Whole House Water Softeners (North-Star)
To most people, water is water. It comes out of the tap clear and tasteless so it would seem that it’s healthy to drink, but that isn’t always the case. In some instances, your drinking water – despite how clean and clear it looks – may harbor unwanted minerals like calcium and magnesium. Most of the time, these mineral levels are perfectly safe, but in some rare instances, their levels can get high enough to put you and your family at risk, especially if you have small children.
Even when hard water doesn’t put your family at risk, it tends to cause unnecessary damage to your home’s pipes, fixtures and appliances. After all, those minerals are abrasive and corrosive, especially on something like porcelain or tile. They can be downright destructive. For homeowners with hard water levels considered unsafe or unhealthy, water softening is a necessary part of a complete home water treatment system.
While you should have your water properly tested before investing in any water treatment system, you can call Standard Plumbing, Heating & Air Conditioning to learn more about the signs of hard water and what your options are. We carry a full line of North Star water softeners and our Manhattan, KS area water treatment specialists can help you determine which model is right for your home.
What Softening Does to Your Water
Hard water carries high levels of calcium and magnesium, which can adhere to the sides of pipes and fixtures. When soap mixes with that water it creates soap scum, worsening the problem and creating a sticky mess in your bathroom and kitchen. Water softening works by replacing all of those unwanted calcium and magnesium molecules with sodium, which doesn’t separate from water when it passes through your pipes. Materials like zeolite are used to replace the unwanted metals with sodium as water passes through a softener.
The key to a good water softener is ensuring it will last long enough on each charge to soften your water. It needs to successfully replace all of the magnesium and calcium molecules with sodium but not with too much sodium, as high sodium levels in water can be unsafe. Supplemental reverse osmosis or distillation is often recommended to remove the sodium after softening and ensure your water is safe to drink.
Choosing a Good Water Softener
There are many brands of water softeners on the market, but we recommend North Star products to our customers. Offering a combined 1 year warranty on the unit and up to 10 years on the mineral tank, North Star brand products ensure your home’s water supply won’t cause damage to your appliances, such as your water heater or washing machine.
North Star softeners use high capacity resin to last longer between servicing, and a smart 24–volt electrical system for safe, intelligent operation. The salt storage tank is designed to last and to provide accurate, long–term softening. With North Star’s “Look Ahead” technology, these systems use up to 60% less salt than other systems, reducing salinity concerns and saving you money on salt refills.
If you would like to learn more about North Star water softeners, call Standard Plumbing today. Our Manhattan, Kansas metropolitan area technicians can help you determine if water softening is something your home can benefit from and if any additional, supplemental upgrades to your water treatment system would be beneficial. We’ll work closely with you every step of the way to make sure you get the most out of your water system for years to come.
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