- Single tank Water softener comparison table
- Best single tank water softener reviews
- Fleck water softener
- Genesis water softener
- Pelican advantage series
- Tier 1
- SpringWell Water Softener
- Pentair WS48-56sxt10 Fleck water softener
- Aquasure water softener
- AFWfilters water softener system
- 602abcWATER water softener
- Dura water softener
- Best water softener Brands
- What are other methods for treating hard water?
- Does the salt-based water system makes your water taste salty
- Is softened water safe for drinking?
- What is the best whole home water softener?
- How much does water softener installation cost?
- What size water softener do I need for my house?
- Is it ok to drink softened water?
- Is water softener worth money?
- Can I install water softener myself
- How long will water softener last?
- Do water softeners need a drain?
- Should water softener drain into the septic tank?
- Can I use water while the softener is regenerating?
- Does recharge water from water softener affect septic tank?
- Does water softener lower water pressure?
- How often should you change water softener resin?
- Do water softener need servicing?
- Share this:
- Like this:
- Related
A single tank water softener is the system with 1 resin tank and 1 brine tank. Resin tank stores resin beads and this is where water softening takes to process. The brine tank contains salt for regeneration.

A single tank water softener is commonly known as convectional water softener/ Traditional salt-based water softener
Most of the single tank water softener systems are programmed to regenerate at night when less water is being used.
During the regeneration process, your house will have hard water.
If you live in an area with hard water, the whole house water softener is a must-have device in your house to treat your hard water problem.
Hard water is not an issue to our health, but it is known for its harmful side effects on water home appliances and plumbing. Making a decision to add a whole house water softener system will help overcome the problem caused by hard water.
There are different brands available in the market that removes hardness in different ways, the price varies, features and size ranges.
That’s why we have taken the time to review the best single tank water softener that will help completely remove hardness in your water.
Single tank Water softener comparison table
What is a water softener?
It is a device that helps to treat hard water to soft water making it friendly to use.
It is also well known as ion exchange water softener or salt-based water softener.
This device works by removing mineral presence in hard water replacing them with sodium that is well known as salt.
That’s is the main reason why it is also called salt-based water softener because the whole process you must involve salt.
Hard water is water that has a mineral such as calcium and magnesium.
These minerals cause soap and shampoo don’t lather well; clothes look dull, dishes stain and form scale deposit on the house appliances causing clogging.
The hardness of water is measured by grains per gallon (GPG) or by parts per million of mineral (PMM).
1GPG=17.1PPM.
The grain is the number of hardness present in your water.
You can use a water hardness test kit or do a simple test at home to know how hard your water is.
So the higher the number of gallons the harder the water.
Any water that contains 1GPG-3GPG is considered relatively soft you can use salt-free water softener/ water conditioner but more than 10 GPG is hard requires an ion exchange water softener.
How does a single tank water softener work
The salt-based water softener contains two tanks (1brine tank& 1 resin tank/mineral tank), controls, and other parts
The resin tank contains salt/sodium which is negatively charged and beads.
The water supply or hard water supply line is connected to a control valve and timer at the top of the resin tank.
It flows down to a resin tank filled with resin beads.
The negatively charged beads attract positively charged ions present in unconditioned water/ hard water while giving sodium ions through a process called cation exchange/ ion exchange.
Minerals in the hard water remain on the resin beads, and softened water passes through the tank and is ready for human consumption.
After a period of time, resin beads become coated with minerals and must be cleaned to operate effectively.
The brine tank is filled with a high concentration brine (salt) solution; the water softer timer automatically runs the brine solution to the resin tank.
The resin beads pick soft ion from the brine solution in an exchange with positive ions for the hardness on the beads.
The process washes off the hard minerals on the beads carrying it out through a drain pipe.
The process of flushing out coated minerals on the resin beads is called regeneration. In layman language is called cleaning of resin beads
Regeneration works the same way as water softening, but it is a reverse process.
How do you prepare a brine solution?
You add bags of salt to the brine tank and mix it with water.
Best single tank water softener reviews
Fleck water softener
Fleck is a well-known brand that makes fleck water softener control valves ideal for both residential and commercial.
