Water filter before or after softener

Filtering a home’s water supply is crucial. Despite the trustworthiness of the source, all types of water supplies must be run through water filtering stages to be assured of the water quality. Although municipal water supply is already prefiltered before it reaches your home, it is still advised to be passed through a whole house water filtration system to avoid any unseen contaminants. Any other local water supply, like well water must certainly be filtered as well. It is also highly recommended to have the water tested for quality before you use it for consumption.

Some water supplies might be in need of a water softener as well as a water filter. You must remember that not all homes will require a water softener. Certain water sources might require help from a softening resin bed to remove harmful contaminants and hard mineral deposits. Common confusion often exists regarding the order in which water softeners and water filters must be placed at the entry point of the water supply.

In this article, we will address the question if a water filter must be placed before or after a water softener and all the factors that influence the placement of both a water softener and a whole-house water filtration system.

Should you use a water filter before or after the softener?

Deciding where to install the whole house water softening system and the water filtration system needs some thought. Both a softener and water filter might not be a necessity for all homes. Only certain water supplies with extremely hard water may require water-softening systems.

Asa aforementioned, before you install water softening systems or any whole-house filtration system, you must take a look at all the factors that will influence this order.

1. Source of local water supply- Well water and Municipal water

It is fact that everyone knows that the municipal water supply is pretreated and free from visible or large harmful contaminants. Although this water supply is not entirely pure water, it is certainly a better source than well water.

The purity of well water is highly unpredictable. The contaminants in well water are certainly greater and a reliable whole-house water filtration mechanism is a must. If your primary water supply is municipal water, you might have to install the whole house water filters before or after the water softener after taking into consideration the other factors as well. However, if your home’s supply line is from well water you must place the whole house water filter before the water softener. Installing a whole-house water filter protects your health and well-being.

2. Sediment filters- Level of sediments in the incoming water

The number of sediments that the incoming water from the supply line carries will also determine where you place the water filters. A water line that comes with a ton of sediment cannot be met with a water softener. Water softeners are not built to carry out the filtration of sediments. Exposing water to a large number of sediments will tamper with the efficiency and quality of the water-softening system.

In order to maintain the water softening capacity of the water softeners installed, one must consider investing in whole-house water filters with a sediment filter installed. A sediment pre-filter that has been installed before the water softener will protect the function of the water softener.

3. Chlorine levels- Tolerating chlorinated water

Another factor that determines the point of placement of water filters and water softeners is the usage of chlorinated water. The chlorine levels from a well and municipal water are often common. Chlorinated water can be relied upon to be free from bacteria, parasites, and viruses.

On the downside, tolerating chlorinated water is not possible with water softeners. You must bear in mind that chlorine disinfection byproducts are known to cause damage to the water-softening system. As chlorine disinfection byproducts affect the divinylbenzene or DVB in the softening resin bed, you must avoid high chlorine levels from reaching your water softener.

Divinylbenzene or DVB that is used in the resin bed or resin tank to make the resin beads will become porous and swell when exposed to the chlorine content in water. Damage to the resin beads shortens the lifespan of the water softener. This will also lead to poor performance and efficiency in the water softeners.

This is a reminder to place the water softeners after the whole house filtration system when the water for residential usage has been treated with chlorine.

Should the iron filter be installed before or after water softener?

Another cause of concern in the incoming water for residential usage is the iron content. thankfully, we have typical iron filters available to settle the troubles that arise from the high iron content in the water as well. Placing the iron filter before or after a water softener also requires some thought to it.

High iron and manganese content in the water can stain the clothes. The red stain that is caused on the clothes is a result of washing them in water with iron is difficult to remove later. If you have water softeners with the crosslink resin bed, they can handle 3 to 5 ppm iron levels. To handle iron better you can invest in an expensive water softener with fine mesh resin. But, if your water has cautionary levels of iron, it is advised to place a POE water filter before the water softener. It is true that the typical iron filters installed in water filters are an expensive choice. However, it might be mandatory if the iron level is high.

Should a carbon block filter be before or after a water softener?

A carbon filter is a common addition to a water filter. Many homemade water filters also have carbon filters as layers. A carbon filter is best known to remove taste, chlorine, order, and sediments. It is not uncommon to use carbon filters to function as a natural sediment filter.

Owing to its function, it is recommended to place a carbon filter before a water softener or no-salt water conditioner. In this manner, you can extend the durability and efficiency of the water softener by removing the chlorine and other sediments in the water.

What order to put your water filters in?

According to NDSU, the order suggested for placing the water filters is as follows:

• Sediment filter
• Carbon filter
• Chlorine filter
• Iron filter
• Water softener

If the whole house filter installed does not have separate filters for iron or chlorine filtration, you must install filters for them. Make sure you place all the entire house filters that are essential before the water softener. This will enhance the performance of the water softener.

Is there a filter softener combo?

To make things easier when it comes to removing heavy metals and other contaminants from water, the market now has several options for water filters and water softener combo. While the water softener protects and enhances the taste and quality of the drinking water, the water filter removes impurities to purify it. Among the available filter and softener combos, the best model is the Aquasure Whole House Water Filter and Water Softener. Let us take a brief look at the features that make this model the best choice.

Aquasure Whole House Water Filter and Water Softener

The Aquasure Whole House Water Filter and Water Softener is the ideal system for any home looking for water filtration and softening in the same unit. The model is designed to cover a needs of a home with 1 or 2 bathrooms., for a small family with 3 members.

You can rely on the Aquasure Whole House Water Filter and Water Softener to successfully remove hard minerals like iron and magnesium. It can treat up to 32,000 grains of hardness by extracting the hard minerals. Iron and magnesium are capable of causing skin damage by cloning the skin pores and leading to irritation in the skin.

Another added benefit of using the Aquasure whole house water filter and water softener combo is its efficient performance coupled with the ability to save water and reduce the overall maintenance cost. The specialized Aquatrol control head and Aquasure reverse osmosis membrane are designed to ensure the unit functions with water efficiency. The premium-quality materials used to build the unit guarantee the trustworthiness of the built-in safety features. The Aquasure whole house water filter and water softener are constructed with high strength to ensure the home remains protected even when the system is on downtime.

While purchasing the device you receive a 5-years manufacturer warranty with lifetime tech support. This is an advantage to repairs and replacement parts when required. Invest in the Aquasure Whole House Water Filter and Water Softener to carry seamless water filtering and softening.

Pros and Cons of Aquasure Whole House Water Filter and Water Softener

• An ideal choice to get pure water that combines water filtering and water softening processes for a small sized family of 3 members, and a home with 1 or 2 bathrooms.
• Designed to function with the right water pressure and flow rate and is constructed with premium quality material to guarantee durability and performance.
• Excellent built-in safety features and water efficiency are provided by the Aquatrol control head and Aquasure reverse osmosis membrane.
• Mad with an enhanced ability to treat 32,000 grains of hardness by removing hard minerals like iron and magnesium.
• Comes with a 5-year manufacturer warranty with lifetime tech support on the purchase of the product.

Conclusion

With this, we have reached the end of the article. We trust the article was able to clearly explain the reasons for placing the water filer before a water softener. Place your water filters in the right order to enjoy healthy purified water at all times and to have an uninterrupted water flow. This will help you to protect the durability of the products as well.