How a Water Softener Works
At ProClear Water Solutions, we want you to understand your system! What it does, how it works & what it doesn't do!
Salt free water conditioners DO NOT remove hard minerals- calcium and magnesium!!
A water softener removes minerals that create water hardness, these are calcium and magnesium. Hard water destroys appliances, leaves filmy soap scum across bathrooms and kitchens, and dries out hair and skin. With over 85% of the United States relying on hard water for their cooking, cleaning, and bathing, water softeners serve a vital purpose. A water softener saves you from replacing prematurely ruined water heaters, scaly faucet heads, and hours and hours of cleaning up soapy residue. Investing in a water softener saves you time, energy, and money, and protects your home and your property.
How does it work?
A water softener removes calcium and magnesium from water through a process called ion exchange. When the hard water enters into the mineral tank, it flows through a bed of spherical resin beads. These plastic beads, usually made from polystyrene, are charged with a sodium ion. The resin beads are anions, meaning they have a negative charge. The calcium and magnesium minerals have a positive charge, making them cations. Since opposite charges attract, the negative charge of the minerals is attracted to the positive charge of the resin beads. As the hard water passes through the resin, the beads grab ahold of the mineral ions and remove them from the water. When the bead seizes the mineral ion, the sodium ion is released. The column of resin strips all the hardness out of the water as it passes through the mineral tank, and softened water flows out into your home.
Why does the system need salt?
Water softener regeneration cycles inundate the resin beads with a highly concentrated brine solution, washing off the hardness minerals and draining them out of the system. The resin beads are recharged and primed to again eliminate the hardness minerals. Resin beads are extremely durable and can effectively soften your water for twenty years or longer.
Do Salt Free Systems Work?
A salt-free water softener doesn’t exist. There are salt-free water conditioners that use template assisted crystallization (TAC) instead of ion exchange to address water hardness. TAC uses small, spherical beads to convert dissolved calcium and magnesium minerals into micro-crystals. These crystals are unable to attach to surfaces, thereby blocking them from producing scale build-up in pipes. Salt-free water conditioners do not soften water, they are anti-scale systems. They do not remove hard minerals from the water. They transform the hardness minerals, but the elevated calcium and magnesium levels are still present in the water. This means you will not see many of the water softening benefits, like brighter laundry and cleaner dishes. You will still have to use additional detergent to achieve the desired cleanliness. Soap scum will still build up around your tub and shower.
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Refer back to our page on Residential Water Softening!
adapted from https://www.freshwatersystems.com/blogs/blog/what-is-a-water-softener-and-how-does-it-work