Fleck valves are one of the brands of Pentair Residential Filtration LLC. That’s why most people also call it Pentair water softener.
Note: fleck does not make water softeners but makes control valves.
The same company Pentair Residential Filtration LLC still manufactures structural mineral tank
Structural tanks are used with fleck control valves.
Pentair has manufactured a number of fleck control valves which include:
- Fleck 5600SXT
- Fleck 7000SXT
- Fleck 9000 SXT
- Fleck 9100 SXT
- Fleck 1500
- Fleck 2510
- Fleck 4650
- Fleck ProFloSXT
- Fleck 5600
- Fleck 6700XTR
- Fleck TwinFloSXT
- Autotrol 255
- Autotrol Performa 263/268
In this article, we will discuss fleck single tank water softener
- Fleck 5600SXT
- Fleck 7000SXT
Want whole house water softener with fleck SXT control valves then you will get the following benefits
All fleck control valves are demand metered and use salt to soften hard water.
The demand metered means the unit has a flow meter that measures water used and regenerate when required.
The fleck water comes with resin with an 8% crosslink resin and brine tank.
The size of both tanks varies depending on the model’s use and capacity.
When it comes to warranty, all the system has an outstanding 5- year warranty on the control valve and tank with 10 – year warranty
The fleck offers SXT digital control. The SXT digital control features
- Backlit LCD display
- 48 hours internal power back-up –in case of a power outage the system will keep the setting up to 48 hours.
- User-friendly interface
- Touchpad control
- Volatile memory standard- the memory will never allow your system settings to get lost
The design is easy to set up it is a set and forget system you no longer need to worry about setting and reprogramming.
All the fleck system comes with structural tanks that are available in three colors blue, almond and black.
Fleck 5600SXT
64k Fleck 5600SXT Digital whole house water softener 64,000 grain high flow SXT
The Fleck 5600sxt offers added features such as a
- Back-lit LCD touchpad controls 48-hour internal power backup
- Black Structural mineral tank – Durable poly-glass tank
- The standard Clack square black brine tank which can hold 250lbs of salt.
- safety float which prevents overfilling
- The overflow drain acts as an additional backup to avoid water messes.
In the package has detailed installation instruction that allows most homeowners to install the system for themselves.
Fleck 5600SXT control is mostly used in a single tank system which offers capacity from 16,000 to 96,000 grains. These different sizes include:
- Fleck 5600 SXT 80,000 Grain – black
- 64k Fleck 5600SXT 64,000 grain (almond)
- Fleck 5600 SXT 48,000 grains (blue)
- Fleck 5600 SXT 40,000 Grains (black)
- Fleck 5600 SXT 40,000 grains (blue)
- Fleck 5600 SXT 40,000 grains (Almond)
- Fleck 5600 SXT 32,000 grains (blue)
- Fleck 5600 SXT 32,000 grains (Almond)
- Fleck 5600 SXT 24,000 grains (blue)
- Fleck 5600 SXT 24,000 grains (black)
- Fleck 5600 SXT 24,000 grains (Almond)
- Fleck 5600 SXT 16,000 grains (blue)
- Fleck 5600 SXT 16,000 grains (black)
The Fleck 5600SXT with a whole house filter
AFW Filters Built Ultimate Fleck 5600SXT 48k
This model is a whole house water softening system with radial flow carbon whole house pre-filter system.
The radial flow carbon filter helps on removing sand, sediment, tastes, odors, and chemicals including chlorine, chloramines, herbicides, & pesticides.
Fleck 5600SXT Water Softener Valve Programming
Fleck 7000SXT
Fleck 7000 SXT (84FL-7000S) Meter 32,000 Grain Water Softener 9″ x 48″; 1.0 CF
The Fleck 7000SXT is a high flow rate system that is ideal for residential and light commercial purposes.
