Fact vs. Fiction: Myths about Water Softeners

Water softeners remove unwanted minerals from your home’s water. These minerals can cause unwanted side effects, like water that smells bad and stains clothing. As a company that installs water softeners in Farmington, we have heard our share of myths about water softeners, so we thought we would take the time to set the record straight.

Myth #1: Water softeners render your water undrinkable.

This is an incredibly common misconception about water softeners. Yes, they do use salt to treat the water, but the resulting sodium content in the water is a trace amount. In one quart of water treated by a water softener, there is only about 75 to 100 milligrams of sodium in there.

Myth #2: Water softeners cause soap to not rinse off of your skin properly.

If your skin feels more slippery than usual after you’ve bathed in water that’s been treated by a water softener, that’s not the left over soap. That is your body’s natural oils! They are better able to do their job thanks to water softeners.

Myth #3: Why buy water softeners? They are just a waste of money!

Actually, water softeners can reduce your water heating bills! Plus, they help decrease the amount of cleaning products you need to use to clean your bathroom, kitchen and other rooms in your home. Not to mention they can help extend the life of your water-using appliances.

Myth #4: Healthy nutrients are removed from your water if you use a water softener.

Calcium and magnesium are removed from your water when you use water softeners. And these are two very important nutrients for your body! But when they are present in your water, they are actually in the wrong form for your body to digest and use properly.

Are you ready to look into water softeners in Farmington? Call Haferman Water Conditioning at 952-894-4040 or contact us for a Free Water Analysis and Estimate.

Benefits of Bottle-Less Water Coolers in Minnesota

Does your office in Minnesota strictly buy bottled water? If so, it may be time to think about purchasing a bottle-less water cooler. We know you need clean, cool water available at all times so, we suggest that you purchase or lease a bottle-less water cooler for your office.

Impact of Plastic Water Bottles

Plastic water bottles produce unneeded waste and have poor impacts on the environment. According to National Geographic, only about 13% of plastic water bottles are recycled. This means that over 80% of the plastic water bottles that are purchased end up in landfills across Minnesota and the United States. Even those bottles that are recycled take centuries to decompose.

Benefits of Water Coolers

Water coolers can help provide a solution to some of the problems caused by purchasing water bottles. We know that human bodies need water and purified water can be preferred. By using purified water and removing contaminants, you reduce risk of illness. All of these things can be benefits in the workplace. Having hydrated and happy employees can boost morale in the office.

Why Choose a Bottle-less Water Cooler System?

Purchasing a bottle-less water cooler system can have positive environmental impacts. These types of coolers remove the inconvenience of having water delivered. You would no longer need to worry about changing the heavy bottles, finding a place to store extra bottles or running out of water before your next delivery. Also, you would no longer accrue the cost associated with having water bottles delivered. Overall, a bottle-less water system reduces waste and provides a constant source for pure, cool water.

Doing your part to save the environment and provide Minnesota employees with needed drinking water is easy. To purchase or lease a bottle-less water cooler call our office now at (952) 894-4040.

Contaminants found most often in Twin Cities drinking water

“What’s in your drinking water?” This question was asked recently by The Washingtonian in a very well-written article which focused on the quality of water in and around Washington, D.C. The city gets its water from the Potamac River, a surface water source (Minneapolis and St Paul get theirs from another surface source, the Mississippi River). The article noted:

In tests conducted by the USGS between 2003 and 2005, trace amounts of 26 chemical compounds were detected in Potomac River water, including the herbicide 2,4-D, a component of Agent Orange, and insecticides including DEET. Atrazine, a chemical commonly used in weed killers, has been associated with intersex in amphibians and has been found in many rivers, including the Potomac. Studies revealed that male frogs exposed to atrazine produce eggs in their testes, the same phenomenon seen with intersex fish.

The whole article can be read by clicking here.

Haferman Water Conditioning makes sure to know what’s in your drinking water, and how to best remove these foreign objects. There are many different contaminants that can be found in tap water, and here are some of the most common:

Arsenic

The level of arsenic in groundwater widely varies, and is the result of rock formations that contain the contaminant. Very low levels are not harmful, but high levels can damage skin and increase the risk of cancer.

Nitrate

This is a chemical found most often in manure, fertilizers and the liquid waste emptied from septic tanks. Nitrate often affects well water systems that are shallow, not very well constructed or not properly located. If ingested, it can be hazardous, especially for small children and pregnant women.

