What Types of Water Softening Equipment are Available?
Water softeners are classified in five different categories: • Manual: There are several types of manual softeners. The operator opens and closes valves to control the frequency, rate and length of time involved in backflushing or recharging. • Semi-automatic: The operator initiates only the recharging cycle. The operator pushes a button when the softener needs recharging; the unit will control and complete the recharging process. • Automatic: The automatic softener is usually equipped with a timer that automatically initiates the recharging cycle as well as every step in the process. The operator sets the timer and adds salt when needed. This is the most popular type of softener used. • Demand Initiated Regeneration (DIR): All operations are initiated and performed automatically in response to the water use demand for softened water. DIR systems generally have two softening tanks and a brine tank. While one tank is softening the other tank is recharging. • Off-site Regeneration (gener
