Water Softeners

In water softening the choice starts with measuring the hardness; how the unit works, capacity, salt consumption and maintenance intervals complete the decision. The aim is to make clear which questions you need to ask when choosing the right unit.

Water Softener and Softening System Prices

Water softener prices vary with capacity, resin volume, valve type and vessel construction. The prices below are the current list prices on the relevant product pages.

Prices are for the standard configuration; they vary with capacity, valve type and any additional equipment chosen. The correct capacity is determined from the measured hardness and the daily consumption figures.

For a water softener suited to your home or business and a firm price, you can reach us on 0850 304 95 25 or at [email protected].

How Does a Water Softener Work?

Water softeners work on the principle of ion exchange. The vessel of the unit is filled with sodium-charged cation exchange resin. As hard water passes through the resin bed, the calcium and magnesium ions in the water are held by the resin; in exchange, the sodium ions in the resin pass into the water. The water leaving the unit no longer leaves limescale behind.

The holding capacity of the resin is not unlimited. Once it has held a certain amount of hardness it becomes saturated and has to be renewed. This process is called regeneration: brine from the salt tank is passed through the resin, the calcium and magnesium held there are stripped off and sent to drain, the resin is reloaded with sodium and the cycle starts again.

The heart of the system is the control valve. It manages the backwash, brine draw, slow rinse and fast rinse steps in sequence. Programming the valve correctly has a direct effect on both water quality and salt consumption.

What Is Water Hardness and How Is It Measured?

Water hardness is a measure of the calcium and magnesium dissolved in the water. In Türkiye the unit in common use is French hardness (°fH). The measurement can be made on site with a simple test kit, or determined by laboratory analysis.

Hardness has two components:

• Temporary hardness: Comes from calcium and magnesium bicarbonates. It precipitates when the water is heated; the white crust you see in a kettle or in a combi boiler heat exchanger is largely this.
• Permanent hardness: Comes from sulphate and chloride salts. It does not precipitate on heating, but it can be removed by ion exchange.

A softener removes both components. Boiling the water or fitting a sediment filter therefore does not solve the hardness problem; ion exchange is needed to bring hardness down permanently.

What Should the Target Hardness Be?

Bringing the hardness at the unit outlet down to zero is not always wanted. In homes a certain amount of hardness is usually left in; completely soft water can produce unwanted results with some plumbing materials and in the taste of drinking water. In industrial applications such as steam boilers, on the other hand, the target is close to zero. The right target is set by where the water is used; the point of use must therefore be clarified before the unit is chosen.

Signs of Hard Water

Even before you have an analysis done, you can recognise hard water from the following signs:

• White limescale crust building up in kettles, combi boilers and water heaters
• Shower heads and tap aerators clogging, and the water flow weakening
• Soap and detergent lathering poorly, and the need to use more detergent
• White marks left on glass, ceramic and fittings once they dry
• Laundry going stiff and colours turning dull
• Residue and water marks left in the dishwasher
• The combi boiler or the boiler running longer to deliver the same heat

How strong these signs are is directly proportional to the degree of hardness. A hardness measurement must be made for a firm decision; at Water Point the site survey is free if the unit is purchased from us.

Why Does Limescale Create Cost?

Limescale forms an insulating layer on heat transfer surfaces. Building up on a combi boiler heat exchanger or a boiler tube, this layer makes it harder for the heat to pass into the water; more fuel or electricity is spent to produce the same hot water. As the build-up progresses:

• The internal bore of the pipe narrows, the pump works harder and energy consumption rises.
• Parts such as heat exchangers and heating elements fail more often.
• Moving parts such as valves, seals and fittings have a shorter life.
• Maintenance and service costs rise, and in production facilities a risk of downtime arises.

Because a softener stops this build-up before it forms, it is both more economical and safer for the equipment than intervening afterwards with descaling chemicals.

Water Softening Systems and Unit Types

The type of unit is chosen according to where it will be used and whether the water supply has to be uninterrupted.

Tandem Water Softener

In a tandem system two resin tanks work in turn: while one regenerates, the other stays in service, so softened water never stops. It is chosen where water is needed without interruption all day, such as boiler rooms, hotels, hospitals and production lines. The Twin-Tank Water Softening model has twin 13×54 tanks and a Runxin flow-controlled valve for a capacity of 15 tonnes a day (mains water). The Industrial Twin Water Softener works with two 18×65 tanks, 400 litres of cation resin and a Clack digital flow-controlled valve, at a flow rate of 7.5 m³ per hour and a capacity of 70 tonnes a day.

Timer-Controlled or Flow-Controlled?

Timer-controlled units regenerate at a set interval; they are simple to install and low in cost. But if consumption varies they regenerate before the capacity is used up and waste salt and water unnecessarily; in the opposite case, if the capacity is used up and regeneration is late, hard water reaches the line.