Microorganisms

Microorganisms include bacteria and viruses that can cause illness, and death in the most severe cases. The microorganisms found in drinking and tap water are the result of animal and human waste products washed into bodies of water. These are usually treated by municipal water systems, so it’s rare to find a case of contamination from these microbes. Water systems are required to test for contaminants that can indicate waste products, including e. coli and coliform, which are not permitted in public drinking water supplies.

Other common contaminants

• Radioactivity (Radon)
• Methane
• Lead
• Chromium
• Calcium
• Aluminum
• Chloride
• Fluoride

Please visit our page on Twin Cities Kinetico Water Filters for more information.

The Ins & Outs of Water Softeners

Noticing an increase in soap scum on your shower doors? It might be hard water, and you might need to have a water softener installed. We recently wrote an article about the ins and outs of water softeners, and noted:

If your home or business is plagued with hard water, one of the best ways to get rid of it is to have a water softener installed. The appliance runs on the convention that calcium and magnesium ions will switch places with ions that result in softer water (i.e. sodium, etc.). The amount of sodium added to your drinking water is minimal and well below FDA standards.

Hard water might not seem like much of a problem, but it can lead to your showers not getting you as clean as possible and can leave your dishes and shower doors looking unkempt. The best solution to the problem may be to call a Minneapolis water softeners specialist and see what can be done to remove the hard water from your home. There will be an initial cost, but you'll save so much more by not having to constantly fight hard water.

Read the entire article: "Water Softeners: The Ins and Outs of Water Softening."

How to Select the Right Water Treatment System

Water isn't as cut and dry as you'd think. Actually, it's not dry at all, but that is beside the point.

Getting water to a point where it will do the least amount of damage to your home's plumbing usually takes a water conditioning system. Most of the complaints about water come from it being "hard," which means that it contains a certain level of calcium and magnesium. Hardness is measured by how much of those two elements are in each gallon; 1 to 3.5 grains, and your water is considered "slightly hard." Another complaint is water that has a bad taste to it.

A water conditioning system can help improve your water. There are actually several types of systems, and a recent article by AZCentral.com described a bit about what each one does to your water.

Water softening system:

"The main way of reducing water hardness is by installing an ion exchange water softener. It will remove the scale-forming calcium and magnesium, replacing them with sodium chloride or potassium chloride."

Water purification system:

"To improve the taste of Arizona water, consider reverse-osmosis drinking-water systems. These units fit under the kitchen sink and will supply water to a holding tank, and, in some cases, connect to a refrigerator.Water flows through a sediment filter, which removes large particulates, then goes through a carbon filter to remove organic material, chlorine and the bad taste."

Catalytic system:

"...a catalytic system will provide soft water without using sodium chloride or potassium chloride as water softeners do."

You can learn more about different water treatment systems, including Minneapolis water softeners, by getting in touch with Haferman Water today at (952) 894-4040.

Benefits of a Water Softener

A water softener can bring a number of different benefits to your home or business. We've compiled a few and listed them below. If you're on the fence about whether or not you want to have a water softening system installed on your property, read the benefits below; you might reconsider.

Cleaning is easier. Hard water contains certain minerals that can leave white spots on your glassware, and can also require to use more soap or detergent. A water softener can help you cut down on expenses related to soaps, and you'll also leave less soap scum behind as an added bonus.

Pipes are healthier. The minerals contained in hard water can cause buildups to occur in your pipes. Over time, these buildups can make your water run less efficiently, and can even cause clogs. Soft water cuts down on these issues and help keep your pipes in good condition for a longer period of time.

Water heats faster. Soft water will heat up more quickly than hard water. When your hot water heater can run less but still heat the same amount of water, you save money. In fact, the Virginia Cooprative Extension found that, on average, a water softener improved water heater efficiency by 22% for electric units, and 29% for gas units.

Interested in having Minneapolis water softeners installed in your home or business? Get in touch with Haferman Water Conditioning today by calling (952) 894-4040.

Haferman Water Conditioning Announces New Website

Haferman Water Conditioning is a Twin Cities area business that services, installs and repairs Kinetico water softeners and other Kinetico products. On our new website, designed by WebDrafter.com, you can find information about our specific services and products.

This blog will be updated on a regular basis with company-related news and the latest information about Kinetico products. Check back, and be sure to visit www.HafermanWater.com!