What is a Water Softener and How does a Water Softener Work

What Is Hard Water?

Hard water, as previously defined, is a type of water that contains rather high levels of dissolved minerals, such as calcium and magnesium. The harder the water, the larger the quantities of these kinds of minerals dissolved. This type of water can affect the pipes, lowering the effectiveness of the pipes, and depositing minerals on most surfaces. Some of the common symptoms of hard water include:

• Stiff Laundry
• Mineral deposits on dishes and glassware
• Have to use high soap and fabric softeners
• More usage to clean the soap scum on the bathtubs and shower stalls
• Scaling in appliances such as water heaters, sinks, tubs and faucets
• The deposits accumulate in pipes and water heaters

What Is Water Softener?

Now, after deriving the basic idea of what hard water is and its symptoms, let’s talk about what a water softener actually is. The water softener represents a whole-house system of water treatment intended to remove water hardness. This system of the Water Softener Installation works in some sort of process called water exchange. In this process, sodium or potassium ions replace the hard water minerals, then we get “softened” water. The resulting softened water does not cause scaling or reduce the effectiveness of the soap.

This is the overall definition of a water softener. With this definition, you might have guessed that there is a process leading to the transformation of the hard water into the soft water.

How Does Water Softener Actually Work?

Now that you know what a water softener is, the question stands: how does a water softener? From what we have discussed so far, you should have a simple idea regarding its working process. The water goes through the Water Softener Installation system that takes it through the process known as ion exchange, where the hard water minerals are replaced with sodium or potassium ions. Keeping this in mind, let’s talk about this process in detail.

1. Entry

In the first stage of how a water softener , the hard water (water containing high amounts of calcium and magnesium) enters the softener through an inlet valve. We source water from many places, including natural sources such as groundwater and reservoirs such as municipal supplies. These waters have hard minerals dissolved in them and can create issues such as reducing soap effectiveness and scaling.

2. Ion Exchange Process

This step is where the magic happens. In this step, the water is transferred into a resin tank filled with negatively charged resin beads.  Then positively charged sodium or potassium ions coat them. Following is the process detailing the exchange

3. Water Passes Through the Resin Tank

• These calcium and magnesium ions in water are, therefore, attracted to the negatively charged resin beads.
• The calcium and magnesium ions possess a more potent charge; hence, they replace the sodium and potassium ions in the resin beads.
• The water leaves with the sodium and/or potassium ions, while the calcium and magnesium ions remain in the beads.

4. Softened Water Exists

After the completion of the ion exchange process, the water becomes soft as it does not contain hardness containing minerals. After the process, the water only has a small concentration of potassium ions, which does not result in a buildup of scales or other negative effects caused by hard water. This water then exits the resin tank and is gets into a reserve tank.

5. Regeneration Cycle

Now, note that the resin beads get saturated with calcium and/or magnesium ions, which reduces their effectiveness over time. When this happens, you must take the water through a Water Softener Installation cycle to restore its functionality. This process involves the following steps:

• Let the system reverse water flow to flush out dirt and debris
• Then, the system flushes a highly concentrated sodium chloride (stored in a brine tank), or potassium chloride, through the resin beads.
• The sodium and potassium ions in the solution then displace the calcium and magnesium ions from the reason beads
• The solution, now with calcium and magnesium, is flushed out of the system through the drain
• The brine tank is refilled with water to dissolve more salt and potassium.

This regeneration cycle can either be done manually or automatically. That said, do note that most modern water softeners carry out this process either using timers or sensors.

This is the overall process of how a water softener. The specific process is still a bit more complicated than this, but our description covers the overall process in layperson’s terms. We hope you understood the overall gist of the process.

Different Types of Water Softeners

While we discussed the overall process of water softener, you need to note that the specifics of the process depend on its types. So, what are the different types of water softeners? Some of the key types of water softeners include:

1. Salt Based Water Softener

Salt-based water softener is the most common type of water softener. This form of water softener includes a mineral tank that contains resin beads and a brine tank. In this water softener, water passes through the beads, where the minerals are replaced by the salt through ion exchange. The resins are then regularly flushed through the process known as regeneration.

2. Dual-Tank Water Softener

As its name suggests, the Dual-Tank Water Softener has two mineral tanks along with a standard salt tank. Because of this, a minimum of one salt tank is always available for water softening. This allows you to use the system continuously without needing to wait for the regeneration process.

3. Salt-Free Water Conditioner

This water softener is known as a descaler because instead of removing the minerals, it simply prevents the minerals from forming harmful deposits inside your tank. This is because the Salt-free water conditioner replaces the salt in the brine tank with potassium chloride. A salt-free water cater conditioner is better suited for moving water than stagnant water.