It is a single tank system and offers units in different capacities from 24,000 to 120,000 grains which include:
Fleck 7000 SXT (84FL-7000S) Meter 32,000 Grain – 9″ x 48″; 1.0 CF
Fleck 7000 SXT (94FL-7000S) Meter 48,000 Grain -10 x 54″; 1.5 CF”
Fleck 7000 SXT (74FL-7000S) Meter 64,000 Grain – 12″ x 52″; 2.0 CF
Fleck 7000 SXT (94FL-7080S) Meter 80,000 Grain – 13″ x 54″; 2.5 CF (black)
96K, Fleck 7000Sxt 96,000 Grain Capacity With 7000 Sxt Metered Valve (abundant flow)
110K, Fleck 7000Sxt 110,000 Grain Capacity With 7000 Sxt Metered Valve (abundant flow)
Genesis water softener
The genesis water softener is another best brand available when it comes to the water softener.
All Genesis system has Demand Metered control head and comes with 10% Crosslink Resin.
The manufacturer of the Genesis system is unknown, but the discount water softener is well known for selling Genesis water softener, handling warranty and shipping issues.
The company offers different whole house water softener models, which include:
Genesis Econosoft provides a variety of capacities such as 24,000, 3200, 40000 and 48000 grains; it utilizes downflow regeneration.
When it comes to warranty Genesis Econosoft offers lifetime warranty on resin and brine tank and 7 – years warranty on the control head.
Discount Water Softeners Revolution
The Discount Water Softeners Revolution has different capacities such as 40000, 48000, 64000, 80,000, and 96000 grains. It utilizes an up-flow regeneration.
This model offers a warranty lifetime warranty on the resin and brine tank and 10- years warranty on the control head
Discount Water Softeners Genesis 2 Premier
The Discount Water Softeners Premier offers a variety of capacities such as 24,000, 32000, 40000, 48000, 64000, 80,000 and 96000 grains. It uses up-flow regeneration.
This model too has a warranty of lifetime warranty on resin and brine tank and 10- years warranty on the control head.
Read more on our Genesis water softener review to learn more differences in each model.
Genesis Water Softener Setup and Installation Video – Discount Water Softeners
Pelican advantage series
Pelican Advantage Series PS48 Salt Water Softener
Pelican water softener is well known for a salt-free water softener, but the company has manufactured a salt-based water softener Pelican Advantage Series PS48.
It uses either salt or potassium to treat hard water.
This system has a large tank size with high capacity resin and a high flow rate.
The Pelican Advantage Series PS48 has 5-Button Programmable Pro Series Electronic Head for quiet and efficient performance.
It operates in three ways, which include backwashing, regeneration and rinse.
It also features battery power back up to 8-hours.
Tier 1
Tier 1 Everyday series
Tier1 48,000 Grain High-Efficiency Digital Water Softener for Hard Water
Summary
- Capacity- 48,000 grains
The tier1 has a Digital meter control valve with an LCD
The package includes 10 x 54 Inch Mineral Tank, 15 x 34 Inch Brine Tank, valve with bypass and adapter.
This series is available in 32,000 and 64,000-grain capacity
How to Program a Tier1 165-150 48,000 Grain Water Softener Valve
More tier 1 series
Tier 1 advance series
Tier1 for Hardness, Iron and Manganese Reduction (elite series)
Tier Advanced series
Tier1 water softener+ 5-Stage Reverse Osmosis System
Water Softener with Ultra-Filtration Hollow Fiber (uf system)
- Tier1 Essential Series 48,000 Grain
- Tier1 Essential Series 32,000 Grain
- Tier1 Essential Series 64,000 Grain
Tier1 Essential Series Water Softener with Under Sink Reverse Osmosis+ Glass Water Bottles
SpringWell Water Softener
Spring Well Water Filter and Salt Based Water Softener
Available at
The Spring Well Water Filter and Salt Based Water Softener is used to remove iron, manganese, hydrogen sulfide, and hard water minerals.
It can remove up to 8 ppm of Hydrogen Sulfide, up to 7 PPM Iron and 1 PPM Manganese.
