Water Softener Systems

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What are water softener systems?

Water softener systems are appliances that reduces the concentration of dissolved “hardness ions” found in hard water. These ions include calcium, magnesium, manganese and ferrous iron.

Conventional household water-softening appliances use an ion-exchange resin where the negatively charged hardness ions trade places with the ions from the regenerant. The regenerant may be potassium chloride or sodium chloride (pellet, solar or rock salt). The undesirable ions (calcium, magnesium and iron) are replaced by potassium or sodium ions.

Why buy water softener systems?

Eighty five percent of American homes have problems with hard water, according to the U.S. Geological Survey. Hard water reacts with calcium-sensitive detergents so that they cannot form lather and limits the cleaning effect of detergent formulations.

When used for bathing, hard water generally means needing more soap or shampoo and longer and more thorough rinsing. Otherwise, the soap that remains on the skin may cause rashes and clog pores.

Additionally, the chemical interaction between detergents and hardness ions leads to the formation of scum commonly known as soap curd, tile scum or bathtub ring. Hard water also produces hard to remove spots and scales on dishes and cookware. When used for laundry hard water leave clothes stiff.

Water with high amounts of calcium and magnesium carbonates tend to form hard deposits on the surfaces of pipes and heat exchanger surfaces when they evaporate. Left unchecked, the resulting build-up can restrict water flow in pipes. The build-up also reduces the heating efficiency of water heaters and allows the metal boiler components to overheat. This can increase the cost of domestic water heating by as much as 20%. Hard water can also lead to metal corrosion.

When the hardness of water involves high concentration of iron or manganese ions the water typically has a “rotten egg” or sulfur odor as well as an undesirable appearance and taste.

Additional Information

It is important to test your water before purchasing a water softener system. This can be done using hardness test Kits that measures the amount of total hardness present in the water sample. The test kit helps determine the of size softener that is required. It can also be used to see if the water quality has improved after installing the water softener system.

It is generally not harmful to mix salts as a regenerant in a water softener, but some systems are designed to work with specific water softening products. Mixing solar salt with rock salt may clog the softening reservoir. It is recommended to allow the water softener system empty one type of salt before adding another to avoid potential problems.

The regenerant must be replaced regularly, usually every month. The more often a water softener system is used, the more often salt needs to be added. The salt level should be maintained at least half-full at all times to ensure sufficient production of soft water.