Aquatek

Water Softener Certifications

Aquatek45 — Sun, 20 Aug 2023 05:51:55 +0000

As you’ve been searching for a water softener for your home, you may have noticed that some mention that they’re tested and certified. What does it mean if a water softener has been tested and certified? An independent third party has looked at the system and validated that it meets certain criteria. We’ll cover why it’s important, what certifications to look for, who these third parties are and where you can find a certified water softener.

WHY DO CERTIFICATIONS MATTER?

Water comes into contact with everything in your home, plus you use it for drinking and cooking. Certified products are rigorously tested by independent, third parties to ensure that no harmful substances leach into your home’s water from the system. This means your water is safe to use under normal circumstances as defined by the standard.

These third parties also examine the claims made by the manufacturer about performance. They test the products against industry standards to make sure they do what the manufacturer says they do. They also test for structural integrity, confirming that the product will handle normal use without being damaged. The product must be retested regularly to maintain certification.

On top of testing for safety, performance, and structural integrity, these independent third parties conduct audits of manufacturing facilities. This ensures that the products are consistently made to meet the standards they are certified for.

Some water treatment systems state that they are made from certified components. While this may sound like the same thing, it isn’t. The final product may not provide water that is safe for human health. The performance claims from a product that is not certified as a product have not been verified by a third party, and the manufacturing facility has not been audited.

WHAT CERTIFICATIONS SHOULD I LOOK FOR?

When you’re looking for a water softener, there are a few standards that are important. These standards are developed and defined by NSF International and the American National Standards Institute (ANSI).

WATER QUALITY ASSOCIATION

Products certified to this standard are residential water softeners that include cation exchange resin that is regenerated with sodium chloride or potassium chloride. A water softener that meets this standard reduces hardness below 1 grain per gallon (17.1 parts per million), providing soft water. It also must meet material safety and structural integrity requirements.

NSF/ANSI 44

Additionally, water softeners that meet this standard may also meet other criteria. They may be tested for barium reduction as well as radium 226/228 reduction. Another claim that can be tested under this standard is how efficient the regeneration cycle is. The more efficient, the less salt (sodium chloride or potassium chloride) required. The NSF rating for salt efficiency is at least 3,350 grains of hardness removed per pound of salt. However, California has a stricter standard. To meet the California salt efficiency rating, the water softener must remove at least 4,000 grains per pound of salt.

NSF/ANSI 42

Products certified to this standard are drinking water treatment units that have one or more aesthetic effects on water. Most water softeners are not designed for drinking water treatment, so they don’t meet this standard. Some claims that can be tested for under this standard include chlorine, taste, and odor. The product must also meet material safety and structural integrity requirements.

NSF/ANSI 372

This standard is very important to look for. This ensures that the product does not contain unsafe levels of lead which could potentially leach into your water. The standard is consistent with the United States Safe Drinking Water Act’s lead-free plumbing requirements. Many different types of products, including pipes and faucets, can be tested to this standard. Since your water softener is coming directly into contact with your water, having a third party verify that it is lead-free will assure you of its safety.

WHO CERTIFIES WATER SOFTENERS?

There are three independent organizations that certify products for at least two of the above standards and are accredited by ANSI. These include the Water Quality Association (WQA), NSF International, and the International Association of Plumbing and Mechanical Officials (IAPMO).

WATER QUALITY ASSOCIATION

The WQA is a not-for-profit association for the water treatment industry. In addition to certifying products to all of the above standards, they educate and certify people who work in the industry. They also provide information on water and water treatment for the public. The WQA’s certification mark is the WQA Gold Seal. Most Puronics products, including our water softener systems, carry the WQA Gold Seal for one or more standards.

NSF INTERNATIONAL

This organization began as the National Sanitation Foundation, first developing standards for luncheonette and soda fountain equipment. In addition to helping establish safety and performance standards for various industries, NSF International provides testing and certification to their standards. The NSF mark indicates that a product has met one or more standards. Some Puronics products are tested and certified by NSF International.

INTERNATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF PLUMBING AND MECHANICAL OFFICIALS

The IAPMO Group is a membership-based association that develops uniform plumbing and mechanical codes. They also test and certify products, including water softeners, however, they do not provide certification for NSF/ANSI 372. Water softeners that have been certified by IAPMO carry their Water Quality Platinum Seal.

HOW DO I FIND A CERTIFIED WATER SOFTENER?

Puronics water softeners are certified by WQA to NSF/ANSI 44 and NSF/ANSI 372. Our Chlorostatic® water softeners are also certified by WQA to NSF/ANSI 42 for chlorine, taste, and odor reduction. Additionally, they meet the requirements for being California efficiency rated, so you don’t need to replenish the sodium chloride or potassium chloride frequently. They are also certified to reduce radium 226/228, barium, and strontium. In addition, Puronics manufacturing facility is audited to confirm consistent quality.

Apart from IAPMO, the organizations’ websites provide a certified product search tool. If you want to verify that a particular brand is certified, enter the name in the product certification search bar. A list of models or a list of standards will appear. Click on the one you want to know more about, and you’ll find additional details.

If you want a water softener that will do what it claims and will last, you definitely want to find a certified system. Make sure the claims are backed up by testing and regular audits. A quality system can last decades as opposed to a few years. Good quality water impacts your home, your body, and your budget, so it’s worth investing in. Request a free consultation and quote to improve your water.

Is Softened Water Salty?