The water softener has the electronic metered valve mounted atop the resin tank, the system measures water by the gallon before running a cleaning cycle. The system runs the cleaning cycle once the resin bed reaches its saturation point
The water filter is a single tank with an air pocket mounted on the top. As the water passes through the air pocket iron, sulfur, and manganese is oxidized, the Springwell AIO System filter oxidized iron, sulfur, and manganese
This system is easy to charge with the use of Bluetooth technology. Adjust your system’s settings such as air draw, backwash cycles, timing, and more in the palm of your hand.
Pentair WS48-56sxt10 Fleck water softener
Pentair WS48-56sxt10 Fleck water softener, Black
Available at
The Pentair system uses a Fleck 5600SXT Digital on-demand control valve. The valve has a 5-year warranty and features backlit LCD touchpad controls 48-hour internal power backup and a user-friendly interface.
It comes with a Black structural mineral tank made of a durable poly-glass tank with a 10-year warranty and the standard square black brine tank that hold about 250 lbs. Of salt. The tank includes safety float prevents overfilling and the overflow drain acts as an additional backup to avoid water messes
This model has a 10% Cross-linked resin, valve with bypass, and adapter.
Aquasure water softener
Aquasure Harmony Series 48,000 Grains
Available at
The Aquasure Harmony Series is equipped with Aquatrol Advanced Digital On-Demand Meter Control Head, in and out bypass, resin tank with distributor tube, brine tank with overflow regulator, brine line, drain line, 1″ NPT Male Adapter, and pre-filled premium quality resin.
This model can treat up to 48,000 Grain of hardness, perfect for the household size of 2-4 bathrooms and up to 5 people.
Aquasure Whole House Water Softener allows 3 types of regeneration which include time clock delayed control, meter immediate control, and meter delayed control. The control head customizable to fit any individual needs and special applications.
The resin tank is constructed of High strength corrosion resistant fiberglass lined polyethylene tank and comes with a 5-year warranty.
Aquasure Harmony Series is available in different capacity 32,000 grains suitable for 1-2 bathrooms and up to 3 people, 48,000 Grains ideal for 3-4 bathrooms, and up to 5 people and 64,000 grains perfect for a household size of 4-6 bathrooms and up to 7 people.
Available at
This model is made up of two systems the AS-F110SCP Dual Purpose Pre-filter helps to remove larger particles and chemicals that may be harmful to your home and the AS-HS32D whole house water softening system to soften hard water
The AS-F110SCP prefilter includes an outer layer sediment filter that helps remove suspended particles like sediment and rust and inner layer Granular Activated Carbon (GAC) Dual Purpose Pre-Filter which help remove chemicals, chlorine taste, and odor. The filter has a capacity of 50,000 gallons.
The whole house water softener includes a resin tank and brine tank. All Aquasure water softener are fully customized to regenerate in three types which include time clock delayed control, meter immediate control, and meter delayed control
It is available in 32,000 grains ideal for 1 to 2 bathrooms and up to 3 family members and 64, 000 grains perfect for 4 to 5 bathrooms and up to 7 family members.
Aquasure Whole House Water Softener/Reverse Osmosis Drinking Water Filter Bundle (48,000 Grains)
Available at
The system includes Whole House Water Softener/Reverse Osmosis.
It is available in 32,000-grain ideal for 1 to 2 bathrooms and up to 3 family members 48,000 grain capacity which is ideal for 3-4 bathrooms and up to 5 people and 64,000 grain perfect for 4 to 5 bathrooms and up to 6 family members
AFWfilters water softener system
AFWfilters 5600SXT 48,000 grains
The system is best to remove hardness in water using the ion-exchange process.
It uses Fleck 5600sxt Digital on-demand Metered control head with paddlewheel meter.
Metered design measures water usage and regenerates when necessary.
The Fleck 5600SXTdigital control valve is easy to use and set-up.
Also, the control valve has features such as backlit LCD, touchpad controls, 48-hour internal power backup, and a user-friendly interface
In addition to the Fleck 5600SXT control valve, it has an outstanding 5-year warranty.
This AFWfilters model is a whole house water softener system that has a capacity of 48,000 grains that makes it suit a home of 3-6 people with around three bathrooms.
The product comes with a durable tank that has a 10-year warranty.
