Some wells contain hard water which has an excess of minerals in it. Not only is this water bad for your skin, but it also clogs your drainpipes, reduces the effectiveness of soaps and fades the color of clothes. Many people prefer to install a water softener near their water supply pipes to avoid these problems.
The Best Water Softeners for Well Water and Whole House
There are many brands that offer a range of water softeners. To help you make your choice, we have reviewed the eight best water softeners for well water.
At the bottom of the article you’ll find information on what to look for when buying a water softener.
1. ABCwaters 64k-56SXT-FMABC
ABC 64k-56SXT-FMABC removes iron from water. It works on water that has ferrous iron as well as ferric or oxidized iron, which is also known as “red water.” The fine resin meshwork removes 6 ppm of iron and manganese. It does so through the Iron Man system, which has a high grain capacity, making it suitable for a house where water is consumed at a high rate.
- Easy to install
- Comes with pre-programmed settings
- Brine tank doesn’t take time to fill
- Provides tech support whenever you need it
- Instructions are difficult to understand
2. Fleck 48k 5600SXT
Fleck 48k 5600SXT removes both iron and hydrogen sulfide. It has a meter-based regeneration system, which is the most popular regeneration method for water softeners. The meter measures the amount of water you use and regenerates if need be. This system does not use a lot of salt and prevents wastage of water. All this keeps your expenditure on water and salt in check.
- Has a high capacity of 48000 grains
- Removes up to 4 ppm of iron from water
- Easy to set up
- Comes in a complete package including all the essentials
- Sometimes it will not work to its full capacity
3. Aquasana Water Softener Water Filter
This Aquasana whole house water filter system provides you with healthy and delicious water. It removes about ninety-seven percent chlorine from water and reduces the concentration of chemicals which can be harmful to you. Industrial solvents, heavy metals, VOCs, herbicides and pesticides are all removed. Your skin also radiates with youth and glows more because of the water which does not have any chemicals that mar the radiance of your skin.
This product also descales hard water. There are no salts needed for it to work as it is a salt-free system. It protects your pipes from clogging and your hair from drying. Its UV filtration system kills bacteria and disease-causing microorganisms.
- Prevents limescale buildup in drains and pipes
- Kills bacteria and other harmful microorganisms
- Salt-free descaler
- Water tastes good
- Not easy to install
4. Triple Action Poly Salt-Free Water Softener
The Triple Action Poly Salt-Free Water Softener is an affordable product. If you are tight on budget and want to make your well water soft, this one should be your choice. You don’t need electricity to run it, so you can save that money. There are no expensive filters or cartridges that you have to replace.
If you are not fond of salt in your water, this softener is suitable for you. Its catalytic core and polyphosphate crystals soften your water. Hard minerals such as calcium carbonate are not completely removed, but they are converted to aragonite. Furthermore, it is built in a way to save water.
- Does not waste water
- Easy installation
- The water flow rate is quite high
- Salts are not added to water
- You need to buy connectors and fittings separately
5. Eddy Electronic Water Descaler
The Eddy Electronic Water Descaler does not change the mineral composition of the water while making it soft. Unlike the regular water softener, you do not need any salt for this descaler. The water you get by using this product leads to healthy hair and skin. You will also not see scale building up inside your blender or coffee machine if you use water softened by Eddy.
It is a low-budget product that gives you good results. The feature I really admire is that it descales the whole water system and comes with a lifetime repair and replacement warranty. As it also comes with a money-back guarantee, you can easily reclaim your money if you are not satisfied with the Eddy Descaler.
- Easy to install
- Cost effective
- Environment friendly as it does not need any salt to function
- Comes with a money-back guarantee and a lifetime repair or replacement warranty
- Is not suitable for pipelines which are rusty
6. Fleck 5600SXT
You can easily install it as it comes in a brine tank that is already loaded with resin. Minerals which make water hard such as calcium and magnesium are removed by ion exchange. The 64000-grain system has a high capacity and is suitable for a large family with five to six family members. You can get all the information about the water softener with its Pentair Scan and Service app.