Because flow-controlled units measure the volume of water that passes, they regenerate only when it is needed. As well as lowering salt and water consumption, they also work correctly when consumption changes, as it does over a holiday or a shift change. In homes and businesses with irregular consumption, a flow-controlled choice is more economical in the long run.

How Is Capacity Selected?

Capacity selection rests on two figures: raw water hardness and daily water consumption. Multiplying the two gives the total hardness load the unit has to handle between two regenerations. The resin volume is determined from that load.

In industrial applications the peak flow rate is also taken into account: the system must be able to meet the m³/h figure required at the busiest moment. If the flow rate is insufficient the pressure drops, and because the water passes through the resin bed too fast the softening efficiency falls.

Choosing the capacity smaller than it should be leads to frequent regeneration and therefore to high salt and water consumption. Choosing it larger than necessary raises the initial investment and can leave the resin standing for long periods and working inefficiently. A hardness measurement is essential for the right choice; our guide on how to choose a water softener walks through the calculation.

Salt Consumption and Regeneration

Softeners run on tablet salt. The salt is used to renew the resin and does not mix into the supply; the regeneration water goes to drain. The factors that determine salt consumption are these:

• Raw water hardness: The higher the hardness, the faster the resin saturates and the more often it regenerates.
• Water consumption: The more water is treated, the more regenerations there are.
• Valve type: A flow-controlled valve regenerates less often than a timer-controlled one.
• Resin volume: A correctly sized unit works more efficiently per regeneration.

The salt level must be checked regularly and topped up before the tank empties completely. When the salt runs out the unit carries on regenerating but the resin cannot be renewed; hard water is then delivered at the outlet, and the problem usually goes unnoticed until limescale appears again.

Water Softener Installation: Where and How?

A water softener is positioned immediately after the water inlet, so that it feeds the whole line you want to protect. In a home it is usually connected after the water meter, and in a business on the main feed line.

What must be checked before installation:

• Drain line: There must be a suitable drain for the regeneration water to go to. This is the item most often overlooked.
• Power supply: A socket is needed for the control valve.
• Space: Access clearance must be left around the unit for salt top-ups and for service.
• Bypass line: A bypass is recommended so that the water is not cut off during service.
• Inlet pressure: Pressure below the manufacturer's range lowers the softening efficiency.

After installation the hardness of the outlet water must be tested to confirm that the target value has been reached. At Water Point a water test is carried out after installation and the user is briefed on salt top-ups and on alarm conditions.

Water Softening and Water Purification Are Not the Same Thing

This is the point most often confused. The two solve different problems and, most of the time, are not alternatives to each other but complements.

• Water softening removes hardness. The aim is to prevent limescale and to protect the plumbing and the equipment. It does not noticeably lower the total dissolved solids in the water.
• Water purification (reverse osmosis) separates dissolved substances, heavy metals and salts. The aim is to raise drinking water quality.

The common arrangement in practice is this: a softener is fitted at the building or flat inlet, and a separate under-sink purifier is used in the kitchen for drinking water. The whole installation is then protected from limescale while the drinking water passes through a separate stage. In systems that use reverse osmosis, softening also protects the membrane and extends membrane life.

What You Should Know About Softened Water

In ion exchange, calcium and magnesium are taken out of the water and sodium takes their place. The amount of sodium that passes over is directly proportional to the raw water hardness: the higher the hardness, the more sodium there is in the softened water.

For this reason softeners are usually positioned for utility water; for drinking and cooking water, a separate purifier in the kitchen is preferred. People who need to limit their sodium intake should consult their doctor before using softened water for drinking. Setting the unit so that it leaves some hardness at the outlet is also common practice.

A softener is not a purifier; it is not designed to remove bacteria, chlorine, sediment or heavy metals. Separate stages are needed for those requirements.

How to Run a Hardness Test Yourself

Measuring hardness does not need an expensive instrument. Drop test kits show the hardness of the water in a few minutes. The procedure is simple: the stated amount of water is taken into the tube supplied with the kit, the test liquid is added drop by drop and the tube is shaken after each drop. The number of drops at which the colour turns gives the value of the water in French hardness.

Points to watch when measuring:

• Take the sample from the right point: If you are measuring the raw water at the unit inlet, take it from the line before the softener; if you are checking the outlet, take it after the unit.
• Let the water run for a while: Water that has been standing in the pipe may not reflect the true value.
• Repeat the test at intervals: A rise in the outlet hardness is the earliest signal that the resin is saturated or that regeneration is not running.

Where well water is used the hardness can change with the season; in that case the measurement should be repeated a few times a year. With mains water the value is relatively stable, though it can shift when the source changes.

