Whirlpool Water Softener

Considering the fact that water covers over 2/3rd of the Earth's surface, it doesn't hit anyone as a surprise that a number of impurities find their way into it, one of the more common of the lot are Calcium and Magnesium ions. An increased concentration of these ions renders water incapable of forming froth and increases deposition in appliances that use such water, and we call such water, Hard Water.

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Even though health issues aren't directly caused due to this water, a number of problems can occur in the domestic scenario where non formation of froth can cause washing machines and dish washers to waste water and also reduce in efficiency. It also causes damage to plumbing and the appliances themselves. Besides the obvious cosmetic damage at taps and faucets, it causes a build-up on the inside surface of pipes, thereby forcing machines to work harder, thereby consuming more electricity and shortening their life span. In terms of health problems, since rinsing with hard water is tougher than with soft water, shampoo and soap particles may remain on the skin and in the hair of the user.

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The Energy Star & EPA certified Whirlpool Water Softeners are one of the most recommended water softening devices for home usage. Considering the fact that one of the implication of softening water is to cut energy costs, it makes absolute sense to have water softeners to be Energy Star certified. Since these systems are simple to install following the instruction kit, they don't require the service of professional installations. Also, Whirlpool offers various models to suit a variety of needs and deployment making them a brilliant choice for the same.

The models differ in the grain capacity and hence the size of the family it can accommodate; the grain capacity is basically the max number of grains which can be removed without requiring regeneration. Almost all models have Demand Initiated Regeneration with Salt Saving technology; this saves water, salt and energy. Moving up on the model-line, advanced features such as low salt indicators, iron removing settings, salt storage tank light, Sediment guard, as well as touch screen options make their way into the features list, along with increasing the grain count of the machine.

By using Whirlpool water softeners, one can extend the life of appliances, reduce water heating costs, reduce spotting on dishes and glassware, reduce the amount of detergent and soap required for cleaning, and make skin feel less dry and far smoother.

Whirlpool Water Softener

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Is Installing a Whole House Water Softener Difficult?

With the gaining popularity of the whole house water softener systems, homeowners everywhere are trying to find a way to improve their home in this manner without completely wasting away their savings accounts. This leads many homeowners to wonder if they could get by with purchasing a system that is on sale online or in a local home improvement store and then installing it for themselves.

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While putting in your own water softener system may save you a lot of time and money, there are some disadvantages which must be considered prior to making this decision. If you don't know enough about your home plumbing system you may mistakes unknowingly. These mistakes may not be noticed by you right off, but in the future they could compromise the effectiveness of your softening unit or lead to other problems.

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Also, if you decide to install your own whole house water softener system you will have no one to call on in the event something goes wrong. You are dealing with the plumbing and water supply to your home, so you should at least have the phone number to a good plumber on hand who would be willing to come out last minute to help if necessary.

For someone with basic plumbing knowledge, installing a home water softening system is not very difficult. There aren't too many mistakes which could lead to serious problems and if you follow the directions exactly as they are presented in the product manual you should encounter very few problems.

As long as you are willing to spend the required time to do every step of the installation correctly, then you should be able to put in your own whole house water softener without problems. That said, it does take some time to get healthier, softer water flowing into all areas of your home, so you have to clear your schedule and spend the day working on this home improvement project.

Before you decide to install your own system, make sure that you know where the unit should be placed within your home and how it will be connected into your water supply. You have to read the directions and all warnings through first and then determine that you have the knowledge needed to put in the system on your own.

You may also want to make sure you know where the main water shut-off for your home is since you will need to stop all water flow into the home prior to setting up your new system. This shut-off valve could be inside your home, such as in a basement, but it is also likely to be outside. If you aren't sure what or where this is, then you should consider hiring a plumber or other service to come into your home and install the unit for you.

It's true you could save a bit of cash by installing your own whole house water softener system, but you have to make sure you have the required knowledge and tools before you get started. Having someone else com into your home for the installation is one thing, but having them come in to fix mistakes that you made or complete a project that you started but could not finish is another thing entirely! Read the directions thoroughly and then honestly assess whether you have the knowledge or time required to do the project on your own.

Is Installing a Whole House Water Softener Difficult?

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Why Use A Salt Free Water Softener?

What are the benefits and reasons for using a salt free water softener? These questions are being asked by people today regarding the water in their home. The general answer would be to control sodium, have less impact on the environment, and to save money in the long run.

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For people that have high blood pressure or hypertension, controlling the sodium in their water with a salt free water softener can be a possible solution. The amount of sodium that a normal salt based one puts into the water may be minimal, but small amounts of sodium can have an impact on individuals who are trying to limit sodium in their lives. Adding just a little salt into the water can pose as a health problem for those that are at risk.