The black brine tank is square and measures 14″x34″ and can hold about 250 lbs. of salt.
In addition to the brine tank, it includes safety float, which prevents overfilling and the overflow drain that acts as an additional backup to avoid water messes.
The AFW also comes with Black Structural 10×54″.
In the package include Fleck bypass valve, 1″ male threaded yoke connection, installation instruction and 1.5 cubic feet high capacity resin (8% Crosslink).
The AFWfilters system is available in different sizes and colors.
The colors are blue, black and almond which include
AFWfilter Fleck 5600SXT 64,000 Grain
Uses Fleck 5600SXT Digital SXT Metered control valve
It comes preloaded with 2.0 cubic ft of High Capacity Resin 8% crosslink in the resin tank for easy installation.
This model includes Black USA Pentair mineral and brine tanks with safety float.
Available in Almond, blue or Black.
AFWFilters IRONPRO2 64,000 grain blue
The package includes AFW Filters USB drive instructions, lubricant, sanitizer, and hardness test strip so you can set the unit correctly.
AFWfilters Iron Pro2 64,000 grain
The AFWFilters ironpro2 is a combination of both water softener and iron filter.
This model has a capacity of 64,000 grains and has a fine mesh resin designed for iron removal.
It uses a Fleck 5600SXT digital metered control valve, which is easy to use and has a warranty of 5-years.
It is capable of removing hardness up to 75 GPG, Iron up to 6-8 ppm range, Manganese up to 6 ppm, sediment, sand Pand rust.
This comes complete with brine tank, 1″ Bypass Valve, 12″x48″ Structural USA Tank and DIY instructions. The tank color may vary.
The AFWfilters IRONPRO2 is available in different sizes and colors:
AFWFilters IRONPRO2 32,000 grain black
AFWFilters IRONPRO2 40,000 grain black
AFWFilters IRONPRO2 48,000 grain black
602abcWATER water softener
ABCwaters Built Fleck 5600sxt 48,000
Summary
Capacity- 48,000 grains
It best fits small homes, apartment, and mobile homes
The system removes calcium and magnesium ions that cause hard water using an ion exchange process.
This model has a capacity of 48,000 grains and Flow up to 12 GPM making it ideal for household sizes of 2-5 people.
This Complete whole house water softener system is powered by Fleck 5600SXT digital metered control valve. The valve has an outstanding 5-years warranty.
With the metered control design, the water used is measured, and the system only regenerates when it needs to.
The Fleck 5600sxt digital metered control valve offers added features such as a back-lit LCD touchpad controls and 48-hour internal power backup.
The ABCWater system comes with a Black Structural mineral tank, which is a Durable poly-glass tank and is backed with a 10-years warranty.
The Brine tank is black and standard Clack square which measures 15x17x33″ and can hold 250lbs of salt.
The brine tank with a safety float prevents overfilling, and the overflow drain acts as an additional backup to avoid water messes.
It comes preloaded with 1.5 cubic feet 10% Crosslinked resin.
Preloading the resin helps the consumer avoid additional heavy lifting and the mess that comes along with resin loading.
When it comes to supporting the company offers technical phone support Monday through Friday between the hours of 7 am to 4 pm Arizona time.
The support also includes iPhone ‘Facetime’ help if you require video for visual assistance
The package includes an installation kit and detailed installation instruction that allows most homeowners to install the system for themselves.
The installation kit contains water hardness test strips, silicone lubricant for ‘o’-rings, and sanitizer packet to flush your new system.
More 602abcWATER built fleck 5600SXT
ABCwaters Pentair 3/4 48,000 10%
ABCwaters Built Fleck 5600sxt 48,000 Water Softener with UPGRADED 10% Resin + Hardness Test + Install Kit + 2 Stainless Steel Connectors
ABCwaters Built Fleck 5600sxt 32,000 WATER SOFTENER with 10% High Capacity Resin
ABCwaters ABCtriplecombo Triple Combo
The ABCwaters combo is a combination of whole house water softener, Upflow Carbon Filtration System, and 5-stage Reverse Osmosis drinking water system.
