Reliable, Non-Electric Water Softeners in Manassas

Brilliantly Designed by Kinetico to Work. Period.

Choosing the right water treatment system is a big decision for your home or business, impacting everything from water quality to water bills. Our plumbers at Mermaid Water & Plumbing are experts on the differences between traditional electric water softeners and innovative non-electric solutions like Kinetico, and we can easily explain their features, benefits, and potential drawbacks. For our neighbors in Manassas and the surrounding areas, we take the time to make sure you're getting the right water softener system.

Ready to take the next step towards better water? Contact Mermaid Water & Plumbing today at (703) 686-5931 or send us a message online for a free water analysis and personalized consultation. 

Electric vs Non-electric Water Softeners

Old-School Electric Water Softeners: A Bit of History (and Some Drawbacks)

Back in the day, if you had an automatic water softener, it was almost certainly electric. These systems relied on a timer, kind of like an old-fashioned alarm clock, to figure out when it was time to clean the softener – a process called regeneration.

This cleaning involved a mechanical setup, driven by the clock, that needed a bunch of adjustments to get things just right:

• Backwash: Reversing the water flow to flush out debris.
• Brining: Introducing a salt solution to recharge the resin beads.
• Rinse: Flushing out the salty water.
• Other functions necessary to clean the resin bed.

The water used for this cleaning cycle? It had to come straight from your regular, untreated water supply. This meant that while the softener was cleaning itself, you might experience:

• No water at all.
• Just the hard, untreated water coming through your taps (depending on the unit).

Getting the cleaning schedule right was a bit of a balancing act. You had to consider all your water-using activities to make sure you'd have enough soft water when you needed it.

The problem was, these electric systems weren't very smart about unexpected changes. Things like excessive water usage at odd times and power failures weren't taken into account, which could lead to a loss of soft water. To try and avoid this, many people would set their electric softeners to clean more often than they really needed to, resulting in:

• Greater use of salt
• Greater use of water
• Greater use of electricity

Plus, let's be honest, having electrical components in a damp, salty environment wasn't ideal, leading to:

• The possibility of electric shock.
• Electrical components being prone to malfunction.

Enter Kinetico: The Non-Electric Water Softener Breakthrough

Then came Kinetico. They introduced the first water conditioner that was completely automatic and didn't need any electricity. It even had a clever twin-tank design, which solved a lot of the problems with the older electric models.

Kinetico systems have these two tanks connected by a single, smart module that automatically handles all the cleaning steps:

• Brining
• Backwashing
• Rinsing
• Shifting from one tank to the other when needed

And the best part? No adjustments are necessary!

Instead of a timer, Kinetico systems actually measure how much water you use with a meter. The internal control mechanism is sealed and only ever has clean, soft, filtered water running through it, which helps prevent corrosion.

Because Kinetico has two tanks, it offers some key advantages:

• Regenerates with soft, clean water: This makes the cleaning process much more effective.
• Reduces salt and water usage: Significantly less is needed for regeneration.
• No "downtime": You always have a supply of conditioned water.

And because there's no electricity involved:

• The possibility of electric shock is completely eliminated.
• You don't need guest buttons or manual regeneration methods.
• Disconnection when on vacation is unnecessary.

Maintenance is super simple, mainly involving:

• Periodically checking the salt level.

Kinetico systems are different because they don't use:

• Clocks
• Electric valves
• Electric sensing devices
• Any other complicated electrical arrangements

...to control the cleaning. Kinetico systems only regenerate when needed, based on your actual water usage.

Basically, Kinetico created a whole new kind of water softener that's virtually trouble-free and gives you an endless supply of clean, soft water while keeping costs and upkeep to a minimum. This is great for homeowners, but it's also a huge benefit for businesses that rely on a consistent supply of high-quality water. 

Local Water Rules in Manassas: Staying Compliant

It's really important to know the local rules about water quality to make sure everything's up to code and your water is healthy. Here in Virginia, and specifically in Manassas, the Virginia Department of Health:

• Oversees water treatment and quality standards.
• Requires regular testing.
• Ensures adherence to state water quality standards, including permissible levels of minerals and potential pollutants.

Thankfully, here at Mermaid Water & Plumbing, we:

• Are well-versed in these local requirements.
• Offer locally compliant solutions tailored to meet state regulations.
• Provide water analysis services to ensure your system meets local laws and provides the highest water quality possible.

Our systems are designed with compliance in mind, integrating seamlessly into your current infrastructure while adhering to state guidelines. By choosing our plumbers, you get the added assurance of operating within state regulations and optimizing your water quality for health and efficiency.

Our commitment to meeting these stringent standards is backed by our Water Quality Association certifications and our robust partnerships with reliable manufacturers like Kinetico, offering trustworthy and safe treatment solutions.

View Electric Vs. Non Electric Water Systems