Frequently Asked Questions

YES, we will be happy to help you with your purchasing questions. Our staff is here to guide you to the right decision.

YES, at 800-767-8731 or our office: 401- 539-0500.

YES, at 800-767-8731 or our office: 401- 539-0500.

This depends on which pressure switch you have. If you have a 40/60 switch, the air pressure in the tank should be set to 38 PSI. The general rule is to set the pressure at 2 PSI below the cut-in pressure (the pressure at which the pump turns on). To set this accurately, your well pump must be turned off and all water needs to be drained from the tank.

Drawdown refers to the amount of water available in a pressure tank for use before the pressure switch turns the pump back on to replenish the supply. The larger the drawdown, the longer your pump will run for each cycle, increasing pump life by reducing the number of times the pump has to turn on.

We recommend that the nearest outside faucet should be bypassed and if you have a sprinkler system for your lawn that should be bypassed also. We like to see one of the outside faucets use conditioned water for such things as washing cars (no spots), washing windows and siding, kids' pools, etc. The last thing you need to do is clean the spots from windows that have just been washed with hard water.

Hard water is water that contains more than 1 GPG (grains per gallon) of dissolved minerals (usually calcium and magnesium).

Hard water is usually measured in either PPM (parts per million) or GPG (grains per gallon). 17.1 PPM or Mg/L = 1 GPG or PPM or Mg/L divided by 17.1 = GPG (grains per gallon).

Magnetic "conditioners" have been around for over 30 years and we have yet to see one that works. When we see one and only one equal claim, maybe we will carry them, until that time we will not get involved in an unproven technology.

A softener works by passing the hard water through resin beads which have soft sodium/potassium ions attached to them. While the water is in contact with the resin beads, an ion exchange takes place with the hard mineral ions (typically calcium and/or magnesium) trading places with the soft sodium/potassium ions. After a period of use, the sodium ions are depleted being replaced by calcium and magnesium. The resin then needs to be regenerated with the sodium ions so the resin will again be able to exchange the hard for the soft. However, you can use potassium chloride.

It depends on which water softener you purchase. There are four categories: manual, electric mechanical, digital, and twin demand. Each one has a different time span for regeneration. Some units are more flexible than others and you should call us at 1-800-767-8731 to discuss what options are available. One thing to remember is that the larger the unit, the longer the time between regeneration. You will use more water to backwash a larger system.

A water softener is not a purifier and should not be sold or purchased to be one. A water softener is used for the reduction of hardness, iron, and manganese. Water softeners will not remove chlorine, bacteria, or solids.

The water feels great! You will be amazed at how much time and money you will save on soap, shampoo, laundry detergent, fabric softeners, dishwashing soap, hand soap, and lotions. Soft water greatly reduces the scaling in pipes and faucets. You spend less time scrubbing with abrasive cleaners, and you will have no soap scum in tubs and showers. Facts show much longer life on hot water heaters, greater saving on fuel bills, extends the life of dishwashers, humidifiers, clothes, and so much more. And if you like luxurious bubble baths, shinier hair, and cleaner skin, soft water is the way to go.

When you wash your skin with hard water, there is a layer of soap and minerals that is left on your skin. This is what causes the supposed squeaky-clean feeling. With soft water, the soap is completely rinsed away, leaving just the natural oils your skin produces.

Yes. A household water softener removes the hardness minerals - calcium and magnesium - from water and replaces them with sodium ions or potassium ions (if you use potassium chloride).

That depends on the hardness of the original water. This table shows the additional amount of sodium consumed by drinking one quart of softened water.

No, stores that sell softener salt will also sell a salt substitute (potassium chloride). This is just as effective as the regular salt, but adds potassium instead of sodium. The downside is that potassium chloride costs between 2 and 3 times more than the regular softener salt.

One of the main features you should look for is capacity (measured in grains) and how it determines when to regenerate. We carry 24,000, 32,000, 48,000, 64,000, 96,000, and 128,000 grain capacity water softeners. Most units meter how much water has been used to determine when it should regenerate. This is what we call demand regeneration. Some units regenerate after a fixed period of time regardless of how much water you've actually used. This type of unit may use more water and salt.

Example… 32,000 grains softener in combination with knowing your hardness level will tell you how often it will regenerate, and consequently how often you will have to add salt.

If you have a family of four and your hardness level is 10. Divide the 32,000 by your hardness (10), giving you 3,200 gallons of treated water. The average person uses about 75 gallons per day, so divide the 3,200 by 300 (75 gallons x 4 people). This gives you 11 days between regeneration. Our softener uses about 9 lbs. of salt per regeneration.

One gallon of water will dissolve 3 pounds of salt. To dissolve 9 pounds of salt, you will need 3 gallons of water.

The amount of salt placed into the brine storage tank has nothing to do with the amount of salt used during the regeneration cycle. Water will dissolve and absorb salt only until it becomes saturated. A given amount of brine (salt-saturated water) contains a specific amount of salt. Just make sure that there is at least enough salt for a regeneration cycle.

Yes, most dealers like to see four days or more.

Once a week is a good rule of thumb.

A water softener should be regenerated when the softener has reached its capacity and is unable to keep exchanging the hard ions for the soft ions. How often a water softener regenerates is dependent on how many grains per gallon of hardness is present in your water and the capacity of your water softener. If the capacity of the water softener is 40,000 grain, and you have 10 grains per gallon of hardness, then your softener would regenerate after 4,000 gallons of water had passed through it. How quickly you would use 4,000 gallons of water would really depend on your water usage. Long periods between regeneration would not have any effect on the softener if water were being used and traveling through the softener. If water is not being used, sitting in the softener, then the water in the softener could be bacteriologically fouled. Fouling would depend greatly on the condition of your well water or water source.

Add 2oz. of chlorine bleach to the brine tank. (pour it down the brine well).

The first thing to look at when purchasing a system is the company. Aqua Science is a 26-year-old company with over 50,000 customers. Our only business is water.

All softeners, regardless of price, should soften your water (i.e., reduce the hardness to 0 grains).

The question is how long will the unit last?

How often does it regenerate?

How large is the grain capacity?

What is the warranty?

Does the softener regenerate based on time rather than how much water has been used?

How easy is it to change the settings and service the unit?

How quickly can you get your questions answered and your problems solved?