The advantages of certain types of specialized equipment are described in detail in promotional materials. But characteristic flaws are harder to find. How to choose a method for evaluating a water softener in a private house in order to ensure the objectivity of a comparative analysis of different models with the same purpose? To answer this question, let's check the offers of manufacturers in the relevant market segment.
Types of water softeners in a private house and cottage
Equipment with the necessary functions can be divided into two groups according to the technology for processing contaminated liquid in water from a well in a private house and cottage. The most popular is the method of removing calcium and magnesium salts, which mainly determine the value of the level of temporary hardness.
The desired result is obtained by separating impurities using ultrafiltration. The level of purification must be high enough to retain microscopic crystalline formations. But the excessively high quality that reverse osmosis provides is not economically feasible in this case. To assemble a kit with automated flushing and a capacity of 1200-1500 l / h, you will have to spend at least 150 thousand rubles. rubles.
Cheaper hollow fiber filter. It will retain particles with sizes from 0.01 microns and skip part of the dissolved salts. After such treatment, mineral compounds useful for the human body are preserved along with a pleasant taste of water.
The second method of removing hardness salts is ion exchange. Its use can be called the most common. It reduces the level of rigidity to a level that is safe for technology. It is acceptable to correct the technology by the volume of the working area or by more efficient loading.
The second way to solve the problem is to eliminate the ability of hardness salts to convert into scale. This transformation is performed by a magnetic field. At the output, a liquid harmless to equipment is obtained, which has retained a good quality composition of drinking water.
Permanent magnets will be excluded from the review. They create a variable effect only on impurities moving with the flow of carts. The limited range makes it necessary to place the corresponding devices closer to the protected heating zone. In typical wells, the stiffness exceeds 10-12°J, which is 2 times higher than the permissible level for this technology.
Much more efficient - electromagnetic analogue. It is able to create a protective zone with a length of more than a kilometer along the length of the pipeline from the coil installation site. Its performance is maintained at a high concentration of salts. Powerful devices in this category remove old deposits.
Having noted the characteristic advantages, let's move on to a review of the disadvantages. Consider successively the possible problems that arise in the process of using the selected technologies.
1 place. hollow fiber
2nd place. Electromagnetic
3rd place. Ion exchange
4th place. Cabinet (cabinet type)
hollow fiber
When choosing this method in a simple constructive solution, the installation of equipment and the organization of the workflow are no different from handling the main filter cartridge. A module resource can be called a conditional parameter. Its value depends on the total concentration of impurities and water consumption by consumers.
The noted drawback is eliminated by choosing a more expensive model with a flushing function. Such products remain operational for several years in intensive operation. Regular automation in serial models is not provided.
Electromagnetic
All devices in this category are assembled using durable electronic components. There are no mechanical components, so the reliability is much higher compared to other types of water softeners in a private house.
For the correct choice, you should take into account the features of serial products of different brands.
The responsible manufacturer indicates in full the parameters necessary for the preparation of a quality project in a country house and apartment.
Such as:
- range;
- rigidity restrictions;
- generator characteristics.
Salts are effectively affected by a field operating in a wide frequency range from 1 to 25 kHz. Indirectly, the sufficiency of the power parameters of the field is confirmed by the power consumption - at least 5 W/h.
Ion exchange
Large dimensions of the equipment should be considered when choosing this method. For the correct placement of the kit, it is required to leave wide passages that will provide ease of control and maintenance. A distance of more than a meter from heating radiators should be set to prevent overheating of synthetic resins.
The list of preparatory work will include the following items:
- preliminary removal of contaminants dangerous for the working load;
- supply of electricity and water supply networks, sewerage;
- improving the insulation parameters of the room to reduce the noise level during the flushing process.
The basic kit is inexpensive - the prices of serial models are from 35 to 45 thousand rubles. rubles. But the real costs can be much higher, taking into account the preparatory work.
The budget is additionally increased by the following project corrections:
- large and additional columns (expensive fillers) with a high level of rigidity;
- the second technological line for continuous water supply;
- more functional controls with connection to the smart home category system.
