| Several years ago I moved into a new home | | | | I decided on a simple but high quality cartridge |
| located in a rural area that was not supplied by | | | | filter and a water softener that required salt |
| the nearest municipal water system. My source of | | | | pellets for constant optimum softening. The salt |
| fresh water was a drilled well. The water is of | | | | used by the softener does not actually enter |
| very good quality but is very hard water. I really | | | | your water supply. I found that it's only purpose |
| did not fully understand the term "hard water" for | | | | was to flush out a special media bed that has |
| several years but I have finally come to grips | | | | special physical qualities that attract the minerals |
| with issues related to hard water. | | | | like a magnet. Many people are under the |
| I have been using a water conditioning system | | | | misguided belief that salt goes into your useable |
| produced by Culligan since I moved into my home. | | | | water - not so. |
| I thought it was a water softener. Everyone | | | | The media bed requires flushing at regular |
| called it a water softener and that is what I called | | | | intervals to continue working at peak |
| it. I got a little discouraged with the system | | | | performance. The system will shut down at |
| performance and began considering a change. The | | | | predetermined times and close itself off from |
| Culligan system required the addition of peroxide | | | | your water supply. It then takes the salted water |
| to operate correctly and I was using nearly 10 | | | | into the media bed. This will cause the |
| gallons per month. My water was still showing | | | | accumulated minerals to release from the media. |
| some iron and system pressure was falling | | | | It is all flushed into your waste water system by |
| considerably. | | | | a separate plumbing connection. Once this cleaning |
| I began researching water softeners. To my | | | | cycle completes, the system re-opens and sends |
| surprise I was not operating a water softener. It | | | | fresh, conditioned water to your water supply |
| was merely a deluxe "water filter". The water | | | | again. |
| was passing through a media bed that filtered the | | | | This is the point where I discovered "soft water". |
| water but it did not soften it. I realized at that | | | | I was amazed. After I installed my new filter and |
| point that two completely distinct processes were | | | | conditioner it took about 2 days to fully displace all |
| involved in proper water conditioning. | | | | previous water from the water heater and |
| For optimum water quality the water should be | | | | storage system. Now when I take a bath the |
| filtered and then it should be "softened". I found | | | | difference is absolutely amazing. After several |
| that the softening process removed dissolved | | | | years of "hard water", the water now truly felt |
| minerals that a filter allowed to pass through. That | | | | soft and slippery. This is soft water. Soap lathers |
| accounted for the mineral build-up on my | | | | so much better and laundry detergent can be |
| appliances such as electric tea kettle and porcelain | | | | reduced considerably yet with better results. |
| fixtures etc. | | | | This was my education regarding water softening |
| Even system iron is present in different forms. | | | | and water filtering. There is considerable |
| Some iron is actually dissolved in the water and | | | | difference between the two processes. I hope |
| passes through a filter. It will however solidify | | | | this will help someone still lucky enough to be using |
| when it is not circulating. It contributes a very | | | | fresh underground water. |
| large build-up inside hot water heaters. | | | | |