One of the biggest household plumbingdecisions a homeowner will make is toinstall a water softener. Giving yourselfthe best chance of a potential sale and

putting yourself in your customer’s good booksfor a very long time is to good an opportunity tomiss as once they have had a water softenerinstalled, they will generally never go back tobeing without one again and, of course,recommend you to their friends and family.

A manufacturer’s glossy brochure will tell youall about the benefits of soft water for the homeand indeed after the initial purchase price, awater softener can look just like an expensivehousehold appliance.

However, it is likely to outlast most otherappliances in the house, around ten to 15 yearsdepending on water hardness, quietly doing ajob and eventually paying for itself time andtime again, making your household water systemwork at maximum efficiency with no scale buildup and the removal over time of existing scale.

Also, if you demonstrate the easy daily upkeepof existing showers, bathroom fittings like tapsand shower screens from a cleaning perspective,and the likely reduction in use of detergents,soaps and shampoos, then the savings soon startto seriously add up, especially in a largerhousehold when the only real upkeep cost is saltconsumption and routine servicing.

CHOOSING THE RIGHT MODELThere are many model choices on the marketand specifying the correct capacity size requiredto suit the household is far more important thanmost installers realise. Energy consciouscustomers may want to study salt and waterusages per model, which will differ slightly, butbeware enough to read between the lines a littlehere. Let’s not forget that it’s not an exact scienceas water hardness per area and water usage perhousehold will differ.

A common myth is that twin cylindersofteners are more efficient in water and saltusage, but this is simply not true as they usuallyregenerate four to six times the amount a largesingle cylinder unit will, so the difference willactually be negligible.

Furthermore, if you are told a non-electric unitwill save you pounds in electricity, think again aswe are talking around about a £1 a year to runan electric unit, as all water softeners operate onwater pressure anyway.

Another point to remember is service andupkeep, as some manufacturers will claim theynever need servicing. However, when they do go

wrong repair bills can run into several hundredsof pounds.

Finally, long manufacturer guarantees - theyare generally parts guarantees only, it’s themanufacturer’s labour charges that can be theexpensive part of any repair when some softenersgo wrong. Make sure you buy a model that givesthe longest parts and labour guarantee possible,if simply for your own peace of mind.

HOUSEHOLD SIZESo should you avoid cheaper softeners? Thegeneral rule of thumb is you do get what you payfor, all will soften water, but it’s how reliablethey are and how long they will last based onyour initial financial outlay. If you buy aninexpensive unit, it’s quite probable that it willonly last half as long as something more middleof the range. That said, more expensive units donothing more, nor are any different and last nolonger than something in the middle of themarket place - there is just more profit margin init for the manufacturer or the middle man.

Then you need to look carefully at thehousehold that the unit has to supply. Waterhardness in your area plays a part here and it’s all

about ensuring you buy an appropriately sizedcapacity single tank unit or a small twin cylinderunit that will cope with the household size.

A twin cylinder unit will work for mostfamilies as they will give soft water switchingbetween the tanks as required. A single cylinderunit will work just as well, however, you need totake water usage into account a little more, a tenlitre model will suit a household of up to fourpeople. However, a 15 litre model will cope witha larger family and, of course, because of itscapacity won't have to work quite so hard as asmaller single or a twin cylinder unit.

WATER PRESSURE & FLOW RATESLast but not least, is water pressure and flowrates. It is important to stick to themanufacturer’s operating parameters withpressure and the unit will operate perfectly, highwater pressure can easily be controlled with aressure limiting valve.

Flow rates from the softener will affect yourhousehold water system if the correct fitting kit isnot used. The general rule of thumb is a modernunvented system will require higher flow rates soa 22mm fitting kit will be necessary. However,for a traditional gravity fed system, a standard15mm kit should suffice, but again check withthe manufacturer if you are not sure.

So, overall, do your homework. Look at all ofthe options and you will get a feel for what’s bestto avoid and what’s deemed a sensible choicebased on your budget. Remember, a watersoftener will be a good addition to any homeand over the life of the unit should pay for itselfseveral times over.

Do your homework on water softeners Steve Davis, business development manager at Dolphin Water Solutions, explains why following a few simplerules when specifying a water softener is so important...

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36 MARCH 2014 HEATING & PLUMBING MONTHLY

A water softener unit installed in a typical standardkitchen position under the sink

A cross section of a scaled copper pipe