In any case, it is necessary to take into account the need to perform mandatory work operations with your own hands: replenishment of the regeneration tank with material, fine-tuning, taking into account real indicators of contamination at the entrance.
Armchair
The choice of this option eliminates one of the disadvantages of ion exchange, i.e., the large dimensions of a typical set of equipment. A compact cabinet water softener takes up less space in an apartment or cottage. In addition to saving free space, its advantage is good basic equipment with control electronics, control / indication means. A significant drawback is the reduced volumes of working tanks built into the design.
Rating of manufacturers of water softeners for a private house
The brands reviewed in the review maintain their good reputation with high quality products. They ensure the invariability of the technical parameters of their models in each individual batch. Multi-stage control prevents defective products from being transferred to the finished product warehouse. These companies fulfill the warranty obligations without any complaints.
AquaShield
No valid claims can be made against the devices of this manufacturer. The cheapest model works with water hardness of 17°F. The characteristics of the generator correspond to the requirements for the signal parameters indicated in the review. The range, however, does not exceed 700 meters. But to equip a large country house, you can choose the Pro model (25 ° W). When it is connected, the protective zone increases to two kilometers.
Aquaris
The nominal processing speed when choosing the cheapest hollow fiber membrane of this brand is up to 1000 liters per hour. The main advantage of replaceable modules is the possibility of washing. An official service life of up to 5 years has been established, which can only be reduced by exhausting a large resource - 500,000 liters.
Aquaphor
Cabinet water softeners in a private house are presented in the WS series. The use of effective loading even in the basic version (model 550) allows you to work with water hardness up to 24°F. The filtering medium is supplemented with a layer of quartzite, which traps mechanical fractions. This installation in normal mode provides a processing rate of 1380 l / h. The dimensions of the base are 322 x 432 mm and the height is 554 mm.
Geyser
If there are no problems with free space in a private house or city apartment, you can buy Aquashef. In this series, the Geyser presents column systems assembled according to the classical scheme of ion exchange installations.
For a well with a depth of about 80 meters, the model M 422 (600 l/h) is offered with the following equipment:
- main column - 1054;
- distributor;
- RUNXIN control electronics unit;
- salt tank 70 l.
The original load in the standard delivery set is designed to work with water hardness up to 15°F.
What is the best water softener?
To find equipment suitable for a country house, it is necessary to make a calculation based on checking the pollution at the source. The project is developed taking into account the size of the premises in the house, cottage or apartment, the parameters of engineering networks, the needs in normal and peak consumption modes.
User Reviews
The opinion and feedback of individual owners is far from always objective. Erroneous judgments are due to a lack of professional knowledge. The complexity of performing work operations with your own hands during installation depends on the availability of certain skills by the performer. Thematic publications should be considered taking into account the noted factors.
Where to buy a water softener for a private house: online or at points of sale?
Both methods are perfectly acceptable. A personal visit to the store in modern conditions is not mandatory. In a convenient remote mode for the customer via the Internet, you can get advice and make a purchase with delivery to the desired address. Using the services of a branded distribution network will help eliminate intermediary margins.
If the independent connection of equipment causes difficulties, they turn to specialists. Manufacturers recommend using the services of authorized service centers to maintain the warranty. An exception is an electromagnetic softener, which any buyer will connect to the power supply network of a private house without professional skills.
Prices
For orientation with the level of expenses, you can study the most affordable models (data in rubles):
- AquaShield - 17,000;
- Aquaphor WS - 29 920;
- Geyser M 422 (Akvashef) - 44030;
- Aquaris - 23,500 (without case).
You can check the current terms and conditions of sale online. Don't forget about shipping costs. Include in your budget the cost of installation and additional labor to prepare the site for the connection of the filtration system.
Conclusions on the topic
Start with the preparation of the project to take into account all the associated costs and possible difficulties step by step. Set the requirements for technical characteristics with a small margin for peak loads. Separately, study the rules of service and company warranties. A comprehensive assessment of all important factors will help optimize the budget and prevent problems during operation.
