can just add salt and just change the water softener setting from potassium to salt?
Yes, you can just start adding Sodium Chloride on top of the potassium. We are on a well. Our system was due for a carbon recharge they called us. Keep in mind, our water was fantastic and the softener was working fine but we agreed. We have used salt from Lowes all along but this time we bought direct from Culligan.
After the carbon was replaced, about 24 hours later, our water developed a strong metallic smell and taste with a stinging feel on our tongues, lingering long afterwards.
The toilets began developing a pink ring around the water line within days. Now the salt reservoir smells strong, almost like wintergreen and our water tastes worse than ever!
Maybe the salt is causing the problem? What could have gone so wrong? We are devastated that they ruined our water supply and need to figure out a plan to fix it.
Hi Rosie, our best suggestion would be to get your water tested. Many of our WaterTech authorized dealers offer free water tests, if that helps. Does potassium chloride extend the life of a water heater compared to the use of sodium chloride? Our water heaters seems to have very limited lives and our plumber said the salt from the water softener shortened the life of the water heater.
A plumber who is a member of the Water Quality Association will both be able to solder AND will understand the equipment. In some instances a water softener can create a scenario where the water becomes corrosive and can affect the anode rods in a water heater. In a water heater, the high heat makes this scenario more possible but not probable. Sodium chloride or potassium chloride used in a water softener do not affect this scenario either way.
Is the rustout more harmful, if you drink the water? Rust Out is meant to clean the resin bed of your softener, but I do not believe it is meant to soften the water as potassium or water softening pellets will. Your instructions are contradictory. Which is correct? To keep it that full would require filling it with partial bags very often! Thanks very much. Thanks for the feedback, Kay.
Basically, for optimal efficiency, we recommend the salt in the brine tank always be at least inches ABOVE the water level, but less than four inches below the top of the brine tank. It sounds like potassium chloride is more specialized, and meant for people with specific health requirements. Because sodium chloride will be cheaper and easier to find, I think I will stick with this option. It would be extremely hard to find a strong reason to use potassium chloride.
Otherwise, you should have a drinking system anyway. If the sodium unsettles someone more than insecticides, herbicides, or pick anything, arsenic, nitrates, etc. The softener is probably necessary. You want it to be efficient, something potassium chloride is not. You want the lowest cost of operation, something potassium chloride is not. The brand of salt makes no difference, but the purity level is what counts.
When comparing salt, look at the purity level and go for the brand with the higher purity level. Hi, I have 2 questions: 1 We have well water and septic system and need our water softened. I was told that the only option is a water softener since we have a well. I had hoped to get a salt-free system. Does this make sense? I know you stress looking the purity of the salt, but I am concerned about chemical treatment or additives to the salt. Hi Mindy, If you know your water is hard, then you probably need a water softener.
Many on well water put in a pre-filter for sediment, followed by a softener to remove hardness, and finally an ultraviolet system to guard against waterborne virus and bacteria. We are on a septic system with city water. Can yoiu advise what type of salt to get? Some recommend potassium pellets for water softening. I just had a Water Softener installed in the house and the installer was very clear saying that I should use Rock Salt only in their system.
When I go to stores near me I only see Crystals and pellets. When I called them they said as long as its a blue bag its ok so I assume crystals are ok. I am confused reading this page saying the rock salt and crystals are no good compared to pellets. Is this guy lying to me to cause more maintenance work he can do or can it be true that pellets should not be used? We tell our customers to use water softening pellets with a high purity rate and pellets are what is commonly found in home improvement stores.
But perhaps your installer has a good reason for recommending rock salt. I get that the purity level is the key concern. Course salt is another name for rock salt. Rock salt or course salt has a lower purity rate. I just bought and added the Morton pool salt to my water softner. Is this OK to use and If not how do I get it out of there? Thank you! HI Sue, we recommend you dump out the pool salt and replace with Morten or whatever brand you choose softening salt. Hi — hoping you can help.
