Modern tap water often contains a large amount of various salts, which makes it hard. An increased salt content is harmful to the human body, but household appliances are especially affected by them, on the heating elements of which scale forms, and it quickly fails. A properly selected water softener filter will help correct the situation.
Classification
There are different types of hard water softeners. They are used for various purposes and at different stages. It is necessary to select a device that will best meet the needs of a particular family, and will also be able to function in the existing conditions.
The hard water filter is used to soften the liquid. Thanks to this, it becomes suitable for drinking, cooking, safe for household appliances. There are the following types:
- ion exchange;
- polyphosphate;
- magnetic;
- membrane;
- electromagnetic;
- ultrasonic.
To figure out which filters for cleaning excess salts and softening water are suitable for certain conditions, you need to learn more about each type.
Ion exchange devices
The filter contains an ion-exchange material - a special resin, when passing through which calcium and magnesium ions are replaced by sodium ions in the water. As a result, purified water becomes softer.
The principle of ion exchange is used in different types of filters:
- in filter jars for which an appropriate replacement cartridge is selected for softening water; in filters
- tap attachments;
- in main filters;
- in multistage systems.
After the resource of the ion-exchange resin is exhausted, its properties can be restored using ordinary table salt. It is not easy to do this manually for cartridges, the regeneration is incomplete and after several cycles the backfill or cartridge must be replaced.
In cabinet or column type softening systems, restoration of the working capacity of the resin occurs automatically. For this, a special purified salt tablet is used, which allows extending the service life of the backfill up to 10 years!
Advantages:
- High performance and long life of cartridges.
- Reliable protection against scale.
- Effectively softens even very hard water.
- Ability to work at any pressure in the pipeline.
- Food grade ion exchange resin suitable for potable water treatment.
- Soft water after such a filter is great for swimming, has a beneficial effect on the skin and hair.
Flaws:
- Periodically it is necessary to change cartridges for softening water or filling.
- Only cold or warm water can be filtered, because during ionic purification, the temperature of the liquid should not exceed 40 ° C.
Polyphosphate filters
A polyphosphate filter is a flask containing crystals of a polyphosphate salt. The water passing through them is saturated with sodium polyphosphate, which prevents the precipitation of calcium and magnesium salts in the form of scale.
Install it directly in front of household appliances: washing and dishwashers, boilers, heating boilers. The polyphosphate filter can prevent scale build-up, but the water passed through it should not be used for cooking. The average period during which the polyphosphate filter works is six months, then you need to change either the flask itself or its contents.
Advantages of a polyphosphate filter:
- Availability.
- Low cost.
- Effective protection against scale in the washing machine.
- Ease of installation of water purification systems.
Minuses:
- Water after filtration with polyphosphates cannot be heated to a temperature above 55 degrees. With such heating, polyphosphate and calcium compounds are formed on the heating element, leading to equipment failure.
- Filtered water is not suitable for drinking and also for washing (causes skin irritation).
- Backfill control is required.
- Lots of fakes on the market.
Membrane devices
These are the so-called reverse osmosis filters. They are the most popular at the moment. This is due to the fact that they simultaneously perform several functions: they purify water from impurities and mechanical particles, and also soften it. However, at the same time, useful minerals are also removed. After passing through the reverse osmosis membrane, the water becomes as pure as distilled water. To avoid this, at the end of the purification, the water passes through a mineralizer, which enriches the liquid with useful substances.
In addition to the membrane, the reverse osmosis system includes several stages of pre-treatment, which are needed to protect the main component of the device from damage by large particles and extend its life. Pretreatment is carried out by passing water through polypropylene, carbon and mechanical one-micron filters.
Of the disadvantages of the reverse osmosis system, its high cost can be noted. and poor performance. Another disadvantage is the exacting pressure in the system: not lower than 3-4 atmospheres.
Magnetic filters
The softener can also work in a different way. There are so-called magnetic water softener filters. They are installed directly on the pipe. Inside them are magnets that are able to change the properties of water at the physical level. After the softening effect of the hardness salts, they lose their ability to form crystals, compress and turn into scale. Due to this, plaque does not form on pipes and household appliances, which significantly extends their service life.
Advantages of magnetic filters:
- Durability - validity period from 5 to 25 years.
- There are overhead models that do not require insertion into the system for installation.
- Maintenance, flushing, replacement of consumables and materials is not required.
Minuses:
- Magnets are demanding on the speed of water flow, its temperature and chemical composition, most devices are not designed for hot liquid.
- "Addiction" of water to the effects of magnets. Over time, the effectiveness of softening decreases, and the device must be removed for a while, and then installed again.
Electromagnetic filter systems
Electromagnetic filters are devices in a plastic housing in which a microprocessor is integrated. It emits electromagnetic waves of a certain frequency. The vibrations are transmitted through special wires, the ends of which are wound on pipes in front of household appliances protected from hard water.
Features of using the filter:
- Under its influence, already deposited scale disintegrates over time.
- You can install the cleaning device on a clean pipe made of any material.
- The electromagnetic water filter of increased hardness is connected to the mains. During operation, it consumes a small amount of electricity. But at the same time, the device does not require replacement of cartridges.
Important! Under the influence of the filter, the physical and chemical properties of drinking water do not change, that is, it contains exactly the same amount of impurities, but they cannot be deposited in the form of scale.
Electromagnetic devices are the most expensive of all, but also the most effective. They can also be used in conjunction with other filters.
How to choose?
Knowing all the features of the devices, it is easy to choose the one that is more suitable for a particular family. For this, the following factors must be taken into account:
- Filtration is necessary for the preparation of drinking water and for cooking, to soften water for washing, to protect household appliances, or for all these purposes at the same time.
- The required volume of water, which will allow you to correctly calculate the required performance of the device.
- Convenience and ease of maintenance.
- A substance that is used to reduce the hardness of water. This can be done with a magnet, resin, polyphosphate.
- Price is another important aspect, because everyone has their own opportunities.
You need to carefully evaluate all the pros and cons of filters and only then decide which type of softener to choose.
