Summary of the 20 most common questions about water softeners

1. What is a water softener?

A water softener is a device that removes calcium and magnesium ions from water through ion exchange resin to reduce the hardness of water.

A water softener has two functions:

Remove scale; use ion exchange technology to absorb minerals in water, and the minerals in the water are removed, and scale will not form after heating;

Soften water quality; while reducing hardness, release sodium ions into the water to achieve a softening effect. (Washed clothes will be very soft when dried, the skin will feel very smooth after bathing, and the hair will be more smooth after washing).

It can be seen that the main function of a water softener is to prevent scale, protect pipes, make clothes soft, and provide a healthier bathing environment. No matter how good a water softener is, it cannot remove heavy metals, residual chlorine, viruses and other harmful substances in the water, so when a merchant is talking nonsense, please block them directly!

2. I see many water softeners selling online. Which core functions should I focus on?

Filter material is the core of the water softener, just like the human heart. Please keep this in mind. In addition, it is not the most expensive one that is the best. What is more important is the one that suits you, isn't it?

For specific purchases, please refer to the following aspects:

Core filter material: Choose a water softener with high-quality ion exchange technology, which can more effectively remove calcium and magnesium ions in the water and achieve better softening effect. Among them, the brand selection of resin is very important. At present, the best resin on the market is Rohm and Haas.

Water output: Try to choose a water softener with a larger water output, so that there will be no water outage when the water consumption is large, and meet the family's all-round water needs.

Control method: Choose a valve head with dual control of time and flow. This control method is more intelligent and can automatically adjust the regeneration cycle according to the user's usage habits and water consumption, saving more water and salt.

Function details: Choose a water softener with a salt shortage reminder function, which can better ensure the normal use of the water softener and save more worry.

Brand reputation: Choosing a water softener with good brand reputation and good after-sales service can guarantee the quality and after-sales service of the water softener, so that users can use it with more confidence.

3. What should be paid attention to when purchasing the flow rate of the water softener?

Household water demand: Determine the flow rate of the water softener according to the actual water use of the family. It is necessary to consider the number of family members, the frequency and amount of soft water used for bathing, washing clothes, washing dishes, etc.

Water hardness: First understand the water hardness in the area. The higher the water hardness, the greater the water softener's ability to treat water, so the flow rate also needs to be increased accordingly.

Equipment type: Choose the appropriate flow rate according to the type of water softener. Generally speaking, there are two types of common household water softeners, one is a small water softener with point-to-point water supply, and the other is a whole-house water treatment system. The former is suitable for a single faucet or household equipment, and the latter is suitable for the water source of the entire family.

Installation environment: The flow rate of the water softener will also be limited by the installation environment. For example, the diameter of the water inlet pipe, water pressure, etc. will affect the flow rate of the water softener.

Budget considerations: The flow rate of the water softener will also affect the price. Generally speaking, the price of a water softener with a larger flow rate is relatively high. Choose the appropriate flow rate according to the budget.

Some points to note: It is necessary to consider factors such as household water demand, water hardness, equipment type, installation environment and budget to determine the appropriate flow rate. It is recommended that everyone consult professionals or suppliers before purchasing to obtain more accurate advice. After all, the data is calculated, and each family has different situations. Mr. Si can't give you a unified standard.

4. How often is the resin in the water softener normally replaced? How to calculate this?

The replacement time of the resin in the water softener usually depends on whether domestic resin or imported resin is used. Generally speaking, the life of domestic resin is about five years, that is, it needs to be replaced about every five years; while the life of imported resin is about 10 to 15 years.

However, this time is not absolute, and it needs to be determined according to the water quality of the treated water in actual use. If the raw water hardness is too high and the resin is overloaded, the frequency of resin replacement needs to be increased. The simplest way is to observe the hardness of the softened water. If the hardness of the softened water is still above 80PPM and the water output is significantly reduced, it means that the ion exchange resin in the water softener has failed and needs to be replaced.

5. What is the difference between the resin content in the water softener?

The resin content in the water softener has a certain impact on the softening ability and service life of the water softener.

The higher the resin content, the stronger the softening ability of the water softener, and the more hardness ions it can handle. When the resin in the water softener reaches a certain saturation, it can no longer soften the water quality and needs to be regenerated. Therefore, the resin content also affects the regeneration cycle of the water softener.

Currently, many brands, because the higher the resin content, the larger the volume of the water softener and the more expensive the price.