However, my husband has been diagnosed with spongiotic dermatitis which is basically eczema caused by an allergic reaction. This type of eczema is caused not by a food allergy, but by something you come in contact with. My husband underwent testing by a dermatologist and one of the things that came back that he was highly allergic to is Potassium Dichromate, a form of chromium. I see in the blog that potassium chloride might be a better option? Hi Kathy: Because Potassium dichromate is generally created by the reaction of potassium chloride on sodium dichromate, and because your husband is allergic to Potassium dichromate, I think a salt-free conditioner might be your best option.
Is there an alternative product that can be used in place of salt pellets in our existing water softener? Kathy, If you are on city water, many of the dermatologists I work with are primarily concerned about the chlorine first. The natural ability of the skin to defend against irritants is compromised when the first component of the water is an irritant, namely that chlorine.
After that, the residual sodium not salt is often a non-issue. The water softener was then recommended and installed. I wish there was another alternative. Hey, I am planning to change from rock salt to evaporated salt , any rough estimate of reduction in salt usage kg per year? If you use them on systems with a more frequent water usage, a salt bridge — a hard crust — may form in the brine tank, creating an empty space between the salt and the water and preventing the salt from dissolving into the water.
Water softener pellets are made through evaporation, using water and steam to form crystals. Once the crystals and dried and screened, they are then formed into pellets. Many forms of pellets come with something called citric acid added to them, which is a common cleaning agent that prevents the build-up of minerals in your pipes and water softening system, protecting them from damage.
If you have an all-in-one tank system, pellets are also the better choice. There might be some obvious factors to look out for when it comes to refilling your salt tank, but remember also that the size of your brine tank and the type of water softening system you own will determine how much salt you go through on a monthly basis. No matter what type of salt-based softener you have, get into the habit of looking for the following signs that your salt needs replenishing:. The simplest way to tell when your salt levels are low is to physically examine the brine tank by lifting the lid and taking a look inside.
Never let your salt levels fall beneath one quarter full if you want your system to effectively soften water. An older water softener uses more salt to soften the same quantity of water than a newer system. This is because the water softeners being manufactured today are far more efficient at ion exchange, helping to reduce the need to top up with salt as often. A newer model should last between 6 weeks and 2 months before it needs a top up.
You can avoid bridging by keeping your softener in an area of low humidity, using good-quality salt, and ensuring your brine tank stays consistently half-full. It normally takes between 10 and 30 minutes for a system to fully regenerate. Start in your brine tank, and use the wet cloth or rag to scrub the build-up of brine and salt from the inside of the tank.
Make sure the tank is as clean as you can make it before you add more softening salt to it. Next, add salt into the brine tank. Make sure the salt sits at 3 to 4 inches above the water level, unless your product manual directs otherwise. Break up any chunks of salt that may have formed during storage before you drop them into the tank. Finally, find the control panel on your system and press the button for manual regeneration. The system will then get to work regenerating, which should take the standard 10 to 30 minutes to complete.
It depends on when you bought your softener, how much you paid for it, by which company it was manufactured, and the quality of the components. The best water softeners can last for up to 20 years with good care and upkeep. Water with a higher quantity of hard minerals will require more water softening salt to replace these minerals in ion exchange, which means the softening system will have to work harder in a single softening cycle.
Also be aware that water softeners with no salt screen on their base should use pellets and not crystals, which might clog up the salt pipe. The main job of a water softener is to prevent the water from your home from causing limescale and rust issues in household appliances.
If you want to remineralize your tap water for drinking, there are options for doing this — you could use a remineralization filter or mineral drops. You might be surprised to learn that all drinking water contains traces of sodium even before it is treated in a water softener, with the exact quantity of sodium varying depending on your local water source. Water softeners add only a minimal amount of sodium to your water, Typically, you can expect to find about Putting this into context, two slices of white bread contain roughly 1.
