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Water Softeners & Water Treatment

Parts of Southwest Florida have what is commonly referred to as "hard water", and people who live in these areas battle the problems that hard water creates. The most common defense against hard water, which is a nuisance but not a health hazard, is to install a home water softener. Davis Jr. Plumbing, Inc. water softening systems can turn good water into better water by reducing invisible hardness minerals found in virtually all fresh water, and can improve water quality and taste.

Water softening involves exchanging calcium and magnesium minerals present in the water - which cause the hardness - with sodium or in some cases, potassium is used. As the water softener processes liter after liter of hard water on a daily basis, the treatment capability of the softener becomes depleted and must be recharged or regenerated.

Regenerating the unit uses a large quantity of sodium-rich water - called "brine" - that must be disposed of.

In today's Internet market there are hundreds of Water Treatment companies selling water softeners at discounted prices through their websites. Some companies give you the details on the water softeners and some don't. Be careful making a purchase before you know exactly what you are getting, some companies leave important options out to keep their prices down and to look more competitive. Call Davis Jr. Plumbing, Inc. to avoid the pitfall of these companies, as we only carry top brands and will always provide all the details that you need to make an informed decision.

Here is a list of options that are very important and should be considered before making a purchase.

1. Plastic or stainless steel bypass valve. This is needed to put the water softener in bypass position if there is a problem with it. If you do not have a bypass valve then you will have no water to the house until the water softener is repaired.
2. Safety float inside the salt tank. A safety float is an emergency float; its function is to make sure the salt tank cannot overflow salt water all over your floor if the injectors on the water softener valve get plugged up. Without the safety float you could have a mess on your hands, not to mention possible damage to the floor.
3. Brine well inside the salt tank. A brine well isolates the air check valve on the safety float from the rock salt or potassium chloride (a substitute for rock salt that is environmentally friendly). It prevents clogging up the air check valve and the water softener valve.
4. Grid plate AKA salt platform. A grid plate is at the bottom of the salt tank. Its purpose is to help the salt or potassium chloride from bridging up and hardening over the top of the water. If this happens, the water can't dissolve the salt. So when the water softener regenerates the resin beads will not get charged and your water will still be hard.