In addition, the resin content and resin brand of water softeners of different brands and models may also be different. When choosing, you need to carefully check and compare them for comprehensive consideration.

6. If you want to test whether the soft water is effective, what tools can be used to test whether the equipment is normal?

The following tools can be used to test the effect of soft water:

PH test paper: It can test the pH of water. The pH value of soft water is usually between 7-8, which is weakly alkaline.

Hardness reagent: It can test the calcium and magnesium ion content in water. The calcium and magnesium ion content of soft water is usually low.

Conductivity meter: It can test the conductivity of water. The conductivity of soft water is usually low.

Spectrophotometer: It can test the content of organic and inorganic matter in water. The types and quantities of organic and inorganic matter contained in soft water are relatively small.

These tools can quantitatively or qualitatively test the softening degree and other indicators of water, helping us understand the effect of soft water.

7. Water and electricity are already done, can soft water enter the kitchen?

Based on Mr. Si's 22 years of experience in water purification, most families can achieve this if the water and electricity are well transformed, so don't worry.

It should be noted that it is not recommended to drink directly if only one water softener is installed at home. Although soft water can remove calcium and magnesium ions in water, harmful substances such as bacteria, viruses and heavy metals may still exist in the water, so it cannot meet the direct drinking standard. If you want to drink soft water directly, you need to boil it or use a direct drinking machine for filtering.

8. Do you need to reserve a separate water point for installing a water softener? Or can you install it together with other equipment?

If you install a full set of water treatment equipment, the water softener can be installed in the same location with the pre-filter and central water purifier. At the same time, the main water pipe, power supply and sewage pipe can also be reserved and installed together.

9. Does the water softener need regular maintenance? How to maintain it?

The purchase and use of a water softener is not a one-time deal, and regular maintenance is required.

The maintenance of a water softener includes the following aspects:

Regularly check the mechanical failure of the water softener to confirm whether salt needs to be added;

Regularly replace the resin that is severely aged or damaged;

Adjust the operation of the water softener according to the water quality;

Prevent the electronic control device from burning out, which increases the difficulty of water softener maintenance;

Prevent salt bridges from appearing on the salt valve, and regularly clean up impurities at the bottom of the salt tank;

Prevent air leakage from affecting the regeneration effect, and regularly check the air tightness of the salt absorption pipeline;

The above are some methods and steps for water softener maintenance, which need to be operated according to specific circumstances.

10. I feel that there is not much demand for soft water. Can I install a water purifier without a water softener?

Whether it is necessary to install a water softener depends on the environment and water quality of your home.

For areas with hard water (especially the area north of the Yangtze River where the water hardness is high), it is strongly recommended to install a water softener to avoid the formation of scale and the problem of easy clogging of water-using equipment.

For areas with soft water, soft water can also soften the water quality, bring you comfort and improve the quality of life. For example: taking a bath is good for the skin, washing hair makes hair flowing, washing dishes is more crystal clear, etc.

In general, installing a water softener can remove scale, make water use comfortable, etc. Customers who have a demand for quality of life are definitely recommended to install it.

11. Is there any harm in drinking water from a water softener?

The soft water filtered by the central water purifier can be drunk, but it is not recommended for long-term drinking. Soft water refers to water that does not contain or contains less soluble calcium and magnesium compounds and contains a small amount of sodium ions.

Long-term drinking of soft water, coupled with the intake of salt in life, may lead to excessive sodium ions. Therefore, from a professional point of view, it is not recommended to drink soft water for a long time. But there is no problem drinking some occasionally.

12. How to adjust the hardness of the water output from the water softener, and how much is appropriate?

Most high-end brand water softeners are equipped with a mixing valve device. You can manually set it according to your water needs, and intelligently adjust the amount of tap water mixed in. The more tap water is mixed, the higher the water hardness will be, and vice versa.

13. The water softener has been installed, but how to judge whether the water output from the water softener is soft water?

Don't worry, don't worry, Mr. Si will teach you:

Touch method: Dip a small amount of water with your finger and touch the water pipe or container. If it feels soft and slippery, it is soft water; if it feels rough and astringent, it is hard water.

Observation method: Apply soapy water to the water pipe or container and observe the foam of the water. If there is a lot of foam and a slippery feeling, it is soft water; if there is little foam and sediment, it is hard water.

Test method: You can use hardness test liquid (capsules) to test the calcium and magnesium content in the water.

14. How much salt should be added to the water softener each time, how often should it be added, and how to calculate it?