First Checks if the Unit Is Not Working as Expected

If limescale has started to appear again, or the outlet water has turned hard, the following checks can be made before calling out a service engineer:

• Salt level: The tank may be empty. This is the most common cause.
• Salt bridge: A hardened crust can form in the salt tank with a void beneath it. The surface looks solid but the unit cannot draw salt; the crust must be broken up carefully.
• Bypass position: If the bypass has been left open after service, the water goes to the line without passing through the unit.
• Power: If the supply to the control valve has been cut, no regeneration takes place. After long outages the clock setting is also found to have drifted.
• Drain line: A blocked or kinked drain hose prevents regeneration.
• Inlet pressure: If the pressure is below the manufacturer's range, the brine draw will not be sufficient.
• Programme settings: On timer-controlled units, if consumption has risen the regeneration frequency may have become insufficient.

If these checks bring no result, the resin may be fouled or the valve faulty; at that stage a technical service assessment is needed.

Resin Life and Replacement

Cation exchange resin is not a consumable; under the right conditions it works for many years. There are, however, factors that shorten its life:

• Free chlorine: Chlorine in mains water wears the resin down over time. In water with a high chlorine load, an activated carbon stage ahead of the softener extends resin life.
• Iron and manganese: In well water, dissolved iron coats the resin beads and lowers the capacity. With water of this kind an iron removal stage must come first.
• Sediment and turbidity: Suspended solids block the resin bed. Using a pre-filter is a simple and effective protection.
• Insufficient regeneration: In a unit that runs constantly short of salt the resin cannot be fully renewed and the capacity drops permanently.

A drop in capacity shows up as more frequent regeneration at the same consumption, or as a rise in the outlet hardness. At that point cleaning or renewing the resin is considered. Resin is within Water Point's spare parts scope.

If the Unit Will Stand Unused for a Long Time

In summer houses, on construction sites or in seasonal businesses, a unit may have to stand for months. Over a long standstill, stagnant water is left in the resin bed and a risk of microbiological growth arises. In that case:

• Running a regeneration before the unit is shut down leaves the resin standing renewed with brine.
• When it is brought back into service, the unit must be regenerated several times and rinsed through with plenty of water.
• Where there is a risk of freezing, the system must be drained of water; a frozen vessel and valve suffer permanent damage.

Short holidays need no special procedure; flow-controlled units do not regenerate because there is no consumption, while timer-controlled units carry on with their programme.

How Soft Water Affects Daily Use

Softened water brings changes you can see. Soap and detergent lather more easily; a smaller amount may be enough for the same cleaning. Resetting the dosing on washing machines and dishwashers therefore saves money and prevents residue after rinsing.

White marks forming on fittings, shower enclosures and ceramic surfaces once they dry are reduced; cleaning frequency and the use of descaling chemicals fall. Because limescale build-up stops in heated equipment, heat-up time and energy consumption stay at their first-day level.

Dishwashers also have a built-in softening section; where there is central softening, the salt setting on the machine can be lowered. The hardness setting in the machine manual should be updated according to the value measured at the unit outlet.

Maintenance Intervals

At Water Point, filters, membranes, resin and salt are consumables; valves, pumps and tanks are durable spare parts; there is a service network covering the whole of Türkiye for industrial systems and İstanbul and the surrounding provinces for domestic units, and technical service is provided for units of all domestic and foreign brands.

Common Mistakes When Buying a Water Softener

• Buying a unit without having the hardness measured: Capacity is determined from the hardness; a choice made without a measurement rests on guesswork.
• Choosing the capacity too small: That means frequent regeneration and high salt and water consumption.
• Not planning the drain line: Without a suitable drain the unit cannot be installed, or it works poorly.
• Topping up the salt too late: When the salt runs out the resin cannot be renewed and hard water is delivered at the outlet.
• Mistaking softening for purification: Softening does not take the place of a drinking water purifier.
• Looking only at the initial price: Salt, water and spare part costs determine the total cost of ownership.
• Not asking about spare part continuity: A unit whose valve and resin cannot be sourced may become unusable after a few years.

Which Salt Should Be Used?

Table salt and rock salt are not used in water softeners. These salts leave insoluble residue; the residue collects at the bottom of the salt tank and blocks the draw line and the valve. Softeners use tablet salt: a high-purity, low-residue form pressed so that it dissolves slowly.

What to watch when choosing salt:

• Purity: The lower the purity, the more residue collects in the tank and the more often it has to be cleaned.
• Tablet form: Powdered or broken salt dissolves faster and raises the risk of a salt bridge forming.
• Storage: Salt left in a damp place cakes; the packaging must be kept closed and in a dry place.
• Tank fill level: The tank must not be filled to the brim; only as much as the manufacturer recommends should be added. Overfilling makes bridging easier.