The whole house water softener system has a capacity of 48, 000 grain, is controlled by popular Fleck 5600sxt digital valve meter and uses 10% Crosslinked resin.
Reverse Osmosis drinking water system is a 5-stage filtration system which includes sediment, activated carbon block, thin-film composite membrane, and a post inline carbon filters.
It is capable of removing contaminants such as chlorine, lead, nitrates, chromium, arsenic, a range of toxic heavy metals, organic impurities, fluoride, bacteria, and viruses
The up-flow carbon filtration system removes chemicals, bad tastes, and odors, which is excellent for protecting & extending the life of water softener resin.
In the package include Fleck on-demand digital meter 5600 SXT valve, black resin tank 10″ diameter PG 2. 5T, black 36-inch brine tank with safety float, Fleck bypass valve, 1″ male threaded yoke connection and 1. 5 cubic feet of high capacity upgraded 10% crosslink resin.
This model, both mineral and brine tank are black and backed by a 10-year warranty. Other colors are available upon request.
The Fleck 5600SXT valve is backed with a 5-year warranty.
Also, the system includes Upflow carbon filtration, hardness Test, 5-stage Reverse Osmosis Drinking Water System, lead-free brushed metal faucet, 2-gallon storage tank, water & drain line, valves & accessories.
Dura water softener
USA Fleck 5600 SXT Metered On-demand 48,000 Grain by Dura water
The dura whole house water softener system is powered by the Fleck 5600 SXT Metered control valve and has a capacity of 48,000 grains.
This system comes complete with:
- 10 x 54-inch Structural Made in the USA black fiberglass mineral tank
- USA 14 x 34 Brine Tank with safety float
- 1.5 cubic feet standard 8% resin
- Fleck 5600 SXT On-Demand Digital Metered control valve with Upgraded Paddlewheel Meter
- Noryl bypass with a 1-inch male threaded yoke
DURAWATER Fleck 5600 SXT Iron Pro 48,000 Grain
The ABCwaters 48k-56sxt is a combination of water softener and iron filter.
It treats a whole house up to 48,000 grains and is controlled by Fleck 5600Sxt digital metered control valve for efficiency and ease of use.
The valve is backed by a 5-year warranty
The system is ideal for homes with 2-5 people, 2-3 baths and able to remove all hardness, iron up to 6-8 ppm range, manganese up to 6 ppm, sediment, sand, and rust.
This complete system includes Bypass valve, DIY instructions, Fleck 5600SXT digital Metered Control Valve, brine tank with safety float and overflow drain, 1 inch Noryl plastic male threaded bypass and 10 x 54 Black resin tank loaded with 1.5 cubic foot of fine mesh resin.
The standard square brine tank measures 14 x 14 x 34 and can hold about 250 lbs. of salt
DuraWater water softener with reverse osmosis system
This is a combination of both whole house water softener and 5-stage reverse osmosis system.
The system comes complete with:
- Black USA Mineral tank loaded with the resin
- USA 14 x 14 Brine Tank with safety float
- Complete 5 Stage Reverse Osmosis System with 75gpd Membrane
- Fleck 5600 SXT On-Demand Digital Metered control valve
- Noryl Plastic male threaded Bypass
- Brine Line and small parts kit
- 3.2-gallon storage tank.
It is available in different sizes, which include:
DuraWater 5600sxt Metered Softener Reverse Osmosis System (32,000 Grain 3/4 Inch Bypass), Black
DuraWater Fleck 5600 SXT Metered Softener Reverse Osmosis System (32,000 Grain 1 Inch Bypass), Black
DuraWater Fleck 5600 SXT Metered Softener Reverse Osmosis (48,000 Grain 1 Inch Bypass) Combo System, Black
DuraWater Fleck 5600 SXT Metered Softener Reverse Osmosis System (48,000 Grain 3/4 Inch Bypass), Black
DuraWater Fleck 48k water softener, 48, 000 Grain, Almond
DuraWater Fleck 5600 SXT Metered Softener Reverse Osmosis System (64,000 Grain 3/4 Inch Bypass), Black
DuraWater Fleck 5600 SXT Metered Softener Reverse Osmosis System (64,000 Grain 1 Inch Bypass), Black
Best water softener Brands
- Whirlpool water softener
- Water boss water softener
- GE water softener
- Genesis water softener
- Morton water softener
- Kenmore water softener
- Pelican Advantage Series PS48 Salt Water Softener
- Fleck water softener
- AFWFilter
- Tier 1
- ABCWaters
- Springwell Water
- Pentair
- Ecopure
- Aquasure
- Dura water
What to consider when buying a single tank water softener
Read water softener buyers guide
- Size
What differentiates one softener to the other is the size. Size is the main feature that you need to check when buying an Ion exchange water softener.
