How do you determine if you actually need a softener?

* If the water is hard, and most is, then you will benefit from having a water softener on your home. Most people will learn to "deal with" hardness up about 20 grains. Problems caused by hard water actually start at about 3 grains. Water harder than 10 grains has many noticeable "by products". Any time the water is used, a residue is left. This is Calcium and Magnesium that will form a solid that requires special cleaners ( mild acids ) to remove. For more information to help determine if you actually "need" a water softener, please see this link that explains how a softener works, the benefits, and the average hardness in various locations in the U.S.A.

* Iron in the water is another reason you could benefit from a water softener. The RESINS in the tank will remove about 3 ppm per cu.ft. of media used ( average size residential softener is 9" x 48" and uses One Cu. Ft. of Resins ). The use of some type of "iron" cleaning in with the salt helps keep the Resins clean. The size of the softener system ( size of tank, and amount of Resins inside ) is an important aspect to be considered before purchasing a water softener on high iron water. Feel free to ask us for advice.

See How A Water Softener Works:

http://www.softenerparts.zoovy.com/category/4100/

 

 

How do you put a softener out of service without damaging it?

* Simply "by pass" the water flow to the softener or shut water off.   
And unplug electric. If it the tank is in an area that could Freeze, move Tank to area that Can't Freeze.

Freezing can damage the Resins, Tank, and / or Valve.
* When you are ready to use the softener again, besides turning the water back on, restoring electric to control, and setting time of day,  you will want to manually start a regeneration of the system to "freshen" up the water in the Tank, before using the water in the home.