To properly measure a water softener's required capacity, you need to calculate the grain capacity needed to last for a week between regenerations. Here's how to do it based on your household's water usage and hardness:
Calculating Water Softener Size
The size of a water softener is typically expressed in grains. A higher grain capacity means the softener can remove more hardness minerals before needing to regenerate. To determine the correct size, follow these steps:
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Determine Daily Water Usage: Estimate the average daily water consumption of your household in gallons.
- Consider factors like the number of people in your home, the frequency of laundry, and whether you have a swimming pool or extensive landscaping.
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Determine Water Hardness: Obtain a water hardness test to determine the level of hardness in your water, measured in grains per gallon (GPG).
- You can usually get a test kit from your local hardware store or contact a water treatment professional.
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Calculate Daily Grain Removal: Multiply the daily water usage (in gallons) by the water hardness (in GPG).
- This gives you the number of grains that your water softener needs to remove each day.
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Calculate Weekly Grain Removal: Multiply the daily grain removal by seven, as water softeners ideally regenerate every seven days.
- Reference: Multiply the daily amount of water used by your household (in gallons) by your home's water hardness (in grains per gallon). Then, multiply that number by seven since a water softener will ideally regenerate every seven days.
Example Calculation
Let's say your household uses 200 gallons of water per day, and your water hardness is 10 GPG.
- Daily Grain Removal: 200 gallons x 10 GPG = 2000 grains
- Weekly Grain Removal: 2000 grains/day x 7 days = 14,000 grains
In this case, you would need a water softener with a minimum capacity of 14,000 grains. It's often recommended to choose a slightly larger unit to accommodate fluctuations in water usage and ensure optimal performance. A 24,000-grain or 32,000-grain softener would be suitable in this scenario.