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A softener that doesn't use salt also helps to reduce our effect on the environment. The salt used in traditional softeners eventually ends up in the ground water and soil and can have a negative impact on the delicate ecosystems around us. A study showed that a single family household will put as much as 500 pounds of salt into the ground a year. It's not hard to see that the gradual build up of salt can really affect our environment over time, especially affecting our ground soil, plants, tress, and the animals around us. Some areas in the country have already put a ban on regenerative salt water softeners to decrease the impact.

The salt free water softener saves money over time. It may cost more upfront, but in the long run will save money since it uses little electricity or none at all to condition the water. There is also no need to buy large bags of salt, which can really add up over time and be quite an expense.

Why Use A Salt Free Water Softener?

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Water Softeners - Their Uses

In principle water that contains concentrated deposits of calcium and magnesium it is termed hard water. Hard water blocks pipes and you will find it difficult to dissolve soaps in hard water. This is why it is necessary to soften the water. This process of treating hard water is called softening and to do this it is passed through a resin bed in which there is an interchange of positive and negative ions take place. Water is softened by utilizing water softening devices that are intended to get rid of the chemicals that are responsible in making it hard.

There are various water softener devices in the market today and it depends on the need of the user to determine what type of device would be best suited for his requirements. Typically water softeners are grouped into five types; manual, semi-automatic, automatic, demand initiated regeneration and off-site regeneration.

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Automatic softeners are the most commonly used. The device is fitted with a timer that sets off the recharging and all other steps that have to be carried out. All you have to do is to add the required quantity of salt and set the timer. They generally have three tanks, two that are for the softening process and the third is the brine tank. As one tank is softening the water the other is doing the recharging.

The advantages of water softeners is that soft water extends the life of appliances like dish washer, washing machine, water heaters, electric kettles and any other device that needs water to function. Softened water reduces water spotting on any surface and clothes last longer. But the down side of water softening that it contains a strong content of sodium that may not be suitable for the plants and lawns.

If you have intentions of investing in a water softening device you only have to search the internet to get details about the various companies that manufacture and supply such equipment. Compare prices and go for something that is reasonable and gives you good value for your money. Some of the good water softeners are from Fleck, GE, Kinetico, Cole and Massey, Rainsoft, Calgon etc. Of course you could even talk to friends and relatives who already own one and get their reviews on the brand that they are using.

Water Softeners - Their Uses

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How Water Softener Units Work

You may have wondered how water softener units work. Mineral laden hard water goes in, but soft, clean feeling water with no aftertaste comes out.

Water softeners help us avoid spotted dishes and appliances, clogged water heaters, scale on pipes, sinks, and other metal, as well as improving the cleaning power of our water. It's no wonder that so many people are curious about how a water softener unit works. These devices make sure that the huge amount of water we go through every day a lot easier to deal with.

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Most water softeners use a process called ion exchange to remove minerals dissolved in hard water, producing cleaner water without any aftertaste. Some of the minerals that can be a problem in water are calcium, iron, sulfur, and magnesium.

Your water softener contains many small plastic beads, or a matrix referred to as zeolite. These are covered in ions of sodium. When the water flows through the beads or zeolite, the unwanted minerals swap places with the sodium. This leaves more sodium in the water, but removes other minerals. Eventually, the zeolite or beads have no more sodium ions, and must be regenerated.

Regeneration is an important part of how water softeners work. This involves soaking the beads of zeolite in a sodium ion containing solution. One very common solution used is common household salt - a strong brine is made to regenerate the softener. Once the beads or zeolite are regenerated, the remaining brine and the residue of the minerals can be flushed away. A single water softener unit can produce a lot of brine when it needs to recharge!

However, this method means that water softeners put extra salt into the water they produce. For people on low sodium diets, this can present a problem. Sometimes, alternate salts, like potassium chloride, are used to prevent this problem. Anyone who needs to limit their sodium and wishes to use a water softener should talk to their doctor about the additional minerals, sodium or potassium, that they may be consuming. A few water softener units don't use salts at all, but instead function by using charcoal filters or some other method to remove the undesirable minerals from our hard water. These are usually a lot more expensive than conventional water softeners.

Once your water softener has regenerated, it's ready to get to work again. Some systems automatically regenerate, and only need to be refilled with salt. Other systems, like portable water softeners, will function until they become depleted, then stop working until manually regenerated. No matter which method your water softener uses, it's important to maintain it properly so that it will provide years of effective service.

