Electronic and Magnetic Home Water Treatment
Electronic and Magnetic Water Treatment
Magnets seem to be the rage lately. Some people claim they can promote rapid healing of injured tissue. Other people claim they can make hard water soft. There are believers and non-believers of both statements. The Water Quality Association has formed a special task force to come to some sort of conclusion with regard to magnets and water. Their report is due by mid to end of 2001. I can't wait to see the results.
An engineer friend of mine tested a unit one year ago. His water was very hard - nearly 13 grains. After installing the unit according to manufacturers directions, he could not tell a difference in water quality. On the other hand, a friend of mine in Colorado recently installed one. Here is what she had to say after the device was working for about three weeks: "...It's been installed a few weeks now. The reaction from my friend who hated our un-softened water was that it was better. I'm seeing essentially no salt residue from water spots on top of the coffee pot, faucet handles and humidity tray for orchids."
These two bits of data are consistent with what many say. A system may work one place but not another. Water chemistry, water flow rates through the piping, water hardness and temperature all affect the performance of a certain device.
The U. S. Department of Energy publishes periodic Technology Alerts. They happen to have one about magnetic and electronic water softeners on the Internet. It is an extremely well written and detailed report on this topic. IF you don't have Internet access, then you MUST go to a friend's house or to the library to get this report. It is definitely worth the trouble. Pay particular attention to the text in the Abstract. Read it twice! Then read the 7th paragraph in the first section "About the Technology".
In 2001 the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers published Public Works Technical Bulletin 420-49-34 titled Magnetic Water Treatment. It's available on the web in PDF format. The purpose of this bulletin is "to transmit information on a demonstration of magnetic and electronic devices marketed as effective alternatives for scale prevention in water systems."
Certified Water Softener Manufacturers
The Water Quality Association (WQA) has a Gold Seal program where manufacturers submit products for independent testing. Those that pass deliver top performance. Be sure to buy a softener that has the WQA Gold Seal! To find a list of these manufacturers, go to the WQA website and click on Product Certification.
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