Complete treatment with the ICS-STPK is a three step process.

Step 1: Water first passes through a multimicron sediment filter to reduce visible sediment and particles. This filter is specially designed for high sediment holding capacity, high flow rates and for longer life without a large reduction in your available water pressure.

Step 2. Water is filtered through a specially designed activated carbon filter improving water quality by filtering out objectionable chlorine taste and odor. Your water will be much more pleasant to drink and cook with and to bath in. This  filter is not recommended as stand-alone treatment for hydrogen sulfide, rotten egg smell or for waters containing chloramine.

Step 3. Next, water flows through PolyHalt® media where it is softened, treated to prevent iron and manganese staining and silica etching and pitting. A small amount of PolyHalt® enters the water to protect your plumbing, fixtures and appliances from low pH or aggressive water conditions.

How PolyHalt® works;

PolyHalt® works because of differences in electrical charges between dissolved metals in the water and PolyHalt®. Technically PolyHalt® treats dissolved metals via a well known process is called Ionic-Bonding resulting in a new ionic complex. A more thorough description of how PolyHalt® works (see below) can be a little technical but simply put PolyHalt® works on the “Opposites Attract” principle.

PolyHalt®, is a negatively charged semi-solid material while metals such as calcium, magnesium, iron and manganese dissolved in water are positively charged. As positively charged metals flow through negatively charged PolyHalt® an amount of PolyHalt® equal to that required to form a new ionic-bond is automatically proportionally released to form new ionic complexes. These new complexes are very different than the original, they are chemically different with new behavior properties than before treatment.

What new properties do PolyHalt® complexes have?

Hardness Minerals – Calcium and Magnesium;

Cannot form hard scale or stick to surfaces. Cannot bind with soaps to form a curdy precipitate (soap scum). PolyHalt® complexed hardness minerals remain in the water and the water behaves as if they are not present, scale formation is prevented, water is easy to work with. Water is softened without salt

Evaporative water spots;

Water spots formed when water evaporates are much easy to clean up. Most often all that is required is to simply wipe the spots away without hard work or chemicals.

Removal of existing scale;

PolyHalt® treated water tends to solve existing hard water scale from surfaces cleaning them over time.

Prevention of curdy precipitate (soap scum);

PolyHalt® treated hardness minerals cannot bind with soaps. Use less soap cleaning and get cleaner easier.

Protection of plumbing and appliances from Low pH or aggressive water that can soften and dissolve metals causing plumbing leaks and appliance failure;

A very thin coating of PolyHalt® forms a protective insulating layer on the metallic surfaces of metals exposed to Low pH or aggressive water.

Silica etching and pitting;

Though we are not sure of the chemical reason we know PolyHalt® somehow prevents etching and pitting of glass from silica.

Iron and Manganese treatment;

Dissolved iron and manganese in water are clear. Treatment with PolyHalt® keeps them clear, it prevents them from reacting with oxygen and changing to their colored form. PolyHalt® treated iron and manganese remain in the water unable to cause typical orange / red and brown / black form staining.

Blue and Green Staining;

Blue / green staining happens when copper leached from plumbing by water that is low pH or low TDS (total dissolved solids). Blue / green stains are prevented with PolyHalt® treatment because PolyHalt® forms a very thin protective insulating layer on the metallic surfaces of metals exposed to Low pH or aggressive water

Notes:

PolyHalt® is a unique polyphosphate formula derived from naturally occurring phosphorous bearing rock. Levels of polyphosphate allowed in drinking water are regulated by the USEPA. Automatic proportional control and safety of PolyHalt® is tested and certified by NSF, an independent third-party testing agency. PolyHalt® has no color, taste or odor so it will not change these features of treated water.

Testing Hardness, Iron and Manganese:

Because PolyHalt® softens water by forming complexes with rather than removing hardness minerals through ion exchange and replacement with salt as with a conventional salt-based softener your water will test the same for calcium and magnesium before and after treatment.

A water hardness test shows how much calcium and magnesium are in the water, it does not show how the treated water behaves. Though there are differences in PolyHalt® and conventional salt-based softened water, they both essentially behave the same, they make untreated hard water with calcium and magnesium minerals easier to work with. One leaves the hardness minerals in the water, the other replaces them with salt.

This same principle holds true for iron and manganese in the water. PolyHalt® form a new complex with iron and manganese through ionic bonding. Without removing these metals they are rendered harmless unable to convert to their colored form. Because the new harmless complex remains in the water after treatment testing will show the same concentration before and after treatment.

PolyHalt® is consumed during the treatment process and so it must be replaced to prevent water problems from recurring. Maximum filter life is 1 year for whole home systems and 6 months for smaller Point of Use systems. Most often PolyHalt® will last a full year but water quality and volume treated may affect shorten filter life. Spots that are hard to clean after treatment indicate it is time to replace your filter. So you never end up with bad water problems again consider our “Filter Reminder Service” or “Autoship” options.

One difference between conventional salt-based softeners and PolyHalt® saltless softeners you need to be aware of is how the water “feels”. Unlike salt softened water, PolyHalt® treated water does not feel “slippery” so if you like and want to have the slippery feeling created when salt is added to your water a PolyHalt® saltless softener may not be for you.

Just as with salt-based softeners your water may still produce spots as it evaporates. Water spots after treatment with PolyHalt® will be much easier to clean, usually only requiring a simple wiping. Spots that are hard to clean after treatment indicate it is time to replace your filter.

Your water may be worse after treatment. This is a normal effect of using PolyHalt® as it begins to loosen and clean away existing scale buildup in plumbing pipes and fixtures. This is a temporary condition that usually stops after 30 to 60 days ending when existing buildup is cleaned up.

The new complex made by the binding of PolyHalt® with minerals is strong and stable at temperatures less than 140° F. and will not break down or revert over many months or even years.