4 -. hk 4 @® A. 4 YY -v : « | \ 4 ; A 4 - A 4 9 - - a a ; ; F 7 ai oh L i a PE I a EE — — ee == = : ; SRE Lr RLU SE = a ® ® : ® e | as 8 Le) D a _— = ~ = ER Spring Home & Yard The Dallas Post : October 4, 2000 Spring Home & Yard The Dallas Post October 4, 2000 ¢ 7 Good advice valuable in remodeling projects All you ever wanted to know about water softening Water Grains per gallon Parts per million During the month of October, home evacuation plan just for 3 Soft less than 1.0 less than 17 : . ; . . Slightly hard 1.010 3.5 17 10 60 Triple A Protection will donate the opportunity to provi Moderately hard ~~ 3.5t0 7.0 60 to 120 AR i cain r | Hard 7.010 10.5 120 t0 180 $50.00 in your name, to you £saving informa 10 | 00 DD | 2 Very hard greater than 10.5 Greater than 180 responding fire departmen t hesitate, this offer - SN “ >| ; | bia Installation! sea fe ET HEAT, ES ER i Ee EE Everyone knows the difference between software and hardware or softball and hardball, but some consumers are hard pressed to remember exactly what softened waleris, says an engineer in Penn State's College of Agricultural Sciences. ; “For most people. their defini- tion of hard and soft water is based onwhether the water leaves a detergent film on pots and fix- tures or whether the water makes their hair more silky and man- ageable,” says Paul Robillard, associate professor of agricultural engineering. Robillard explains that water labeled “soft” or “hard” depends solely upon the levels of two soluble minerals — calcium and magnesium — in the water. “From a health standpoint. calcium and magnesium have no adverse af- fects.” he says. "Both minerals are essential daily nutrients and . along with other minerals often give drinking water the fresh taste many consumers want.” If calcium and magnesium are al high levels, the minerals will build up on surfaces such as plumbing pipes. eventually plug- ging them. Minerals also can dam- age hot water heaters and make laundry detergents less effective. Engineers measure water hard- ness by calculating how much calcium carbonate is dissolved in the water. A measurement of less than 1 grain per gallon or 17 parts per million means that the water supply is soft. Robillard offers a table of hard water values. (See below) “If you have your water tested. 7 the report will use one or both of those values to determine how “hard the water supply is.” Robillard says. "Once you deter- mine the hardness level of the water, you either can live with it or treat the water to reduce the mineral content.” Water can be softened by a process called ion exchange. Ion exchange works by filtering water through a synthetic or natural sand4ike material called resin or zeolite. The resin is coated with positively charged sodium ions. As water flows through the unit, the resin exchanges its sodium ions for the positively charged calcium and magnesium ions. When the resin has absorbed its capacity in hardness minerals, the water softener must regener- ate ils ion exchange capacity. “Regeneration works by backwashing the resin with a brine solution that flushes out the calcium and magnesium ions,” Robillard explains. —Kinds of softeners. Robillard says most homeowners can choose between softeners that have programmable regenera- tion timers or demand-control models outfitted with regen- eration sensors. “Timer models work best for households that have regular water use cycles, but they can waste water and ’ ‘salt because they regenerate whether the resin needs it or not,” he says. —Maintenance. All water soft- eners require regular mainte- nance to function properly. The resin can develop bacteria or fungi, or become clogged with mud. Iron deposits can clog the resin as well. “The main thing to remember about water softening is that it has nothing to do with purifying, cleansing or conditioning the Just Say, "CHARGE IT" The Post now accepts Visa & Mastercard for all of your subscriptions, classified ads, and display ads. For maximum convenience, Call our office at 675-5211 with your account and we will set you up immediately. The Dallas Post 675-5211 water,” Robillard emphasizes. “It merely removes minerals that can be a nuisance.” Softened water is an advan- tage if homeowners experience soap iiim on pots, utensils and skin, or find that detergents are not cleaning up to expectations. “Softening technology can be de- signed to bypass toilets and out- door fixtures that do not require In the next 30 days, . soft water,” Robillard says. Water softening does raise the sodium level of water to about 7.5 to 8 milligrams per quart for every grain per gallon of minerals re- moved, which can be a health risk for people on low-sodium diets. “The final sodium level would be higher than 7.5 milligrams per quart after treatment,” Robillard points out. “Depending on your 1) (9 8 | water source, you may have to filter the water as well, before it enters the softener.” If consumers choose to soften water, Robillard recommends that the water be tested by an inde- pendent certified laboratory. “Wa- ter tests are not expensive and the results can help you resist buying softening equipment you may not need,” he says. 600 people will be injured in residential fires. Over 300 will die! ‘Most while they're asleep.* Do these statistics concern you? They should, because we're entering the peak season for residential structural fires. But you can do something today that will help protect your loved ones for a lifetime. 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