What is a Hybrid Water Softener and Why Would I Want One?
November 29, 2011
11 Comments
That's a good question and one that we hear frequently. So, if you are on well water, you can just skip this post. A hybrid water softener is for municipal water because it is engineered to remove or reduce the chlorine, chemicals, pesticides, tastes and odors which are generally associated with city water. A standard water softener has a tank that has ion-exchange resin which takes out the hardness from the water and a hybrid water softener also has that, but a regular water softener does not have a second chamber which has carbon to remove the tastes, odors, chlorine and chemicals. This second chamber is above the resin and keeps the resin and carbon separated. This does two things: (1) it keeps the carbon in one chamber so that it does not get mixed with the resin and therefore is denser and able to provide better filtration of chlorine and chemicals; and (2) by taking the chlorine out ahead of the resin, the life of the resin is dramatically increased, since resin is sensitive to chlorine and easily degraded in it's presence. So, removing the chlorine before it gets to the softening resin will make your water softener last up to twice as long. In itself, that should be enough reason to have a hybrid water softener if for no other reason than to make your water softener last twice as long. But, in reality there's a lot better reason. That reason is what chlorine does to YOU. Your body. Your health. Your life and your family. Don't take my word - listen to what some of the experts say:
Chlorine is objectionable for bathing and drinking in concentrations as low as .5 PPM. A swimming pool may be 2.0 to 3.0 PPM. According to the EPA, chlorine combines with organics in the water to form THM's (trihalomethanes) which are known carcinogens.
“Showering is suspected as the primary cause of elevated levels of chloroform in nearly every home because of the chlorine in the water.” - DR. LANCE WALLACE - U.S.E.P.A.“A long hot shower can be dangerous. The toxic chemicals are inhaled in high concentrations.” - Dr. John Andelman - BOTTOM LINE
“Skin absorption of contaminant has been underestimated and ingestion may not constitute the sole or even primary route of exposure.” - Dr. Halina Brown - AMERICAN JOURNAL OF PUBLIC HEALTH “Showers - and to a lessor extent baths - lead to a greater exposure to toxic chemicals contained in drinking water supplies than does drinking the water.” - Ian Anderson - NEW SCIENTIST “Drinking chlorinated water may double the risk of bladder cancer, which strikes 400,000 people a year.” - IS YOUR WATER SAFE? - U.S. NEWS & WORLD REPORT Before the beginning of the Twentieth Century, two of leading causes of death in this country were cholera and typhoid, both waterborne diseases. When municipalities started chlorination, these diseases were virtually wiped-out. With cholera and typhoid, you were dead in a matter of days. Now, we find out that exposure to chlorinated water and it's disinfection by-products over a number of years can cause cancer. Chlorine is an oxidizer which is commonly used to reduce organic matter or disinfect water by municipalities. Once the water has been disinfected and arrives in your home, there is no further need for the chemical, and prolonged contact can be detrimental, according to many experts. We believe that municipalities do a wonderful job of protecting you and your family by chlorinating the water, but now in the Twenty-first Century, we have the technology available to remove the chlorine. After all, drinking chlorinated water is not the primary way you are exposed to it. Inhalation and skin-absorption are eliminated as well with a Hybrid water softener.
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11 Comments
1. Could you explain in better detail how the fusion NLT hybrid system works? Specifically the filter side of the operation. How much water is expected as waist during back washing.
2. With regards to the effects of chlorine on the body do you have any evidence that is not 25-30 years old? The research your citing likely came from this site: http://www.ipn.at/ipn.asp?BLO
Current studies seem to indicate that current EPA regulations for thms (80ppb) is plenty safe.“To understand the possible health effects described for many regulated constituents, a person would have to drink 2 liters of water every day at the MCL level for a lifetime, to have a one-in-a- million chance of having the described health effect.”
To be clear I generally agree with your points of view, but using research that is 30 years old while ignoring more recent reports to the contrary to sell your products isn’t exactly shooting straight from the hip.
I posted a reply to this article on Tuesday night. It was showing on this page but after moderation it now is not. I wonder why? Is it because you were caught in a lie? The scientific quotes from doctors you are using to scare people into buying a filter is 30 years old and you’ve chosen to ignore the most recent reports showing that chlorine levels below the legal limit is NOT harmful to the body. I like your products and am probably going to buy the fusion hybrid system. Just wish that you would present ALL relevant facts. After all you have said in videos that you give consumers the facts and then let them decide. In this case you did not.