In size, we don’t mean the physical size but the ability to remove hardness without frequent regeneration.
How do you know the right size that handles the demand of your water usage for your household?
Water softeners are sold in different sizes which are measured using by the number of grains of hardness known as grains per gallon (GPG).
You calculate the size of the system your family needs by multiplying the number of members present in your household by gallons used by each person every day. Then the hardness present in your water by total family consumption.
An average person uses 80-100 gallons per day.
For instance, If you have five members of the family, you multiply 85X5=425gallons. You consume 425 gallons of water every day.
If your water has a hardness of 10GPG multiply 425X10=4250. So you need the water softener that removes an average of 4250GPM/ hardness per day.
Per week = 425X7=2950×10=29500
Per month= 425X30=
Now that you have known how to calculate your water consumption, water softener comes in various capacities from 15000 to 100 000 GPG.
Make sure the hardness you want to remove doesn’t exceed your system capacity so regeneration doesn’t happen more frequently.
So for the case above a family of five people (2950 grains per week), a water softener of 35000 would best fit, or you go up.
Purchasing a unit with small capacity will be regenerating more often and will cost you more while buying the unit with high capacity will cost you more when buying the whole unit but will regenerate less frequently saving you money.
- Water usage
Knowing the amount of water that you use per day helps choose the right size of water softener also helps you know the right amount of salt that is needed for regeneration.
- Regeneration method
Softener regenerates in two ways.
- Demand initiated regeneration (DIR)/Metered
- Timer/scheduled regeneration
Demand initiated regeneration (DIR) measures water usage over a period and regenerates when needed.
The DIR system is commonly sold because they save a lot of salt and water because they charge when necessary.
The timer regeneration is set/scheduled to regenerate on a specific period. This method is old technology and sometimes can waste a lot of salt because it can regenerate during times you have used a small amount of water.
For instance, when you have traveled for a time, and you have not used water it will still regenerate when the time you have set reaches.
In addition to timer regeneration, you can have short of soft water during the times you have a high usage of water for example when you have visitors.
- Types of minerals it removes
The most common mineral present in your hard water is calcium and manganese, but some water has iron which also needs to be removed.
Make sure your system removes all unwanted minerals from the water.
- Maintenance fee
Find out whether you need a professional or a plumber to install the softener.
Also, pay attention to maintenance costs either annually or monthly.
- Certification
Certification by certain independents body guarantee the system is good at removing hardness effectively and passed industry standards.
Such bodies are :
- National Sanitation Foundation (NSF) which certifies water treatment products.
- The water industry’s trade organization
- The Water Quality Association certifies equipment.
Warranty on both the control valve and mineral tanks
A good system lasts for 20 years. So on warranty, the control valve should have a guarantee of three years while the mineral tank should have a warranty of 10 years on most brands.
What are other methods for treating hard water?
There are other options for treating hard water but the technology does not soften water/ remove hard minerals present in your water but conditions water to stop scales from forming on the water using home appliances.
This alternative does not use salt they use electric pulses/ magnetic waves and other useful media.
Such an alternative method for conditioning water includes an electronic water conditioner and salt-free water softener.
Does the salt-based water system makes your water taste salty
The answer is no.
Salt in the water softener is used to clean over coated resin for them to operate effectively
Is softened water safe for drinking?
Yes, it is safe.
What is the best whole home water softener?