A hard crust formed in the salt tank looks full from the outside even when the unit is not drawing salt. Looking at the level alone is therefore not enough; whether there is a void under the salt must be checked at intervals. Tablet water softener salt is available in our shop, and purity and the salt bridge are covered in our water softening salt guide.

Why Do Combi Boiler and Boiler Manufacturers Ask for Softening?

Manufacturers of heating equipment set conditions on the quality of the feed water in their warranty terms. The reason is technical: when limescale collects on a heat transfer surface the surface temperature rises, the metal fatigues and permanent damage occurs in the heat exchanger. To limit this risk, manufacturers ask for certain values in the filling and top-up water.

Three points matter in practice:

• Filling water: The hardness of the water used when the installation is first filled determines how much limescale will collect over the life of the system.
• Top-up water: Every new lot of water added after a leak or a drain-down carries fresh limescale into the system. In installations that are topped up often, softening matters even more.
• Keeping records: A record of when and how much water was added is useful in a warranty process and in fault analysis.

Meeting these conditions becomes easier in an installation that has a central softening system. Even so, since the value each manufacturer expects can differ, you should compare the water quality requirement in your appliance's manual with the outlet hardness you measure.

Whole House Water Softener: Building Inlet or Flat Inlet?

In apartment buildings softening can be installed at two different points, and each has consequences of its own.

Building inlet installation means a single system feeds all the blocks. The unit is installed once, it is maintained jointly and the cost per person comes down. Against that, the capacity must be chosen for the peak flow rate of the whole building, which means a larger and more expensive system. The position of the unit, the drain line and responsibility for maintenance also require a decision by the building management.

Flat inlet installation means each flat uses its own system. Because the capacity is small the initial investment is low, the decision rests with one person and maintenance is under your own control. The drawback is that the pipework in the common areas is not protected; limescale keeps building up in the main risers.

These questions need to be settled before you decide: where will the system be installed, is there a drain line, is the power supply suitable, who will top up the salt and who will carry responsibility for maintenance. Calculating the capacity before these questions are answered leaves the job half done. If sediment and chlorine are to be handled on the main line alongside softening, you can look at the set solutions in the whole house and building inlet systems category.

What Comes After Softening in the System

Softening is often the first link in the chain and protects the stages that come after it.

• Ahead of reverse osmosis: Water with the hardness removed reduces limescale formation on the membrane surface; membrane life is extended and cleaning becomes less frequent.
• Together with activated carbon: The carbon stage takes out the chlorine and protects the resin; the order is usually sediment filter, activated carbon, then softening.
• On the heating line: When the combi boiler, the calorifier and the heat exchanger are fed after softening, limescale build-up stops.
• On a steam boiler: Alongside softening, chemical conditioning and blowdown management are planned together.

For that reason, when a softener is chosen, not only today's need but the stages likely to be added later should be thought through. Leaving bypass and sampling points in place from the start makes later additions easier.

Water Point Expertise and Support in Water Softening

Water Point supplies water softening systems at scales ranging from homes to industrial facilities. The unit is not chosen from a catalogue but from measured hardness and consumption figures.

• Selection based on analysis: The site survey is free if the unit is purchased from us; the capacity recommendation takes shape according to the measurement result.
• Control valve: Clack valve products are among the components used.
• Brand-independent technical service: Technical service is provided for units of all domestic and foreign brands.
• Spare part continuity: Filters, membranes, resin and salt are consumables; valves, pumps and tanks are durable spare parts.
• Units carry a 2-year warranty; misuse is outside the scope. Consumables such as filters, membranes and resin are outside the scope.
• Certification: CE certification is held for the activities carried out.

Professional Water Softening for Businesses

In hotels, restaurants, laundries, textile plants and food facilities, hard water means equipment failure, a rise in chemical consumption and production downtime. In facilities that must run without interruption a twin-tank arrangement is preferred; while one column is regenerating the other stays in service and the soft water flow is never interrupted.

In businesses that run steam boilers the target hardness is close to zero. On the boiler feed line hard water collects on the heat transfer surface and raises fuel consumption; the softening system is therefore sized separately according to the boiler capacity. In facilities with a cooling tower the target is not to bring the hardness to zero but to keep under control the concentration that rises with evaporation.

Technical Support for Water Softening Systems

Efficient operation of the system depends on correct installation and regular maintenance. Water Point provides technical support covering installation, commissioning, scheduled maintenance and fault response. For industrial systems there is a service network across Türkiye; for domestic units, service is provided in İstanbul and the surrounding provinces (such as Kocaeli and Tekirdağ).

Let's work out the right system together

The site survey is free if the unit is purchased from us; if only a survey and measurement are wanted, a survey fee of 2,000 TL applies. Capacity and treatment stages are determined from the water analysis result.