If you’ve never had to deal with the side effects of hard water, you are a lucky homeowner. Unfortunately, that is not the case for everyone living in Arizona, where the water is “hard.” Nowadays, you can choose several options to deal with this issue, and the most popular one is purchasing a water softener. The next relevant question you might have is: which one is the best water softener for Arizona?
There are different factors you need to take into account when choosing the best water softener in Arizona. Your home size, number of people living in your household, how much water you use daily, and probably the most important piece of information, your water hardness.
Finding out your water hardness
Water hardness refers explicitly to the amount of calcium and magnesium compounds in your water deposit. Hard water is the reason why you need to work extra hard to clean your bathroom and get rid of soap scales or why your pipes need repairs regularly. The hardness level is measured in grains per gallon, and it varies from soft to very hard.
As we mentioned before, the whole Arizona area is considered to have a “hard” water level. However, depending on where you live within the city, the exact measure of water hardnesses might differ. To purchase the best water softener for Arizona homes, you need to know that actual range.
To find out your water hardness, you could call your municipality, or if you want the most accurate data, you can purchase a test kit online or in a store. Don’t worry. Testing your water hardness is not a difficult task. When you buy the kit, it will come with simple instructions, which will only take a few minutes to perform.
Now that you have all the information you need, there are three options to treat Arizona water. You can choose a water softening, water filtration or water purification system. Each of them focuses on different problems, and depending on what worries you the most, you can pick which one will be perfect for your home.
Different water treatments
There are three main systems you can choose from, and in this section, we will tell you what each one does.
Water softeners
The main task of water softeners is removing all the hard minerals in the water. This device will replace calcium and magnesium minerals with sodium.
Even when water softeners eliminate hard water compounds, these systems do not eradicate any viruses or bacteria in the water. Also, water softeners do not get rid of any contaminants.
For its characteristics, water softeners are the number one recommendation for Arizona homeowners, considering the water’s hardness level in that area. To check out the best water softeners for Arizona, click here.
Water Filters
If you are worried about any chemicals within the water that could harm your family’s health, a water filtration system is the best option for your home. A water filtration system will remove all kinds of impurities such as lead, chlorine, selenium, boron and lithium, among others.
A water filter works by pushing the water through a membrane that does not let any toxins pass. The most common water filtration system is the one that uses a reverse osmosis process.
Keep in mind that water filtration systems will not soften your water, which means hard minerals will stay in the water even after undergoing filtration.
Water Purification
Through a water purification process, all the water you consume at home will be free of viruses and bacteria. You should consider this system when there are children in your household, especially if you have a newborn baby, which needs a formula mix every couple of hours.
Depending on the issues you want to resolve, you might choose to go for one of these treatments or even combine two of them. You can also read this article: water filter vs. purifiers for a more in-depth comparison.
To help you choose the best water softener for Arizona, we will explain every type of system below.
What is the best water softener for Arizona? Types of systems
When we talk about types of systems, there are mainly three options in the market: ion exchange, salt-free and reverse osmosis.
Salt-based water softeners
Also known as an ion exchange water softener, it can last you up to 15 years with regular maintenance, ensuring soft water all year long. A salt-based softener is the biggest of all systems and also the best water softener in Arizona.
This system has two tanks that help with the softening process. The first tank is filled with resin beds while the second has the salt pellets. When hard water arrives from your pipes to your water softener, the water will go through the first tank where the resin beds will catch all the hard water minerals. The second tank, called the brine tank, helps clean the first tank’s resin beds when they can no longer eliminate water’s hardness.
Even though the brine tank’s most common option is to use a unique type of salt pellets, you should consider replacing those for potassium chloride when you are under a strict low sodium diet. Since potassium is 99% free of sodium, you won’t have to worry about any health consequences. Take into account that potassium is going to be more expensive than salt.
Are you in need of a water softener replacement in Phoenix, AZ? Reach out to us and we’ll make sure that you get only the best water softeners for your home.
Water conditioners (Salt-free softeners)
As its name explains, these are salt-free water softeners, which means they do not remove any calcium or magnesium minerals from the water. These water conditioners focus on minimizing the effect of water hardness.
The water conditioner will charge these hard water minerals, not allowing them to scale surfaces in your home, damage your appliances or break your plumbing. The downside of this process is that even when the hard minerals won’t stick, they will stay within the water you consume every day.
That’s why water conditioners are not the best water softeners in Arizona, due to water hardness in this region.
Reverse Osmosis Filtration
First, you need to know that reverse osmosis is not a system that you can install in every part of your house because it will be costly. Instead, reverse osmosis filtration is usually a system people use for smaller amounts of water, like in the kitchen for cooking or drinking.
People choose a reverse osmosis filtration because it eliminates contaminants and chloride ions that result from the softening process. It is important to clarify that chloride is not damaging to your health. These ions can only cause bad water taste.
Arizona Water Softener Recommendations
After reading all this information, we are sure you have probably figured out which one is the perfect system for your home. But we also want to give you our take on the best Arizona water softener recommendations.
Considering the water in your area is hard, you will want to purchase a water softener to eliminate all those hard minerals. The magnitude of this system will make sure you have softened water in your whole household. Then, because we know you care about your family’s health, you can purchase a reverse osmosis system for your kitchen, where you need higher water quality. re
