What is the best whole house softener/ water filtration system?

6 years ago

last modified: 6 years ago

I am looking to install a whole house water softener and clean water filtration system however, the market is flooded with different companies and their wares and I'm a bit overwhelmed. I know little to nothing about these systems and I don't want to buy more than I need. I live in the city in your typical home. I have 3.5 bathrooms and six family members. Any and all information/advice would be greatly appreciated.

Comments (5)

carladr
5 years ago
following
User
5 years ago
Water treatment starts with water conditions, usage, and analysis, along with an understanding of your goals for changing your water.

Conditions and usage: well water or city water? Do you have water reports? A notion of how much water you use?

Analysis: TDS, pH, hardness, pariculate, iron (ferric and ferrous), sulfates, nitrates, chloride, VOC, plus any specific items of concern for your area. Get this done at a certified water lab.

Goals: Do you just want soft water? What are you trying to remove from your water? Is there something specific or is filtration more of a prophylactic?
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Typical water treatment should be: First: particulate filtration (most of the other treatments steps can't handle the solids) - your prefilters perform this function. Second: Chlorine (city water -softeners are damaged by chlorine) and VOC filtration, typically GAC (carbon) - your EQ-300 performs this function. Third: Iron, sulfates, manganese (not typically necessary with most water). Fourth: hardness - the softener takes care of this. So, your setup is most likely in the correct order. You do want to get someone with expertise to look at it though. At present, you have no idea what type of shape any of the equipment is in - a water treatment pro can help.
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@aliceinwonderland_id, i have pasted the results. Where is says nn it represents none noted. it might be hard to read but note the first number is the result, the 2nd is national standard and the last number In each row is the min. detected level. Test results where contamination was detected at or above the min. detection level , but not above the national standard. Heavy metals: results national standard: Min. detection level Calcium 153.9 nn 2 Copper . 0.008 1.3 0.004 Magnesium 7 nn 0.1 Potassium 1 nn 1 Silica 15.4 nn 0.1 sodium 46 nn 1 zinc 0.01 5 0.004 Other: chloride 39 250 5 sulfate 66 250 5 results national standard: Min. detection level physical factors: alkalinity (total as CaCO3) 370 nn 20 Turbidity .2NTU 1 0.1 Radiologicals: Gross beta 4.33PCi/L nn 4 Test results where the contaminant was detected above the standard, which is not an EPA enforceable maximum contaminant level. Heavy metals: results national standard: Min. detection level manganese 0.053 0.05 0.004 physical factors: hardness 410 100 10 TDS 550 1 0.01 (total dissolved solids) hm I assume it's ferrous since the water does come out clear, BUT I have to say that the water in the toilet for instance is also clear. I will investigate tomorrow when I go to the property if particles develop after leaving out a cup of water for a while and I will let you know. pls let me know what you think regarding results. btw I did not include any results that tested fine. thanks in advance!
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Water Softener or Filtration System?
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Comments (6)
If you want to remove hardness, you need a water softener. There is no "salt free softener" that's not a real thing. If you want to remove chlorine, taste and odor and some VOC's that's a carbon filter. If you want to remove chloramine, taste, odor and some VOC's that's a different carbon filter. If you need to remove nitrates, lead, etc. in drinking water, that's an RO filter. - This isn't a complete list... but what is it that you want to do? BTW: Don't combine filters in a single unit. They each have different backwashing and maintenance requirements. As for the plumbing: For soft water - soften everything except the outside hoses and a drinking water run to the kitchen. For filtered water - use an unsoftened run, to a carbon filter, that then supplies a drinking water faucet in the kitchen and the icemaker in the fridge. On my house I have an untreated manifold (for outside), a hot and cold softened manifold and a filtered un-softened manifold (for drinking water)
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I installed a whole house system by Apec 6 years ago. It handles iron and rids of sulfur, as we have well water. I also installed a water softening system. Big difference in water quality with both of these systems. I installed an RO sytem also from the same company. I did everything at one time. They have great customer service helping with customizing a system for your home. Everyone's water is a bit different, so some pre-water testing will needed to determine the best set up.
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AJCN
5 years ago
I have these same questions. Who does the analysis? A plumber? The homeowner?
Jake The Wonderdog
5 years ago
ssdarb:
So here's the point: You treat water because there's a an issue such as a hardness or some specific chemical that you are trying to remove. What that issue is will dictate what treatment method is used. That seems pretty basic, but many people go about it the exact wrong way. They will look for "water treatment" without any understanding of why - or if - they really need something. That seems to be the approach of the original poster.

The residential water treatment industry is rife with folks who will sell you all kinds of nonsense that you don't need - and may not even work.

So here is another tip: Many people have this vague idea that their water is unsafe/unhealthful. They have this idea because there is so much nonsense in the advertisements for water treatment. What's more, the health risks presented by most drinking water in US -- unless it's bacterially unsafe or has known issues -- is minuscule compared to the risks of smoking, drinking, owning a gun, being overweight, having a sedentary lifestyle, or even driving a car.

If you are on municipal water you can google the water quality report for your provider. That's generally a good start. Otherwise you can get a lab to do the work.

I am not vouching for this provider - but here is a certified testing company that would seem to do what is required.
PRO
MBM Construction
last year
I know this is an older thread. however, I feel I could add some additional points to consider that I found on Qualitywaterlab when I was researching whole house water filters for my own home due to high PFAS concentrations in our water quality report. Here are some takeaways I've learned:
1. Water test results: It's important to understand the quality of your water before selecting a whole house water filter and softener. A professional water test can provide you with information about the levels of contaminants in your home’s water supply, which will help you determine what type of filtration system is best for your needs.
2. Type of filter: The type of filter you choose will depend on the size and complexity of your water system, as well as the types of contaminants that need to be removed from your water supply. Different filters are designed for different purposes, so it's important to understand what type best suits your needs.
3. Capacity: It's also important to consider how much water you use in a day when selecting a whole house water filter and softener system. If you have a large family or use more than average amounts of water, then you may want to select one with higher capacity than normal systems offer.
4. Maintenance requirements: Some whole house systems require regular maintenance such as changing out cartridges or cleaning sediment traps regularly while others are self-cleaning and require little upkeep over time. Consider which option works best for your lifestyle before making a purchase decision.
5. Cost: Whole house filtration systems can range in price depending on their features and capabilities, so it’s important to compare prices between models before making a final decision about which one is right for you and your budget constraints..
6. Warranty/Guarantee: Many manufacturers offer warranties or guarantees on their products, so make sure that any product you buy has a good warranty or guarantee in case something goes wrong. This will help protect your investment and ensure that you get the most out of your purchase.

What is the best whole house softener/ water filtration system?

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carladr

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