Water Softener Benefits

Water softeners reduce hard water problems like spots on dishes, dry hair and stiff laundry. They reduce expenses by keeping appliances working longer and decreasing damage to pipes.

As water enters the softener, it flows through a resin tank and exchanges calcium and magnesium ions for sodium. Regular recharging with salt keeps the system in peak condition.

Eliminates Scale Buildup

Water softeners prevent the formation of hard-water scale by passing water through a bed of polystyrene resin beads coated with sodium ions. The resin beads attract the negative calcium and magnesium ions from the hard-water, swapping them for sodium ions. The water left behind is free of mineral ions, and it tastes, smells and functions the same as it did before.

As hard-water passes through pipes, it leaves deposits that build up and create clogs. These clogs restrict the flow of water and cause damage to plumbing fixtures and appliances. Using a water softener will reduce the amount of hard-water residue that accumulates inside your home’s plumbing system, saving you money on expensive repairs.

Hard-water residues also leave behind unsightly stains on sinks, tubs, faucets and other surfaces. These stains are difficult to remove, and they also interfere with the performance of your appliances. Whole house stainless steel water purifier Water softeners will eliminate these stains and restore the appearance and performance of your appliances and fixtures.

While there are other options for addressing hard-water problems, none of them works as well as water softeners. Other systems, such as anti-scale systems and water conditioners, prevent scale buildup but do not remove the minerals that make the water hard. This means that soap will not lather as well, laundry will take longer to wash, and appliances will require more power to function.

Reduces Soap Scum

With a water softener, you can say goodbye to frustrating soap curds that form on your shower walls and tub. Soft water is free of dissolved calcium and magnesium, which causes the adverse reaction with soaps that creates these hard-to-clean spots. Soaps also dissolve more easily in soft water, allowing them to work more effectively. You can wash your clothes, dishes and yourself much more thoroughly without resulting residues that cling to your skin or leave behind dull, streaky glass shower doors.

If you have noticed your water softener appears to be “sick” — with re-emerging soap scum lines or an insufficient number of regeneration cycles — you may be experiencing a problem known as salt bridges. Salt bridges are a solid layer of crystalline salt that forms over the surface of your brine tank, and can interfere with the proper function of the water softener.

To prevent these problems, it is important to use only the highest quality salt in your water softener. The most recommended type of salt for use with a water softener is evaporated salt, which has been heated to remove moisture and ensure it’s nearly pure. It is more soluble and less likely to create these dangerous salt bridges than mineral-rich rock or table salt.

When a water softener is due for a recharge, it’s important to empty the brine solution and hardness minerals from the salt brine tank. This process will flush the resin beads clean and recharge them with sodium ions.

Reduces Expenses

A water softener can eliminate a host of costly symptoms and help reduce the overall expense of running a household. This includes reducing the costs of detergents, soaps, energy consumption and repair bills for appliances. A water softener also helps extend the lifespan of plumbing systems and equipment. A long-term investment, water softening prevents mineral buildup from clogging pipes and drains, lowering repair costs and premature equipment replacement.

Water softening relies on a chemical process called ion exchange that replaces calcium and magnesium ions with sodium ions. Those minerals are then flushed out of the system into the drain. Generally, salt-based water softeners use a tank of resin beads that are saturated with sodium and exchanged for hardness minerals during the water cycle. When the system needs to recharge, it rinses the beads with a brine solution and removes the salt clumps that have formed, which is known as a “salt bridge.” Using higher-purity salts such as evaporated salt pellets in the brine tank can reduce the formation of these bridges.

If you are considering installing a water Commercial Water Filter softener, consider opting for a dual-tank model. Traditional softeners disconnect from the house’s plumbing to recharge, which is usually overnight. A dual-tank softener has two tanks that operate in parallel, allowing you to enjoy fresh, clean, softened water all day long without interrupting your daily routine.

Reduces Health Concerns

A water softener is a whole-house filtration appliance that removes hardness-causing calcium and magnesium minerals. Using a process called ion exchange, the water passes through a bed of spherical resin beads. The beads are charged with a negative electrical charge, making them anions, while the hardness-causing minerals have a positive charge, resulting in them being cations. Because opposite charges attract, the resin beads grab the cations and release a positively charged sodium ion.

The water softening process adds small amounts of sodium to the household’s water supply, and this can be a concern for some people. However, most of this added salt is used to regenerate the resin beds and can be easily controlled by reducing table salt use in cooking or other uses. Drinking water that has been treated with a water softener still contains less sodium than many processed foods and most bottled beverages.

Some people also worry that water softeners prevent the body from absorbing essential minerals, such as potassium and iron. However, these minerals are not found in significant quantities in the typical home and can be easily replaced with a balanced diet. Water softeners are not intended to be used as a substitute for proper dietary practices and should only be relied on to reduce hardness-causing minerals. The added sodium from the water softening process is washed away with the water and ends up in lakes, rivers, and oceans where it can have a negative impact on wildlife species and ecosystems.