Dear Royal Soft:
I recently read that you in the water treatment industry are promoting water softening as a "green" technology. Is this for real or are you just saying this to jump on the "green" bandwagon? What about all that salt?
Sincerely,
Skeptical In Westchester County
Untreated hard water promotes a buildup of precipitated stone on hot surfaces such as the inside of your water heater. This buildup acts as an insulator and slows the water heating process, wasting energy. A water softener or a scale prevention system will prevent this build up and save you between 15 and 20% of the energy used to heat water.
Also think about how much sooner your fixtures, water heaters, and appliances wear out (about 25% faster) when using untreated hard water in your home. It takes materials and energy to make fixtures and appliances, and to sell them, deliver them, and install them, so here is another place where water softeners or scale prevention systems save energy.
When considering the salt usage, today's water softener is not Grandpa's salt swallowing behemoth of 60 years ago. The introduction of water metering and modern resins make modern softeners highly efficient, using only about 1/3 as much salt and water as they did a half a century ago. And salt is a relatively benign substance when compared to detergents (please read the side panel on some of these laundry and dish products). When using soft water you will only use about 1/4 of these man made detergents when compared to hard water. Therefore consumers will save money on detergents and introduce fewer of them into the environment as waste.
Why there has been such a negative campaign against water treatment is hard to understand. Even today, with salt free alternatives to softening available, some look at water treatment as harming the environment. In most cases, that is simply untrue, and the attitude is counter productive. Every device to save energy must be considered these days, even if that device has been reviled in the green community for decades. For most homeowners, water treatment will be a way to reduce energy consumption.
Wednesday, September 17, 2008
Monday, September 15, 2008
After Disaster - Your Water Treatment!
THIS IS VERY IMPORTANT! If your area has been subject to a disaster that has disrupted water service or flooded your water treatment please read this!
Do not try and save money on this issue. You need to have your water treatment system inspected and sanitized before you start drinking your water again. Your water treatment dealer knows the best techniques and chemicals to do the job right. If you attempt to do this yourself, you may not do the job correctly or you may damage your water treatment equipment.
Please call your licensed or certified local water treatment dealer to get your system working correctly after a disaster.
Do not try and save money on this issue. You need to have your water treatment system inspected and sanitized before you start drinking your water again. Your water treatment dealer knows the best techniques and chemicals to do the job right. If you attempt to do this yourself, you may not do the job correctly or you may damage your water treatment equipment.
Please call your licensed or certified local water treatment dealer to get your system working correctly after a disaster.
Water treatment scam - the $9.95 per month ad.
Just think about it. Are you really going to be able to rent a $4500.00 water treatment system for $9.95 per month? I really doubt it. You should doubt it too.
This is a great scheme in the water treatment industry. ONLY $9.95 PER MONTH!! Wow, only pay $9.95 per month on a high end treatment system worth $4500.00 or more. It will only take you 450 months to pay it off (that is only 39 years). Here is the trick. Look for this fine print: "Introductory Offer", "Rent to Own", "First Year". $9.95 per month for the first year doesn't even pay the interest, which accrues and adds to the principal. After the first year, you will be paying $100.00 a month for seven or eight years to pay off the system. Whoa, that is a wad of cash, isn't it?
My advice, avoid water treatment dealers using outlandish payment schemes. If they are lying about financing, might they be lying about what type of water treatment you need?
This is a great scheme in the water treatment industry. ONLY $9.95 PER MONTH!! Wow, only pay $9.95 per month on a high end treatment system worth $4500.00 or more. It will only take you 450 months to pay it off (that is only 39 years). Here is the trick. Look for this fine print: "Introductory Offer", "Rent to Own", "First Year". $9.95 per month for the first year doesn't even pay the interest, which accrues and adds to the principal. After the first year, you will be paying $100.00 a month for seven or eight years to pay off the system. Whoa, that is a wad of cash, isn't it?
My advice, avoid water treatment dealers using outlandish payment schemes. If they are lying about financing, might they be lying about what type of water treatment you need?
Friday, September 12, 2008
Building a new house? Use this for Plumbing!