Aquatek45 — Sun, 20 Aug 2023 05:50:36 +0000

Although many people don’t want to deal with hard water, they’re concerned about installing a water softener because of the salt (salt-free water softeners don’t exist). While it’s true that softening water does add sodium (in place of hardness minerals), there are a few things you should know. One is that Puronics’ latest models only use 6 lbs. of salt per regeneration cycle. Most of this salt is flushed down the drain.

For moderately hard water (5 grains per gallon), softening water adds 78.7 mg to the commonly recommended daily water intake of eight 8-ounce glasses. Consider that the average adult sodium intake is 3,000 to 4,000 mg, so this makes it about 2.5% or less of the total. It’s equivalent to the sodium in about half a slice of white bread.

Water from a properly installed water softener does not taste salty. If your softened water does taste salty, you should have a technician come look at your system and check it.

If you are concerned about the additional sodium, you can install a reverse osmosis system under your kitchen sink, which will remove the sodium along with many other contaminants. You can use the water from the reverse osmosis system for drinking and cooking. If you’re concerned about the salt for other reasons, you can use potassium chloride as an alternative.

Ready to have soft, filtered water throughout your home? Request a free consultation to get started.

WHAT IS A WATER SOFTENER?

Aquatek45 — Sun, 20 Aug 2023 05:37:15 +0000

Consider this scenario: you move into a new home. You go to wash your hands or shampoo your hair for the first time, and the soap doesn’t want to lather. Or you wash the dishes, and they wind up covered with water spots. Over time you notice your skin is dryer than usual, and your hair is too. After a few months, those spotty dishes keep piling up and the shower walls are covered in soap scum.

The culprit might not be the soap: it could be the water.

In fact, 85% of homes in the United States suffer from hard water, according to a 2019 study done by the U.S. Geological Survey. And while soap that doesn’t later and spotty dishes are sometimes the first signs of hard water issues – left untreated hard water can cause other, bigger issues: limescale buildup in pipes, appliances that wear out easily and plumbing fixtures with aerators that seem to clog constantly.

That’s where water softeners come in. These small two-piece units connect directly to a home’s main water supply. The softener uses a natural process to remove the causes of hard water: mineral content, consisting of calcium, magnesium and other metallic elements.

HOW DO WATER SOFTENERS WORK?

At the most basic level, water softeners remove the stuff that you don’t want in your water: naturally occurring minerals that are safe to drink but hard on your skin, hair, dishes and laundry. Unfortunately, water picks up these minerals as it flows through the ground, and water treatment plants don’t fully remove them since they aren’t harmful to consume.

From a technical standpoint, a water softener is an appliance that helps all your other appliances run more efficiently. It is composed of two parts: a mineral tank and a backflush tank. The mineral tank collects hardness minerals and flushes them away to drain. Ion exchangers (usually resin beads) are used for water softening. When water runs through the resin, it exchanges the calcium and magnesium ions in the water with other ions such as sodium or potassium while still maintaining an efficient flow rate. The result is water that feels smoother – almost silkier – to the touch. You can also use less soap when bathing and laundering.

If it sounds complicated – the magic happens behind the scenes in the unit. As a homeowner, there’s virtually no maintenance required. The most frequent form of maintenance your system will require is a refill on the water softener salt.

WILL THE WATER TASTE SALTY?

Water from a properly installed water softener does not taste salty. That’s because salt isn’t used to soften the water; instead, it’s used to regenerate the ions in the tank. While the water will contain nominal amounts of sodium, it’s not much. In an 8-ounce glass of softened water, the sodium content is around 78.7 mg – about the amount found in a large stalk of celery. If you are concerned about the additional sodium, you can install a reverse osmosis system under your kitchen sink. This will remove the sodium along with many other contaminants. If you’re concerned about the salt for other reasons, you can use potassium chloride as an alternative.

HOW DO I PICK THE SOFTENER THAT’S RIGHT FOR MY NEEDS?

The best water softener is one that delivers not only softer water but other water conditioning benefits. Can it filter water as well? These systems ensure great tasting, soft water that is better for your home, hair and skin.

Additionally, consider these questions when looking for a water softener:

What type of filtration media does it use? Both Chlorostatic and Bacteriostatic are considered the best available. Puronics® whole-house bacteriostatic water softener systems incorporate SilverShield® Protection, which is based on NASA technology, to inhibit bacteria growth within the filter media bed. Chloramine is a common municipal water disinfectant, but it is corrosive to lead and copper water lines and could have side effects for people and fish. Puronics® whole-house Chlorostatic® water softener systems with Chloroshield Clearess® filter media, are specifically designed to reduce the levels of chloramine, chlorine and hardness typically found in municipal water supplies while reducing the need for filter changes.
What certifications does it have? Certified products are rigorously tested by independent, third parties to ensure that no harmful substances leach into your home’s water from the system. When you’re looking for a water softener, look for certifications developed and defined by National Sanitation Foundation (NSF) and the American National Standards Institute (ANSI). Be mindful that the whole unit is certified – not just the components.
Where is it manufactured? Is it important to you to have a unit that’s made and manufactured in the United States?

Water softeners can quickly become one of your favorite appliances in your home. Working behind-the-scenes they make everything you do with water better. Softer skin, cleaner clothes and dishes, and less soap scum build up on your shower walls. Over time, they help keep your water-loving appliances healthier as well. Ready to learn more? Puronics is here to help. For softener system questions, feel free to contact us or your local Authorized Dealer.