Cliff,
Is it because I was caught in a lie? I have to respectfully say that is a very silly thing to say. Our comments are held in moderation and I did not have time to answer over the Holiday.
You are evidently hung up on Chlorine Disinfection By-Products (DBP, like THM’s. The site you mentioned above, I have never seen but there are a lot of other quotes that you evidently want to ignore as well.
The EPA has a website on chlorine, chloramine and DBP’s:
https://water.epa.gov/drink/contaminants/basicinformation/disinfectants.cfm
There are some studies (and there always have been) that DBP may or may not be dangerous. There are also studies that say smoking cigarettes are OK too. I think the consensus is that chlorine and DBP’s are not good for you… and rational people have known that for 30 years, which is when research was started. Would you take a bottle of Aquafina and add a drop of two of chlorine to it? I doubt it. Most people enjoy water that is not chlorinated and it is less irritating on the skin minus the chlorine.
But while you are fixated on DBP’s our hybrid softners take out a lot more things like chloramine, pesticides (like Atrazine) and a plethora of other chemical and contaminants.
Look at the whole picture, just don’t fixate on one thing. No lies were told!
Mark, I do regret the tone of my second post. My original comment was showing but then disappeared. I thought that it was deleted but the second I posted my second comment my first showed up again. Had I had the option to delete it I would have. So, my apologies for the second post.
With that said.. I don’t disagree that water without chlorine tastes better and is probably better for you. The issue is using research that is 25-30 years old. Are you using research that is 30 years old to develop your products? Of course not. So why then do you cite research that is 30 years old. When you say “Don’t take my word – listen to what some of the experts say” your customers are assuming that they’re reading current facts about chlorine in their water. I even believed it until I did my own research. My only issue is using out of date research. I have watched and read most of your videos and blogs many of which you state the research shows…. All I ask is that you show us the research. And that is current.
Cliff,
The 30 Year-old research is still accurate in my opinion, but there’s also a whole lot more now. I don’t know where you are doing your research, but what is on our site in certainly not out-of-date, and is in fact, right in step with the most current research.
Here’s some more recent articles for you to consider:
http://chriskresser.com/is-your-daily-shower-making-you-sick
http://www.mercola.com/Downloads/bonus/chlorine/default.aspx
http://www.scientificamerican.com/article.cfm?id=earth-talks-tapped-out
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Water_chlorination
In most contexts, the researchers say something like this:
“The health risks from these byproducts at the levels at which they occur in drinking water are extremely small in comparison with the risks associated with inadequate disinfection. Thus, it is important that disinfection not be compromised in attempting to control such byproducts.”
… which is absolutely true – having pathogenic bacteria in your water can kill you in a matter of days. DBP’s are preferred over that, but why have any at all?
The opening line of this post: “So, if you are on well water, you can just skip this post. A hybrid water softener is for municipal water…”
I recently purchased a second home that has well water with high iron content which also has an unpleasant odor. Will this hybrid softener remove some or all of of this odor?
Phil,
Probably for a few hours, but that’s not the way the hybrid is intended to be utilized. Here’s what you need to do first:
https://www.uswatersystems.com/water-testing/most-popular-water-tests/the-ultimate-well-water-test-for-iron-manganese-and-sulfur.html
There is a good video on that page explaining the test and it’s importance!
1820 sq ft home. Who makes a good but cost effective Hybrid?
We do:
https://www.uswatersystems.com/synergy-twin-alternating-metered-water-softener.html
It appears that the matrix hybrid has replaced the synergy hybrid noted in the post. What is the differences between the two hybrids? Is the matrix newer technology?
Actually, we killed off the Matrixx and Hybrid for a couple of years due to problems with the tank distributors. The problem has been resolved and we just brought back the Matrixx Hybrid and will soon bring back the Synergy Hybrid. The differences between the two are: (1) The Matrixx is programmed with a Smartphone and is the latest technology; and (2) The Synergy is a twin-tank was softener that delivers soft water 24/7/365.