Can You Soften and Filter Water at the Same Time?
Treating the water coming into your home can have many benefits for your family. On one hand, you can enjoy drinking water that looks, tastes and smells better. Softer water is an added benefit. It makes your hair silkier and smoother, and it doesn’t leave behind those frustrating mineral stains when you’re trying to clean. Do you need to purchase two separate systems for water system installation or can the same system take care of both filtration and water softening?
Water Softening and Water Filtration in One
When you choose whole-home water filtration, you can opt for a system that handles softening, water treatment and water filtration simultaneously. If you want to go this route, you should invest in this type of system from the beginning.
Some families make the mistake of choosing water filtration first, thinking they can just upgrade to water softening later. Unfortunately, doing this can add significantly to the cost because water professionals basically need to install two systems.
The Science Between Water Softening and Filtration
How does this type of dual-purpose system work? They include one or more tanks with specialized filters and layers. Many systems have a layer of high-performance gravel, resin for ion exchange and activated carbon. Sometimes there are other physical filters present to remove specific contaminants in the water.
The ion exchange resin is primarily responsible for the water softening. The ionized water contains potassium and sodium ions instead of magnesium and calcium, which are responsible for most of the problems in hard water.
Whole-Home Water System Installation
Whole-home water treatment systems are installed at the entry point of water into the home. This ensures that every tap, shower and faucet in the home has soft, fresh and clean water. Before you choose a system, talk to a water filtration professional. That way, you can make sure your water system installation meets the needs of your local water and keeps your family safe and sound.