4. Reverse Osmosis Water Purification System

A reverse osmosis water treatment system forces the water under high pressure through a special filter, known as a semipermeable membrane. These allow water through because of their small pores, while larger particles, like minerals, become trapped.

Benefits of Installing Water Softener

After learning the details regarding water softeners, some of you may question: What are the benefits of installing water softeners? There are many benefits of Water Softener Installation. Some of the key benefits include:

• Reduces the mineral deposits in pipes, faucets, and appliances
• Improves effectiveness and life of appliances such as water heaters, dishwashers, and washing machines.
• Enhances the effectiveness of soap and soap-based products
• Reduces water spots and residues in dishes and glass surfaces
• Allows water heater to work more effectively
  Lowers the requirement of the dishes
• Enhances the life of your fabrics
• Reduces the frequency on which plumbing clogs due to the buildup of minerals and corrosion it causes.

Besides the ones we mentioned here, there can be several other benefits depending on the specifics of your water softener and your circumstances.

How to Choose the Right Water Softener For Your Home

Last but not least, let’s talk about the factors you should consider before choosing the water softener for your home and organization. These various aspects include:

• Determine the hardness of your water in grains per gallon or parts per million, as it allows you to choose the water softener with the right capacity.
• Estimate your water usage as a larger water consumption will require a higher capacity system.
• Determine between the salt-free and salt-based systems
• Check if the regeneration is timed-based, metered regeneration, or manual
• Choose a water softener with high-efficiency
• Ensure that the water softener fits the available space in your home.
• Look for the warranty on the softener
• Choose a water softener that fits your budget
• Understand the maintenance involved for the water softener.

These are some of the key factors that you should consider before choosing the water softener.

Conclusion

Plumbing is a tough job, and you need to be aware of many aspects of this profession. One of such aspect within plumbing is the case of hard water and the application of water softeners. In simplest words, hard water is water which contains minerals like calcium and magnesium, and a water softener essentially removes these minerals by replacing them with sodium or potassium ions or filtering them out. Now there are many types of water softeners, and each of them has its specifications. Therefore, you have to consider a few things, like the cost, type, hardness of your grains, and usage of water. Here, in this blog, we discussed various features of how a water softener: what hard water is, water softeners, how a water softener, and many more.

We hope you found this helpful. If you have further insights into the various other aspects of drainage and plumbing, feel free to check out some of our other blogs. If you want the best plumbing service in Toronto, Canada, look no further than Everest Drain & Plumbing. Thank you for reading till the end.

FAQs on How Does a Water Softener Work

Is it okay to drink water from a water softener?

While it is generally okay to drink water from a water softener, you do have to note that the typical water softening process adds small amounts of sodium and potassium chloride to the water. Furthermore, they also remove hard minerals such as calcium and magnesium, which benefit us in small amounts. As long as you consider these factors and are fine with all of them, you can drink water from a water softener at your will.

What maintenance does a water softener need?

There are many aspects of maintaining water softeners. Some of the maintenance requirements include:

• Refilling of the salt tank
• Breaking up of salt bridges or a solid crust of the salt inside the brine tank
• Clean up the brine tank
• Check resin bed every few years
• Inspect for salt mushing, which is essentially a thick salty sludge at the bottom.
• Periodically check the bypass valve
• Use resin cleaner for high iron/manganese water.
• Check for leaks and ensure proper operation of valves.

What are the signs that you need a water softener?

There are many signs that you must go for Water Softener Installation. Some of the key water signs that you need a water softener include:

• Hard water stains on dishes and glassware
  Scaling in appliances
• Reduced effectiveness and foaming of soap and soap products
• Dry skin and hair when bathing or washing
• Increased energy bills from water heaters
• Stiff Laundry
• Frequent plumbing problems
• The metallic taste or smell of the water
• Low water pressure

How does a water softener work step by step?

The step-by-step process of how a water softener works is as follows:

• Water enters into the softener tank
• Ion exchange takes place, and resin beads charged with sodium or potassium ions replace the calcium and magnesium ions.
• Softened water comes out.

Is it worth Water Softener Installation in your house?

Yes, it works by putting water softener in your house as it reduces scale buildup, improves appliance effectiveness, and enhances soap performance. It also lowers energy bills.

How long do water softeners last?

The specific duration of the water softener depends on factors such as the quality of the water unit, maintenance, water quality, and usage. However, in general, it lasts for 10 to 15 years.

How much does it cost to Water Softener Installation?

On average, the water softener unit ranges from CAD500 to CAD 3000 or more, depending on various factors such as its type, size, and Water Softener Installation method.

What are the 5 stages of the water softener process?

The five stages of water softeners are as follows:

• Hard water enters the softener system
• Ion exchange takes place
• Soft water exists in the tank
• The regeneration cycle takes place
• Resin beads are recharged with sodium or potassium