Choosing the best whole home water softener is depends on the number of factors such as the number of grains you want to be removed, capacity, maintenance cost, and more.
Make sure the system removes the right number of grains you need.
The following is the list of the best water softener brands
Whirlpool water softener
Water boss water softener
GE water softener
Genesis water softener
Morton water softener
Kenmore water softener
Fleck water softener
How much does water softener installation cost?
Water softener installation costs can be between $800- $3000.
The price varies due to some reasons such as:
Plumbing cost -If your home is well plumbed the cost is less but if the older house with poor plumbed the cost can be high.
Hiring professionals
Most people prefer hiring plumbing professionals if your house requires some plumbing issues such as soldering, cutting, and joining steel pipes. This can cost more compared to the case you are doing it yourself.
Also, some brands are complicated to install so you need to hire someone to do so.
Installation kit
Most water softeners companies pack the main water softener installation kit required during installation but in case your house requires extra plumbing materials the brand will not cater to that.
You can incur extra costs in such incidences where you require extra materials.
What size water softener do I need for my house?
To choose the appropriate size of water softener for your home you need to multiply the number of people by the gallon of water they use each day (on average a person uses 80 gallons of water per day). The number you will get multiplied by the number of grains of hardness in water. The hardness of water is measured in grains per gallon (GPG) and you can use a test kit or ask municipal your water hardness details.
Example
A family of five people uses 400 gallons of water per day (80×5). Let assume your water hardness is 10 GPG you need a system that removes 4000 grains of hardness per day (400×10=4000)
Make sure the hardness you want to remove doesn’t exceed your system capacity so regeneration doesn’t happen more frequently.
Purchasing a unit with a small capacity will be regenerating more often and will cost you more. Buying the unit with high capacity will cost you more when buying the whole unit but will regenerate less frequently saving you money.
Is it ok to drink softened water?
Yes
Is water softener worth money?
Yes! Hard water has a major effect on home appliances which can be expensive to repair compared to buying a water softener.
Can I install water softener myself
Most water softeners come with installation instruction which can guide you on how to do it.
Installation requires more plumbing work and takes time so if you are good at doing plumbing work you can do it yourself.
How long will water softener last?
Most brand lasts for 10-20 years.
Do water softeners need a drain?
Yes! To flush out water that is used during regeneration.
Should water softener drain into the septic tank?
Yes
Can I use water while the softener is regenerating?
During regeneration time the water that will get into your house appliances is hard/untreated. So it is not recommended to use water because it will have a negative impact on your house appliances.
Does recharge water from water softener affect septic tank?
One main thing that affects the normal operation of the septic tank is overloading and undersized septic tank. How do you overload a septic tank is using excessive clean products.
How to reduce overloading when it comes to a water softener is to choose a water softener that utilizes demand-initiated regeneration.
The water softener that utilizes demand initiated regeneration method regenerates when required and do not use a lot of salt, therefore, will not overload the septic tank or system
Does water softener lower water pressure?
The water softener should not lower water pressure unless it is not installed correctly, defective system or undersized.
How often should you change water softener resin?
The resin lasts for 20 -25 years. You can only change the resin if the quality of the water has changed.
Do water softener need servicing?
If the system is properly installed and you have chosen the right size, a water softener can operate for years with less servicing. You are only required to check monthly is the salt level for regeneration.
Related water softener articles
- Water softener buying guide
- Different types of water softener
- How does a water softener work
- Water softener system cost
- Water softener installation
- Water softener maintenance
- How to clean a water softener
- How to turn off the water softener
- Cabinet style water softener
- Water conditioner vs water softener
- Water softener FAQ
- Kenmore water softener reviews
- Kinetico water softener reviews
- Nuvo water softener reviews
- Water boss water softener reviews
- Morton water softener reviews
- Whirlpool water softener reviews
- Fleck water softener reviews
- Pelican water softener reviews
- Genesis water softener reviews
- GE water softener reviews
- Best water softener for well water
- Do I need a water softener
- Best portable water softener
- How to program water softener
- Twin tank water softener
- Water softener benefits