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Water Purification

Prepare to enjoy the ultimate fresh tap water with our water filter systems.

Teles Plumbing is your go-to for all water purification needs! With our experience, we can easily install and maintain whole-house water filters. Tap water may contain harmful chemicals and metals, but Teles Plumbing can help. Call today for your water filter needs!

Please note: these are approximate only. 

Sodium content

Typical levels. Each grain per gallon (gpg) of hardness removed adds roughly 7–8 mg of sodium per liter. So if your raw water is 10 gpg hard, softened water might have ~70–80 mg/L sodium.

Health impact. For a healthy adult, that amount is small compared to daily sodium intake (1,500–2,300 mg

Quality Water Softener Lasts about: 10 years

But a few factors can push that number up or down:​​

 

When you don’t use a carbon filter system before your water softener, several things can go wrong depending on your water source, especially if you're on municipal (city) water.

Potassium Chloride

  • Effectiveness: Slightly less effective than sodium chloride, often requiring higher doses (~10% more).

  • Cost: More expensive (often 3–4 times the cost of sodium chloride).

  • Health Impact: Does not add sodium to water—potassium is an essential nutrient and can be beneficial for those concerned about sodium intake.

  • Environmental Impact: Generally considered more environmentally friendly, especially for septic systems and areas with salt discharge restrictions.

Water softeners are vital for water quality, and various factors affect their lifespan. Higher-end units can last 10 years, while poor water quality, such as high iron or chlorine levels, can shorten the life of resin beads and valves.
A Carbon Pre-filter helps protect these components. Resin beads generally last 10 years, but heavy usage or chlorinated water may reduce that to 4 to 6 years, especially in larger households with hard water.

Water Hardness of 10 gpg:

1 gallon = 75 mg sodium

8 oz glass = ~4.7 mg sodium

If someone drinks ½ gallon (64 oz) a day, that’s about 37.5 mg of sodium

Everyday Foods & Their Sodium Levels:

Food ItemApprox. Sodium (mg)

White bread (1 slice)120–200 mg

Ketchup (1 tablespoon)150–190 mg

Canned soup (1 cup)600–1,000+ mg

Deli turkey (2 oz)500–700 mg

Cheese (1 oz slice)150–300 mg

Salted butter (1 tablespoon)90–110 mg

Pickle (medium)800–1,200 mg

Pizza (1 slice)500–700 mg

Fast food burger800–1,200 mg

Roasted peanuts (1 oz)120–250 mg

Frozen dinner (1 meal)800–1,800 mg

French fries (medium order)250–400 mg

Egg (1 large, naturally occurring)60–70 mg

Banana (1 medium)1 mg (yes, just one!)

Whole milk (1 cup)~100

Water Softeners How it Works:

Most water softeners use a process called ion exchange:

  1. Hard water flows through a tank filled with resin beads that are coated with sodium or potassium ions.

  2. The resin beads attract and trap the calcium and magnesium ions, swapping them for sodium or potassium.

  3. The now "softened" water exits the system with reduced mineral content.

Key Components:

  • Mineral tank: Where the ion exchange happens.

  • Brine tank: Holds a salt solution used to regenerate the resin beads.

  • Control valve: Regulates water flow and initiates regeneration cycles.

Benefits:

  • Prevents scale buildup

  • Extends life of plumbing and appliances

  • Improves soap and detergent effectiveness

  • Makes water feel "silkier" on skin and hair

Whole house Carbon System, How It Works:

Water from your main supply line enters the whole house filter before it reaches any fixtures in your home. It usually goes through multiple stages:

Typical Stages of a Whole House Water Filter:

  1. Pre-Filter (Sediment Filter)

    • Purpose: Removes large particles like sand, silt, rust, and dirt.

    • Why it matters: Protects the rest of the filter system and your plumbing.

  2. Carbon Filter (Activated Carbon)

    • Purpose: Reduces chlorine, chloramine, pesticides, herbicides, VOCs, and bad tastes or odors.

    • Why it matters: Greatly improves water quality for bathing, cooking, and cleaning.

  3. Optional Stages (varies by system):

    • KDF Media: Targets heavy metals like lead, mercury, and iron.

    • UV Filter: Destroys bacteria, viruses, and other pathogens.

    • Water Softener Module: Sometimes integrated if both filtration and softening are needed.

Key Benefits:

  • Clean water at every tap

  • Protects plumbing and appliances from sediment and chemicals

  • Reduces skin irritation from chlorine

  • Improves taste and smell of water

  • Often low-maintenance (depending on the model)

 Activated Carbon (AC)

This is the general term for carbon that has been treated to be highly porous, increasing its surface area.

  • How it works: Adsorbs impurities from water—meaning contaminants stick to the surface of the carbon.

  • Forms: Can be granular or in a solid block form.

 

 Granular Activated Carbon (GAC)

  • Structure: Loose granules, like coarse black sand.

  • Pros:

    • Fast water flow

    • Good for removing chlorine, taste, odor

  • Cons:

    • Less effective at removing smaller particles and chemicals

    • Can have channeling (water flows around granules, reducing contact time)

​

  Catalytic Carbon

  • Special Trait: Enhanced version of activated carbon (usually GAC) that can remove chloramine, a chlorine-ammonia compound used in municipal water.

  • Best For: Homes with chloraminated water supply

  • Cost: Typically more expensive

 

Here’s what can happen:

1. Chlorine or Chloramine Damage

  • City water often contains chlorine or chloramine (a chlorine + ammonia compound) for disinfection.

  • These chemicals can damage the softener’s resin beads over time, making them less effective at removing hardness.

  • Resin degradation = reduced softening, increased maintenance, and a shorter system lifespan.

2. Poor Taste and Odor Remain

  • Softeners don’t remove chlorine, chloramine, or other chemical contaminants—just hardness minerals (calcium, magnesium).

  • Without a carbon filter, the taste and smell of chlorine will still be present in your water—especially noticeable in showers and drinking water.

3. Missed Removal of Organic Contaminants

  • Activated carbon filters remove volatile organic compounds (VOCs), pesticides, herbicides, and other potentially harmful chemicals.

  • Skipping this means more contaminants pass through to your softened water—less safe, especially if you're using the water for cooking or drinking.

4. Potential Bacterial Growth

  • Carbon filters help reduce organic matter that can fuel bacteria growth.

  • Without it, your softener may be more prone to biofilm or slime buildup inside the resin tank if your water isn't disinfected properly.

TL;DR:

If you skip the carbon filter before your softener, your system will still soften water—but:

  • The softener will wear out faster,

  • Chemical contaminants and chlorine will still be present,

  • Your water won’t taste or smell as clean.

It’s generally best practice to install a carbon filter before a softener, especially with chlorinated city water. Want help designing a simple filter-softener combo setup?

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Please note: these are approximate only. 

Hands washing under faucet

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