As its name suggests, a water softener is a device used to make water softer. Tap water is often concentrated in limescale. This constitutes a potential source of deterioration of sanitary installations and household appliances. Several models of water softeners are available on the market. Here are criteria to consider to choose the best.
The type of softener
You will find essentially two types of water softeners on the market . On the one hand, there are resin water softeners and CO2 water softeners. The first type of water softener is the most used. It is simple to use and provides excellent removal of ions which cause the formation of limescale in water. As for the CO2 water softener, it does not require the addition of sodium to treat water that is too hard. It thus helps preserve the minerals in the water.
Operating mode
Water softeners operate manually, automatically or semi-automatically. If you want to have a device that is easy to use without the slightest effort, opt for an automatic device or, failing that, a semi-automatic device. However, this model is obviously more expensive than a manual model.
The type of valves
Water softeners have hydraulic valves or electric valves. Hydraulic valves operate on mechanical energy. When the volume quota of the softened water is reached, the regeneration of the softener is triggered by timing or volumetry. Electric valves, for their part, combine both chronometry and volumetry.
The capacity of the softener
As with the choice of a professional coffee machine, the softener must be chosen according to its capacity. This value is expressed in liters. To have a device that will cover the fresh water needs at home, estimate the quantity of water consumed on average daily. To find the real quantity, you will need to take into account the frequency of use of household appliances. In addition, for information on the quality of tap water, go to government sites.
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