How a Water Softener Works
Learn about hard water, its adverse effects, and how a water softener converts hard water into soft water.
Did you notice stubborn white flecks on your dishes, stiff and dry hair, and that unsightly buildup on the end of your showerhead? All these are common signs of the dreaded hard water. Water softeners are the best solution for your water problem at home. It will impact everything from the longevity of your appliances to the freshness of your fruits and vegetables using soft water. Buthow does a water softener works, and how do you maintain it running smoothly?
What Is Hard Water?
Hard water is a generic representation of a water supply with high amounts of minerals from theground— calcium and magnesium. But what exactly is hard water? The term references the
mineral-rich remnants left behind from water with high levels of calcium and magnesium. Water is soft, if it lacks these minerals in considerable quantities. Water can be innately soft (water
supplies emanated from streams and lakes are often naturally soft). It can be soft due to the
different water treatment methods our experts use. They called it water softeners.
Usually, a water softener features one or two tanks attached to the primary water source when
the water transit from the source to your home, minerals such as calcium and magnesium unite.
As the water runs over these minerals, they will start to dissolve into the water. The more
minerals dissolve, and by the water, the water hardness will grow.
What are the Indications of Hard Water?
● Stiff, dirty laundry
● Mineral deposits on dishes and glassware
● High soap usage & need for your fabric softeners
● Added work to remove soap scum on shower stalls
and bathtubs.
● Scale buildup in tubs, faucets, sinks, & appliances
● A buildup of mineral deposits in pipes and water heaters
● The slimy feeling after washing your hands with soap
● Dry skin and hair
● Scratchy and stiff laundries
● Badly functioning appliances
● A frequent problem with your water heater
Softening your water is also known as reducing the high levels of calcium and magnesium. It will increase the lifespan and longevity of your water-based appliances at home. Also, it makes your skin and hair softer and healthier than ever. Nonetheless, it can even increase water heater efficiency and freshen your laundry.
How to fix it? The solution to the problem is to cut calcium and magnesium. While chemical treatments do this, the most popular answer is a water softener. A standard water softener is a mechanical appliance connected to your home’s water supply system. All water softeners use the same operational principles: They trade the minerals for something else, in most cases, sodium. The process is called ion exchange.
The core of a water softener is a mineral tank. It's filled with tiny polystyrene dots, known as zeolite or resin. The beads take a negative charge. And magnesium and calcium in water both carry positive charges. These minerals will attach to the beads as the hard water washes through the tank or container. Sodium ions, also as we know, have positive charges, albeit not as large as the amount of calcium and magnesium. Water softeners have a different brine tank that uses common salt to create this brine solution.
I hope this helps and you learn something from this article. Try to check our other contents for more information about water softeners and their uses.
