If you have hard water, the water you use in your home has high concentrations of dissolved minerals, particularly calcium and magnesium. It means that just about any task requiring water use in your home is affected. Minerals in your water keep soaps from working correctly, leaving you with spotty dishes and faded or discolored clothing. They build up in your hair, diminishing its natural shine. They accumulate in your pipes and faucets, restricting water flow and clogging appliances.
Water softener systems remove calcium, magnesium, and other unwanted minerals from your water, which helps you avoid these issues using “ion exchange.” The unwanted minerals get replaced with small amounts of sodium. Every so often, the system needs to flush away these minerals to continue to function properly. All water softeners have a control valve that determines the frequency of this necessary regeneration. Some are electric, while others, like the Kinetico water softener, are non-electric. So, what’s the difference, and which type is right for you?
Electric Water Softeners
An electric (or automatic) water softener uses a timer to determine when your system should go through its regeneration process. The system requires manual adjustments. A technician inputs what time the system should regenerate, the hardness of your water, and how many people live in your home. Factors like bathing, dishwashing, and laundry all need to be taken into consideration.
Many electric water softener systems don’t factor in things such as excessive water usage or power outages. Instead, they regenerate more frequently than necessary to deal with these factors. As a result, they often use more power and salt than they really need to.
Electric systems all present a risk of electric shock. Not only, that but due to the conditions (damp and salty), the electrical components of these types of water softeners are at risk for malfunctioning and breaking down.
Kinetico Water Systems
A Kinetico water softener is a non-electric system, free of clocks, electric valves, and electric sensors. There’s no need to input specific data. Instead, it only regenerates when it needs to. As such, you don’t have to worry about any of the pitfalls associated with electric water softeners.
How does it work then? Rather than using electricity, Kinetico water softeners use the power of water. The systems use two tanks, which are joined by a single module. The module regulates processes such as brining, backwashing, rinsing, and shifting only when necessary. Using a meter that turns as water moves, the module measures the volume of water you use. You always get cleaned, softened water. There’s no “downtime.”
With a non-electric system, there’s no need to worry about costly repairs that might occur when an electric component breaks. The only maintenance you need to worry about is occasionally checking the salt level. And, the high-quality water a Kinetico system provides helps to extend the life of your pipes, appliances, fixtures, and more. Our water softeners and water drinking systems are low-maintenance and designed to deliver worry-free operation for years. They’re also backed by industry-leading warranties.
Which Water Softener System Is Right for Your Home?
There’s no right answer as to which type of water softener is suitable for everyone. However, as you can see, Kinetico’s non-electric systems offer some distinct advantages over their electric counterparts. The best way to determine which system is right for you is to start by having your water tested.
To schedule your professional hard water analysis, and to learn more about our non-electric water softeners, contact Kinetico of West Texas today!