How Water Softener Units Work

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History of the Washing Machine - Sand, Streams and No Fabric Softener

In 1797 the first washing machine - the washboard - was invented, changing laundry as we knew it. No longer did people have to rely on abrasive sands, rudimentary homemade soaps and natural streams. 1797 hailed the dawn of the "wash board era" which, while a huge innovation at the time, was still remarkably time consuming and incredibly hard work.

Throughout the Victorian times washing days were scarce, taking place on a monthly basis. In fact the longer your family could go between laundries, the more highly ranked you were perceived to be. This may sound like a controversial statement, but quite simply you had more clothes - a symbol of wealth and status.

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Of course Victorian Britain was not considered one of the cleanliest places. Hair teamed with lice, human waste was tossed into the streets and the River Thames was almost an open sewer breeding cholera epidemics and numerous other problems. One of these problems was The Great Stink of 1858, when during the summer months the smell of the Thames in the hot summer threatened to overwhelm London with its disease and putrid stench. Even parliament was affected by the smell of the Thames.

The industrial revolution - washing boards, dollies and mangles

With the world such a dirty place, one can understand laundry was not quite as important as it is nowadays but with the industrial revolution looming, change was on its way. During this period the Washing Dolly was in great use throughout the country - especially as this took place before water was piped into homes. A washing dolly is a pole with one end shaped like a small three-legged stool. It was used to agitate the clothes in the boiling water much like the spinning drum in today's machines.

In 1853 the tax on soap was abolished and so it became much more commonplace and starches and blues were used to keep white items white - although this was viewed as a specialist skill.

Towards the end of the 19th century mangles became popular in households for wringing and flattening clothes - reducing the need for a flat iron. The design became smaller and cheaper and so the technology was more easily incorporated into houses.

Washing began early in the morning to cater for the hard work and drying, taking a whole day to complete - hence the phrase "washing day".

The first washing machines

In 1851, across the pond, American James King patented the first washing machine resembling today's appliance. While still hand powered, King's machine used a drum but it was expensive and therefore not widely used at home. The idea didn't really catch on for another 20 years.

In 1874 William Blackstone presented his wife with a present he'd built. The gift was a washing machine - who could ask for anything more? Blackstone's washing machine took the hand-scrubbing out of washing day even though it was still manually powered. Inside the main tub, a small, flat, pegged piece of wood was moved by the use of an outer hand-crank. This removed the dirt from clothes. Blackstone's machines were mass produced and very successful bringing with them developments to the machine such as wringers and replacing the wood with metal.

Electricity and the modern day washing machine appliance

It is unclear who invented the electric washing machine. Alva J. Fisher is often cited as its creator however other sources state Louis Goldenberg (a Ford employee) of New Brunswick, New Jersey invented the electric washing machine around the late 1800s to early 1900s.

The electric washing machine has evolved in its many forms to become a staple of the modern household. Much like other kitchen appliances washing machines are vital in our daily life and have been cited as a factor in women's liberation as they helped housewives escape the drudgery of household chores.

Washing machines integrated into the kitchen or utility room environment highlight just how necessary washing machines are to modern society.

History of the Washing Machine - Sand, Streams and No Fabric Softener

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Water Softener Reviews - What is Hard Water and How Can a Water Softener Help?

If you have hard water in your area, it is imperative that you go for some water softener. Hard water has excessive minerals and metals, and is bad for health. If you are using hard water for drinking and even washing then you are exposing yourself and your family to these extra metals and minerals. This is a situation where you should seriously consider getting a water softener for your home.

Scientists measure the quality of water from different angles. One of the measurements counts the parts of metals and minerals per million parts of water. This is expressed in a term known as PPM. If the PPM value of a sample of water is higher than a certain threshold, then it qualifies for being labeled as hard water. This is what is dangerous for health.

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Hard water is not only dangerous for health. It is also terribly bad for your appliances, water pipes and clothes. The hard water that we usually get in our conventional societies comprise of a high degree of calcium, iron and magnesium. These metals react with the material building our water pipes and appliances and eat into them. In fact, they also react with our skins and can leave you with an itchy skin. This can potentially turn into a skin allergy in the longer run.

A water softener would remove these elements from the water. The water would become soft and would be free from the potential health and other hazards that it would otherwise cause. These systems are somewhat expensive - would cost you a few hundred to around a thousand dollars depending upon the quality of softener you use, but the one-time installation cost is easily offset by the long-term benefits that come in the forms of health improvement and cost and effort saved in daily lives. Make sure that if you decide to get one for yourself then you get a branded one with a reasonable warranty and good reputation.

Water Softener Reviews - What is Hard Water and How Can a Water Softener Help?

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