- Comes with a pre-loaded brine tank with 2 cubic feet of brine
- Easy to install
- Metered regeneration system saves salt and water
- Easy to use
- Difficult to program as the user manual does not contain instructions
7. Whirlpool WHES30
It is very easy to install the Whirlpool WHES30 water softener. You do not need a professional for this purpose because you can do it all by yourself. As it is certified by the NSF, it lives up to the claims it makes. It will not leave any deposit on your sink or inside the pipe, which makes it a sound pick for those of you who are fed up with limescale lining the insides of your pipes and fittings.
The Whirlpool WHES30 makes water soft to a large extent. It manages to remove ferrous iron that is difficult to detect in water with the naked eye. The regeneration system works only when it is required. This allows you to conserve water and protect the environment.
- Durable
- Easy to install
- Efficient at filtering hard water
- Has an elegant design
- The metal cover starts rusting with time
8. Tier1 48,000 Grain Digital Water Softener
Tier1 is a digital water softener which is highly efficient at making hard water soft. It can process about 48000 grains before there is a need to regenerate the system, making it a water softener with a high capacity.
This water softener will not cost you much in the long run as it saves you money which you would have to otherwise spend on soaps and detergents. This is because hard water reduces the effectiveness of soaps and shampoos, but soft water makes your soaps foamy, even when used in small quantities. With this system, you can also get rid of dry skin, clogged pipes, faded clothes and stained sinks.
- Easy to install
- Saves your money
- Has a salt holding capacity of 130 liters
- Cycle times are adjustable
- Customer service is not up to the mark
What Is Hard Water?
Hard water can make your life hard, so it is thought best to soften it so that you will not have to face too many problems.
But what exactly is hard water?
It’s water with minerals dissolved in it.
As it has a high mineral content, it can pose some serious problems. It can lead to diseases in humans and clogged pipes and drains. Following are a few problems you might have to face due to hard water:
- Scale starts building up in electronic appliances that use water. Minerals can start depositing in the food grinders and coffee makers.
- Air becomes dry and so does your skin. The calcium and magnesium from the hard water are suspended in the air. They stick to your face and make it itchy and dry.
- The color of your clothes begins to fade as the minerals make it hard to wash them, which prevents them from looking fresh.
- Stains appear on sinks, near faucets and in bathtubs. Soap scum forms on them as the minerals are left behind as residue.
- Limescale forms along the length of the pipes and the holes of shower heads. As a result, you have to keep repairing them as they get clogged up.
- Glass crockery is easily damaged. The stain left on glassware by hard water makes them brittle.
- Soaps and shampoos do not form lather. Hard water makes them less foamy and takes away their ability to clean your body or hair.
If you want to know more about hard water, you can read more at Whirlpoolwatersolutions.
Why You Need a Water Softener?
The answer is simple: you need a water softener to make hard water soft. As mentioned before, hard water can damage many things, so it is important that you soften it. You need to install a water softening system for the following reasons:
- To get softer skin and hair. You need to have soft water for great hair and good skin that does not dry out
- To protect your appliances from wearing out quickly so that they last longer
- To lower your expenditure on water heating
- To get a good, foamy lather from your soaps and shampoos. They will clean you faster and you will not need to use them in huge quantities to get results
- To get bathtubs and sinks that are spotless and free from any stubborn stain
Before buying a water softener
It will be useless to review products without helping you choose a water softening system on your own. There are a number of factors that you need to consider before choosing the best water softener for your water supply. Do not go for just any product. Always look at these factors when you are making a purchase so that you get a system that is well worth your money and that suits your needs.
With the points below, you will be able to make an informed buying decision so that you do not have to regret it later.
Capacity of the Water Softener
It is important to consider the capacity of the water softener before you seriously begin to consider buying it. The capacity will indicate the number of grains of hardness that a particular softener will be able to remove from water before you need to regenerate it. It also refers to the number of outlets you will be able to use simultaneously for soft water.
On the other hand, a larger system than required will be a huge drain on your pocket as it is quite expensive. Furthermore, it will not regenerate frequently and as a result, its resin bed will start to deteriorate.