The amount of salt added to the water softener needs to be determined according to the quality of your local raw water and the model of the water softener. Generally speaking, 0.8 kg of salt can treat 1 ton of water. For example, if your household water consumption is 10 tons, then your water softener needs to add salt once a month, adding 8 kg of salt each time (a bag of salt is 10 kg, which can be used for a little more than a month).

It should be noted that adding too much or too little salt will affect the effect and life of the water softener. Therefore, it is recommended that you must control the amount when adding salt to ensure the normal operation of the water softener and the softening effect of water. If you are really unsure, you can ask Mr. Si directly.

15. Does the salt tank of the water softener need to be cleaned regularly?

The salt tank of the water softener is an important part for storing softening salt, which can help remove calcium and magnesium ions in the water and reduce the hardness of the water.

However, long-term use will cause some impurities to enter the salt tank, which may affect the softening effect and endanger the sanitary quality.

Therefore, it is recommended to clean the salt tank and remove residual salt particles and impurities every 3 months to ensure the working efficiency and sanitary quality of the water softener. In addition, it is also very important to clean other parts of the water softener regularly to maintain the hygiene and performance of the entire equipment. If a "salt bridge" occurs, timely discovery and treatment can also ensure the normal operation of the equipment.

16. What is the difference between a water softener without salt and yours with salt?

The main difference between a salt-free water softener and a salt-free water softener is that their working principles and water quality treatment methods are different.

Working principle: The salt-free water softener uses nanocrystalline filter media to break the calcium and magnesium ions in the water into nano-scale crystals through electrolysis, so that they can only float in the water to prevent them from precipitating and scaling, and no salt is needed. The water softener mainly uses ion exchange resin, which replaces calcium and magnesium ions in the raw water through the principle of resin ion exchange, thereby softening the water quality.

Water quality treatment: The hardness of water treated by the salt-free water softener will not change, and scale will still exist in the water, but it is not attached to the surface of the object, and it is still hard water. The scale treated by the salt-added water softener is removed, the hardness will be reduced, and the water is softened into soft water.

In general, the salt-free water softener mainly prevents the formation of scale, and the salt-added water softener mainly removes calcium and magnesium ions to soften the water.

17. What is the difference between the dry salt box and the wet salt box of the water softener? Which one is better?

The main difference between the dry salt box and the wet salt box of the water softener lies in their working principle and design.

The dry salt box injects water into the salt box only when the softener needs to be replaced, and the salt box remains empty at other times. The advantage of this design is that there is no residual water in the salt box, and it can be used at any time and replenished at any time, which can reduce the growth of bacteria. In addition, since there is no excess water, there will be no freezing due to temperature differences in the northern region.

The wet salt box keeps water in the entire water softener operation process. The advantage of this design is that the salt concentration will be higher (waste of salt) because the salt is fully dissolved. The wet salt box requires more water to replace (waste of water), and if it is not cleaned on time, it is easy to breed bacteria.

18. Should the water softener be turned off when you are away for a long time? What will happen if it is not turned off?

When you are away for a long time, it is recommended to turn off the water softener.

If you forget to turn it off, the water softener may continue to run, causing the salt in the salt box to run out, the raw water to continue to increase, and the calcium and magnesium ion content in the water to continue to increase, eventually causing the water to become harder and harder. This may also damage the resin of the water softener, shorten its service life, and affect household water use.

When choosing a water softener, you can pay attention to whether there is a vacation mode. After this mode is started, the device will shut down and absorb high-concentration salt water, so that the resin particles are always immersed in salt water to keep the resin particles active. After returning, long press to resume, the device will be flushed and drained, and it can be used normally.

19. Is the water softener noisy when working?

The water softener is generally quiet when working normally, but it will produce some noise during the regeneration process.

The regeneration process is the process in which the water softener replaces the calcium and magnesium ions adsorbed on the resin and restores the exchange function of the resin. In this process, the water softener will start the regeneration valve, make the water backflow to flush the filter material and drain the water, during which the sound of water flow and the sound of the valve head turning will be generated.

Often high-end water softeners use a shock-absorbing and noise-reducing design to control the noise of the water softener at a low level, which basically does not affect family life.

20. Regardless of the water hardness value, can the water softener solve it?

Not really. A single water softener can treat water with a hardness below 450ppm, and the treatment effect will reach the effective standard. However, in areas with extremely hard water above 450ppm, a water softener can only improve the hardness, but cannot achieve a perfect effect.