This may be the greatest advance in plumbing since the invention of pipe. It is called PEX tubing and PEX stands for cross linked poly ethelyne.
I was introduced to it about 4 years ago, and I don't use copper anymore. It is far more environmentally friendly and far less expensive than copper tubing, and even though it is made from petroleum, it takes far less oil to make it than to make copper. I highly recommend PEX for your new home or for major repairs and renovations in your old home because of these reasons among many:
I was introduced to it about 4 years ago, and I don't use copper anymore. It is far more environmentally friendly and far less expensive than copper tubing, and even though it is made from petroleum, it takes far less oil to make it than to make copper. I highly recommend PEX for your new home or for major repairs and renovations in your old home because of these reasons among many:
- It is non-reactive. Acidic water is a major problem in my area of the Northeast. Acidic water eats through copper tubing but does not have any effect on PEX.
- It gives a better flow rate. Being flexible, PEX can be curved, eliminating elbow fittings. Every elbow fitting on your plumbing system is a restriction that causes poor flow throughout your home.
- It is safer and easer to use. There is no need to use a torch to use PEX tubing. Torches can start fires and they create noxious fumes that workers and home dwellers breath.
- There is no incentive to steal it. In urban and remote areas, vacant and unfinished homes fall prey to thieves who steal copper tubing. The tubing is sold to scrap yards and the money is usually used to buy drugs.
Check out this website detailing the best brand of PEX on the market - over a billion feet installed with zero tubing failures. http://www.uponor-usa.com/Header/Systems/Plumbing/Overview.aspx
Other brands are very good too, but the Uponor system for putting the tubing together is great.
If you are building a new home or having work done on your home, seriously consider using PEX for a superior plumbing system.
Thursday, September 11, 2008
Alternative water treatment technologies - KDF
Sometimes I think that some companies with great products just don't know how to explain them to people.
I have been using an exceptional product for many years that I don't believe has received the attention it deserves. The product is called KDF and I have used it for iron removal, odor elimination, lead removal, chlorine destruction, and hardness sequestering. It is a great product and I am aware of many other uses in water treatment that I don't have time to get into. Whenever I do a new installation, I always ask myself if I could use KDF in a way to solve the problem. Many times the answer is yes.
I especially like to use it in city water applications in conjunction with carbon to remove chlorine. One problem with carbon is that it can become a medium for bacteria growth after a period of usage. KDF not only extends the life of carbon, it also has bacteria static properties to help keep carbon free from bacteria for a longer period.
One problem with the product is the fact that the literature makes many claims about it which are not backed up with explanations. I have not found any of the claims to be untrue, but many in the water industry need to understand how something works before they will use it. It is particularly frustrating to have a 45 minute conversation with the technical staff at KDF just to get one answer to the many questions about how the product works. If KDF would publish more technical data for the water treatment industry they would increase sales in a huge way.
I recommend KDF, especially if your water treatment dealer has experience using it. It is a premium product, so expect it to cost more than other filtration medias. It will also out perform other filtration medias.
I have been using an exceptional product for many years that I don't believe has received the attention it deserves. The product is called KDF and I have used it for iron removal, odor elimination, lead removal, chlorine destruction, and hardness sequestering. It is a great product and I am aware of many other uses in water treatment that I don't have time to get into. Whenever I do a new installation, I always ask myself if I could use KDF in a way to solve the problem. Many times the answer is yes.
I especially like to use it in city water applications in conjunction with carbon to remove chlorine. One problem with carbon is that it can become a medium for bacteria growth after a period of usage. KDF not only extends the life of carbon, it also has bacteria static properties to help keep carbon free from bacteria for a longer period.
One problem with the product is the fact that the literature makes many claims about it which are not backed up with explanations. I have not found any of the claims to be untrue, but many in the water industry need to understand how something works before they will use it. It is particularly frustrating to have a 45 minute conversation with the technical staff at KDF just to get one answer to the many questions about how the product works. If KDF would publish more technical data for the water treatment industry they would increase sales in a huge way.