There is no perfect capacity for an ideal water softening system. The capacity depends on two factors:
- Water hardness level
- Water consumption at your home on average
This will tell you the grain capacity that a water system installed at your home should have.
System of Regeneration
Water softeners usually have one of three types of regeneration systems:
- Metered regeneration
- Timer-based regeneration
- Manual regeneration
A metered generation does not regenerate the system unnecessarily. It does so only when it is required. Today, most water softeners come with a metered regeneration system instead of the timed one. They have a meter which measures the amount of water consumed to determine the regeneration.
In a timer-based system, there is a clock according to which regeneration occurs. Each time regeneration happens, the system will use the same amount of water and salt.
In a manual system, regeneration occurs when you push the lever. Such a system would be most suitable for a portable softener.
It is wisest to invest in a water softening system with a metered regeneration system as it is cost-effective and easy to use.
Bypass Valve
A bypass valve, as the name indicates, bypasses the softening system. You do not want soft water for all purposes. It can be beneficial to use hard water during certain situations as it helps save water and salt. For instance, you can use this valve for filling pools and Jacuzzis. It can also be helpful when you want to clean the system and need to turn it off temporarily. Don’t forget to look for this facility in the product you choose.
Ease of Maintenance
The easier to maintain a water softening system, the better. A well-maintained system will last longer as it will not deteriorate due to negligence. If a product is difficult to maintain, it is automatically difficult to clean and you might end up delaying its maintenance until it starts to break down.
Available Space
It is not reasonable to go for a product which is too large for the installation space. Always keep in mind the space available near the source pipe. If you only have a small space near the intake pipes, choose a water system that is compact. On the other hand, if you have a big enough place to install a huge water softener, you can go for that.
Installation of Tank
A basic softening system has two types of tanks:
- Brine tank
- Resin tank
A brine tank mixes brine and is a storage area for salt, whereas a resin tank is where hard water is softened. Both these tanks can come either separately or combined. Depending on the location of these tanks, there are two kinds of systems:
- Side-by-side system
- Cabinet-style system
A side-by-side system has a separate brine and resin tank. If you have enough space, this system will be a great option. It does not corrode easily as electronic equipment is not in contact with the tanks.
On the other hand, a cabinet-style system has a combined resin and brine tank. It is difficult to service. Furthermore, to avoid any clog, you will have to use only pure salt. It also has a higher chance of corroding as compared to the side-by-side unit. A cabinet-style system is recommended only when you have low space.
Price
These products are sold at all types of prices. Prices vary according to the size of the system, its capacity, the number of features it offers, the brand and much more. Price may also vary depending on the retailer.
There are other expenditures which you need to consider as well such as the money you need for its maintenance, for the salt and water and for buying the softening agent. Some may have an expensive price tag but be cheaper to maintain, which will bring down its overall cost.
All this cost and effort should not make you give up the whole idea of softening hard water because it will pay off in the long run by keeping you healthy.
Certification of the System
Always make sure that the product you buy is certified by ANSI or NSF. If a water system is certified, it means it has been tested and lives up to its claims. A certified product is much more trustworthy and reliable than one that hasn’t been certified.
Try not to fall in the trap of buying a non-certified product which only makes tall claims with little to no results.
Product Warranty
Water softeners usually have different warranties for different components. These might range from a five-year warranty for one component to a ten-year one for another component. Look closely at the warranties offered by the manufacturer when you are making a purchase and see exactly what you are getting.
Conclusion
Hard water adds to your chores and expenses. From plumbing your clogged drains to rubbing off scale from your sinks, there are lots of thing which you have to get repaired each year because of the hard minerals setting stubbornly on them. Installing a water softener is probably your best shot at getting rid of all this extra expense.
With the buying guide we have provided, you can decide which softener you should purchase to get the best results for your situation. We would recommend the ABCwaters 64k-56SXT-FMABC to anyone who wants to have water that is odorless and a system which is easy to install. There are many other decent product choices as well; pick the one that gets the job done and is suitable for your situation.