Hey everyone,

New to forum and looking for some help.

I had my water tested some months ago and they said the below were my three biggest areas of concern...

water is at 18 grains per gallon
- should be at 0-3 grains per gallon

dissolved solids level is 315 parts per million
- the usual is 150 parts per million

chlorine level is 3 parts per million
- should be at 0.5 parts per million

First, I want to say I just bought a new home, so I haven't been living with this With that being said, I am looking for a whole-home system.

I am looking for recommendations on the best possible solutions for getting clean water. I am open to any ideas - salt vs. non-salt with combo RO etc....

Also, cost is not an issue. While I don't want to overpay, I simply want to get the best.

Other factors...2 bathrooms, 1 shower, 2 people, will expand to 4 (hopefully some day with kids), 3,000 sq ft home.

Thank you so much!!

 

To properly size a softener system, take the avg daily gallons (65) * the # of people (2) and * by hardness So 65*2*18=2340 This is the number of grains you need to remove every day. Then * by 7 days so it will clean itself about once a week. So 2340*7=16380 grain removed each week.

A 1 cubic foot softener has an efficiency setting of 20K. 20,000-2340 (1 days reserve)=17660/65/2/18=7.5 days between regen.

But now you add 2 more people to the mix and the days between regen drops almost in half. So I would recommend you buy a 1.5 CF softener as well as a 1.5 CF carbon filter which will remove the chlorine.

I sent you a PM.

 

wow thats some good math!

So that solves problem number 1. Now onto softeners themselves.

What do you recommend and what do you like? Salt or no salt?

 

I've been doing this for 24 years. I've always thought that if you do not remove the element, how can you be treating the water. When you can see, feel and taste a difference, I would say the system works. With a softener, this is the case. But with the no salt systems, you can not see or feel a difference. They do not remove the elements. My vote goes to a softener. Now Fleck, Clack and Autotrol all make good valves. For years Fleck was king in my book. Now days, I say Clack is a very good valve and is user friendly more so than some Fleck. Both you give you years of good service.