I recommend KDF, especially if your water treatment dealer has experience using it. It is a premium product, so expect it to cost more than other filtration medias. It will also out perform other filtration medias.
Wednesday, September 10, 2008
Out on a limb - Salt free water treatment
I am always curious about new technology in water treatment. My latest trial of a new product has lasted a year and a half. I have installed a dozen non salt water conditioners, and all but one lived up to expectations, and the one that did not dazzle with results has been tweaked (by adding extra media) and I am waiting to see if it works now.
This is a media tank shaped much like a softener or filter tank. The media, made in Germany, actually treats the hardness by making it stick to itself (hardness) instead of to the wet surfaces of your home. The first one I installed only because a customer begged me to. After a decade in water treatment, I thought I knew everything, and the one thing I "know" is that you can't get anything for nothing, and I felt that if you didn't use some kind of salt or chemical, you could never remove or sequester hardness in the water.
When I first saw all the hard water deposits these systems cleaned out of hot water coils, I didn't believe. When my third customer for this product called and said that the 35 years of crud that was built up on his shower heads was actually falling off, I said, well there might be something. When I decided to replace my own water softener with one of these salt free systems, just so I could really see what was going on, I was convinced.
What these systems don't do: They don't treat iron, manganese, odor, chlorine, pH, or anything except calcium and magnesium hardness. They don't give you that slippery (some call it slimy) feeling that soft water does. They don't use salt or waste backwash rinse water.
What these systems do: The prevent calcium and magnesium from building up. There will still be a residue similar to soft water residue, but like soft water, the residue just wipes away.
Some old timers may scoff (like I first did) but for argument's sake, one of the most trusted brands in the plumbing and water field, WATTS, is now selling their version of this product. If they are convinced, it's a lock for me.
This is a media tank shaped much like a softener or filter tank. The media, made in Germany, actually treats the hardness by making it stick to itself (hardness) instead of to the wet surfaces of your home. The first one I installed only because a customer begged me to. After a decade in water treatment, I thought I knew everything, and the one thing I "know" is that you can't get anything for nothing, and I felt that if you didn't use some kind of salt or chemical, you could never remove or sequester hardness in the water.
When I first saw all the hard water deposits these systems cleaned out of hot water coils, I didn't believe. When my third customer for this product called and said that the 35 years of crud that was built up on his shower heads was actually falling off, I said, well there might be something. When I decided to replace my own water softener with one of these salt free systems, just so I could really see what was going on, I was convinced.
What these systems don't do: They don't treat iron, manganese, odor, chlorine, pH, or anything except calcium and magnesium hardness. They don't give you that slippery (some call it slimy) feeling that soft water does. They don't use salt or waste backwash rinse water.
What these systems do: The prevent calcium and magnesium from building up. There will still be a residue similar to soft water residue, but like soft water, the residue just wipes away.
Some old timers may scoff (like I first did) but for argument's sake, one of the most trusted brands in the plumbing and water field, WATTS, is now selling their version of this product. If they are convinced, it's a lock for me.
My Review
I got a new customer
By Clean Water Man from Danbury, CT on 9/10/2008
Pros: Clean Taste, Long Lasting Filter, Durable
Best Uses: Replacement
Describe Yourself: Midrange Shopper
Primary use: Business
I use this product to help customers who do not want to use the installing dealers services anymore and feel trapped by the proprietary nature. Luckily, waterfilters.net is there to help me help my new customers.
(legalese)
My Review
A choice in service
By Clean Water Man from Danbury, CT on 9/10/2008
Pros: Long Lasting Filter, Durable, Clean Taste
Best Uses: Replacement
Describe Yourself: Midrange Shopper
Primary use: Business
I use this product to help customers who don't want to go back to the original installation company.
(legalese)
Sunday, September 7, 2008
Another Rip-off in the water treatment industry - potassium chloride
Just came back from the home improvement center. I was shocked by the price of potassium chloride at $25.00 a 40 lb bag. That is insane! Sodium salt is $6.00 a bag. So I decided to blog about sodium chloride versus potassium chloride.
