Start With Your Specific Needs For A Comparison Of Water Softeners

Running a real comparison of water softeners starts with identifying your needs. Not all households require the same type or strength of water softener and purchasing a powerhouse softener when you don't need one can be as wasteful as purchasing one that is too weak.

Before you even consider a comparison of water softeners you will want to see just how hard your water really is. If you prefer to test the water yourself there are a number of kits you can use. And it’s not a complicated process.

Most of the kits follow the same basic directions. You just need a sample of your water and the testing supplies that are provided for you. Read the instructions carefully and follow them to the letter. Then, when the testing is complete you will have a base knowledge of whether you have mildly hard water or extremely hard water.

You can also call in a professional to test the water for you. There are usually listings for your area for water testing. Call for an appointment and let them know that your main goal is to find out how hard the water is, but you will probably be interested in finding out about any other contaminants that are found in your water supply.

If you can't find a listing for your area (some rural areas run into this problem) call the water company. Even if you use well water, the water company for your county can help direct you or send out one of their own employees to do the testing.

As part of putting together a comprehensive comparison of water softeners, you will also want to gauge your general daily water consumption. If you purchase a softener that is too small you will find that you are consistently running out of water.

Of course, you don't want to spend the money on something that is too large, either. A lot of the water softeners are designed for larger homes, but you can find some great models that are compact, conserve space, and are just as effective.

Make sure that your comparison of water softeners includes things like maintenance requirements, energy consumption, and user ratings.

There are now softeners on the market that require almost no maintenance and there are also units that consume little to no electricity. This can have a big impact on the overall quality of the water softener. If you are unsure, look into the various reviews that list the units by features rather than by brand names.

When you figure out what kind of water softener your water will require and the size of the unit you need, the rest pretty much comes down to the details that will make it a better experience for you. How much you have to spend on the unit will obviously play a role, and you may be pleasantly surprised to find out that you can get high quality units for a lot less than you might think. You just have to be willing to put in the leg work.