The more calcium and magnesium minerals in your water, the more sodium will be needed to switch with these minerals during ion exchange. As potassium chloride is The majority of water softeners will need you to adjust system settings manually to program how much salt is used in one water softening cycle.
Water hardness is measured in GPG, or grains per gallon. The softest water measures at 0, while the hardest can measure up to You can buy these from your local DIY store or online, and they just require dipping in water and comparing the color of the strip to a water hardness color scale.
You should receive water quality reports for your area at a minimum of once a year, which provide all the details on the quantity of minerals in your water. You might notice that some water softening salt products say they are designed specifically to remove iron from water.
There are different types of water softener salts. Each with its advantages and disadvantages to be used as water softener salts. Rock salt consists of little rocks and pebbles. Rock salt has a high calcium sulfate concentration which leaves behind an excessive mineral residue. Water softener experts advise you to not use these blocks unless recommended by your plumber or specified in your water softener instruction manual. Sea salt is processed through the evaporation of seawater.
Sea salt is economical and has a higher solubility than rock salt. Potassium chloride is considered a salt-free water softener alternative. It is Make sure you get a salt-based water softener that works through an ion exchange process. Before getting a salt-based water softener, be prepared for the aftertaste! Salt-based softening systems swap the hard water minerals by swapping those minerals with sodium. That results in a salty taste in soft water. You need to take care of your regeneration timings and salt dosage program settings, to ensure your tank is half full with enough wet salt.
The answer to this question is dependent on how much salt does your water softener need. This depends on how much water you use daily and how hard your water is. Hard water can be very hard, moderately hard, or slightly hard. To figure this out you can use DIY test kits. Soft water quality depends on how much salt is added. Extremely hard water will require triple the amount of salt as compared to slightly hard water. This is due to a higher concentration of water to turn soft.
Using general estimations you can calculate the amount of salt you need to use! On average a four-person household can use up to 10 pounds of salt when using a pound salt bag. This amount is optimal for hard water, measuring grains per gallon. Softener salt is also known as sodium chloride. Choosing the right type of salt depends on choosing between sodium chloride pellets and potassium chloride salt.
You get a choice to choose from sodium chloride crystals, salt, and pellets. Solar salt is available in crystals and pellets.
Evaporated salt is available in pellets only and has the highest purity rate. This makes evaporated salt less water-insoluble. Lower water insolubility helps decrease salt clogging, mushing, and bridging. Rock salt is available in the form of pellets or rocks only. Although the most common and inexpensive option, they are the least recommended water softener salt. Rock salt cannot dissolve well in water and leaves behind massive residue signatures.
As in its name, block salt is a block of salt that is the least preferable option because it becomes difficult to handle and maintain. Potassium chloride is It functions just as well as a salt-based water softener and is a better choice for your plants and pets.
The form your water softener salt comes in also matters. Different water softener salt forms are for different types of water softening systems depending on average water usage and water hardness.
Softener crystals are made by leaving a mixture of brine, water, and salt out in the open to dry. This is why they have the highest purity level making them one of the best water softener salts. This process leaves behind coarse screened crystals that have a Softener pellets are larger, so naturally, they are for larger households with higher water consumption.
Some softener pellets include citric acid as a cleaning agent to decrease salt bridging much more effectively. Check the brine tank at least once every month to see the salt level. While adding the salt, make sure that the salt level surpasses the water level by at least 4 inches but not so much that it reaches the brine tank top. Make sure you clear out any crusted salt clinging to the walls of the tank before you add a new pack.
In case of any bridging, pouring hot water helps to get it off! To know this you need to be aware of the level of water hardness. If you have a supply of moderately hard water, there are approximately 8 grains per gallon of sodium chloride present in softened water. This is the equivalent of mg of sodium intake. Another name for food-grade salt is also table salt.
Table salt is composed of sodium chloride crystals as well, however, this cannot be a substitute for a water softener salt. This is because table salt crystals are fine and minute in size. Water softening systems need larger crystals or pellets for getting the job done properly.
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