The most important thing to know about the two products is that THEY ARE BOTH SALT. One just happens to be potassium salt instead of sodium salt. Both are relatively safe, but if you think that potassium chloride is totally benign, you may want to look up its use in lethal injection. That is not to say that potassium chloride use in a water softener will harm you, but if you have switched to it in your water softener because a doctor has raised concern over elevated sodium levels, you should still ask your doctor about drinking potassium softened water because it can throw off potassium levels.
The average consumer who drinks several glasses of salt softened water a day will only raise their intake of salt by the equivalent of eating two saltine crackers. That is a relatively low amount unless you are on a sodium restricted diet. If you are on a totally salt restricted diet, you should consider drinking reverse osmosis purified water since there is a good chance that even if you don't soften your water, there is still some naturally occurring sodium. Another point about having a reverse osmosis device is that over time it will cost you far less than using potassium in the water softener.
In the case of watering plants with softened water, potassium is safer. Sodium can build up in frequently watered soil while potassium will be used as a nutrient by many plants. Of course, the most cost effective way to water is by using water that by-passes the softener altogether, and I always recommend to my clients that irrigation systems do not use softened water.
On effectiveness, sodium salt is more effective in softener regeneration. Potassium has a nagging ability to pack up much more easily in your brine vat and render your softener in-operable. This is due to its tendency to drop out of solution at a much higher rate at a much lower temperature drop and its in-ability to re-dissolve very easily, unlike sodium salt.
On septic issues; after almost two decades in the water business, I have heard many stories about how salt from a water softener ruined a septic. These are usually told to me by a septic cleaning service-person, or a homeowner using it as an excuse to not buy a water softener. When I ask these people to give me a name, date, and address of where this incident took place, they hem and haw and I never get an answer. True, 60 years ago, when inefficient water softeners used 35 lbs of salt and 150 gallons of water to regenerate, there was a possibility of septic damage, but it is not the case with today's efficient systems.
I look at potassium chloride as an easy way for salt companies and home centers to cash in on the green movement and not really achieve any greening.
The most important thing to know about the two products is that THEY ARE BOTH SALT. One just happens to be potassium salt instead of sodium salt. Both are relatively safe, but if you think that potassium chloride is totally benign, you may want to look up its use in lethal injection. That is not to say that potassium chloride use in a water softener will harm you, but if you have switched to it in your water softener because a doctor has raised concern over elevated sodium levels, you should still ask your doctor about drinking potassium softened water because it can throw off potassium levels.
The average consumer who drinks several glasses of salt softened water a day will only raise their intake of salt by the equivalent of eating two saltine crackers. That is a relatively low amount unless you are on a sodium restricted diet. If you are on a totally salt restricted diet, you should consider drinking reverse osmosis purified water since there is a good chance that even if you don't soften your water, there is still some naturally occurring sodium. Another point about having a reverse osmosis device is that over time it will cost you far less than using potassium in the water softener.
In the case of watering plants with softened water, potassium is safer. Sodium can build up in frequently watered soil while potassium will be used as a nutrient by many plants. Of course, the most cost effective way to water is by using water that by-passes the softener altogether, and I always recommend to my clients that irrigation systems do not use softened water.
On effectiveness, sodium salt is more effective in softener regeneration. Potassium has a nagging ability to pack up much more easily in your brine vat and render your softener in-operable. This is due to its tendency to drop out of solution at a much higher rate at a much lower temperature drop and its in-ability to re-dissolve very easily, unlike sodium salt.
On septic issues; after almost two decades in the water business, I have heard many stories about how salt from a water softener ruined a septic. These are usually told to me by a septic cleaning service-person, or a homeowner using it as an excuse to not buy a water softener. When I ask these people to give me a name, date, and address of where this incident took place, they hem and haw and I never get an answer. True, 60 years ago, when inefficient water softeners used 35 lbs of salt and 150 gallons of water to regenerate, there was a possibility of septic damage, but it is not the case with today's efficient systems.
I look at potassium chloride as an easy way for salt companies and home centers to cash in on the green movement and not really achieve any greening.
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