A water softener removes minerals that cause water hardness, which is one of the most common water quality issues that homeowners face. Hard water ruins appliances, deposits filmy soap scum in bathrooms and kitchens, and dries out hair and skin. Water softeners are essential because over 85 percent of Americans use hard water for cooking, cleaning, and bathing.
A water softener saves you money on water heater replacements, scaly faucet heads, and hours of cleaning up soapy residue. Purchasing a water softener saves you time, energy, and money while also protecting your home and property.
What is a water softener?
A water softener is a whole-house filtration system that uses ion exchange to remove hardness-causing calcium and magnesium minerals from your water. A water softener addresses one of the most common and destructive water issues: hard water.
Hard water wreaks havoc on today's homes. Scale accumulates in your pipes, clogging them and reducing water pressure. Scale significantly reduces the lifespan of appliances such as dishwashers, coffee makers, and ice machines. Hot water appliances are destroyed by hard water.
The more calcium and magnesium solidify and harden into solid deposits inside your hot water heater, the higher the temperature of the water. If you live in a hard water area, your water heater may sound like it is popping popcorn. This is due to scale adhering to the heating element. The calcified rock deposits crusted on the heating elements begin cracking and stretching as the heater's temperature rises and the tank expands. The popcorn popping sound is caused by hard water-induced scale.
Without a water softener, laundry requires more detergent to avoid looking dingy. Dishes will be streaked and stained when they come out of the dishwasher. Scum accumulates on your shower curtains, preventing soap and shampoo from lathering. Bathing in hard water causes itchy, dry skin and hair that is lifeless and sticky. The amount of time, energy, and money required to clean up the negative effects of hard water is mind-boggling. The solution to the scourge of water hardness is a whole-house water softener.
How do water softeners function?
Water softeners work by removing calcium and magnesium from the water through a process known as ion exchange. The hard water flows through a bed of spherical resin beads as it enters the mineral tank. These sodium-ion-charged plastic beads are typically made of polystyrene. The resin beads are anions, which means they are negatively charged. Calcium and magnesium are cations because they have a positive charge.
Because opposite charges attract, the minerals' negative charge is drawn to the resin beads' positive charge. The beads grab hold of the mineral ions and remove them from the water as the hard water passes through the resin. The sodium ion is released when the bead seizes the mineral ion. As the water passes through the mineral tank, the resin column removes all of the hardness, and softened water flows into your home.
What exactly are the parts of a water softener?
A control valve, a mineral tank, and a brine tank are the three components of a water softener. These three work together to remove minerals from hard water, monitor water flow, and clean the system on a regular basis via a regeneration process.
1. The mineral reservoir
The mineral tank is the chamber that softens hard water. The hard water is fed into the tank via the water supply line. Water seeps through the bed of resin beads, depositing calcium and magnesium ions that harden the water. The water softly exits the tank and flows through your pipes to your household appliances.
2. The command and control valve
The control valve monitors the flow of water through the mineral tank and into your home. The valve contains a meter that measures the amount of water that enters the mineral tank. The resin beads exchange sodium ions for hardness ions as hard water flows through the mineral tank. This depletes the resin's capacity to soften water effectively over time.
The control valve automatically initiates a regeneration cycle when the beads become too clogged with mineral content to continue removing calcium and magnesium ions. This maximum capacity is pre-programmed into the control valve's onboard computer and is determined by several factors, including the size of your home, the number of occupants, and the hardness of your water. Control valves are demand-initiated controllers that enable water softening units to be highly efficient.
3. The saltwater tank
The brine tank aids in the regeneration of the water softening system. It is a smaller tank located next to the mineral tank. The brine tank contains a highly concentrated solution of salt (or sometimes potassium) to restore the positive charge of the resin beads. Salt in the form of pellets or blocks is manually added to the brine tank.
These dissolve in the water at the tank's bottom. When the control valve detects that the resin's softening capacity is dwindling, the heavy brine solution is drawn from the tank and flushed through the resin in the mineral tank. If the salt in the brine tank runs out, the water flowing through the unit will no longer be softened.
What is the process of water softener regeneration?
Regeneration cycles submerge the resin beads in a highly concentrated brine solution, washing away the hardness minerals and draining them from the system. The resin beads are recharged and primed to remove the hardness minerals once more. Resin beads are extremely long-lasting and can effectively soften your water for up to twenty years. Water softeners regenerate in one of two ways: co-current regeneration or counter-current regeneration (also referred to as downflow brining and upflow brining.)
Coexisting regeneration cycle
The brine solution enters the mineral tank in the same direction as the service flow during a co-current regeneration cycle. The brine solution flows down the depth of the resin bead bed, and the ion exchange process is repeated, but this time in reverse. The salts force the beads to release magnesium and calcium ions in exchange for sodium ions as the brine flows over them.
As the brine flows through the resin, an increasing concentration of hardness minerals forms and flows throughout the system. Continuous exchange and re-exchange of minerals and regeneration ions occurs as the brine solution pushes more hardness minerals through the bed.
The solution's strength has been significantly reduced by the time the water has exited the tank. The highest charged beads in a co-current regeneration cycle will be on the top of the tank. Co-current regeneration consumes more water and salt than counter-current regeneration.
Cycle of counter-current regeneration
Water enters the tank through the bottom of the mineral tank, where it normally exits, during a counter-current regeneration cycle. The brine is pushed up the resin bed by the countercurrent cycle, starting at the bottom where the resin beads are usually the least depleted.
This means that during the regeneration cycle, fewer hardness minerals initiate re-exchange. By the time the brine reaches the top of the resin bed, it is less depleted.
Counter-current cycling water softeners use 75% less salt and 65% less water than co-current cycling. It also more evenly distributes the recharging sodium ions. In a countercurrent cycle, the most highly charged beads will be at the bottom of the tank, right before the water exits into the house. These are also known as high efficiency water softeners.
What do water softeners remove?
Water softeners primarily remove calcium and magnesium ions from hard water. The two minerals that cause water hardness are calcium (Ca2+) and magnesium (Mg2+). The ion exchange process will also attract and eliminate any positively charged ions (also known as a cation). Other minerals, such as iron and manganese, can be included.
Is iron removed by a water softener?
Water softeners remove ferrous iron (dissolved iron) when it is present in small amounts and the majority of the iron is soluble. Iron darkens the color of water and causes visible stains on your toilet, bathtub, and sinks. The removal of ferric iron (insoluble iron) with a softener is more difficult. Ferric iron will accumulate on the resin bed and resist regeneration cycle backwashing.
This can result in iron slugs in your softened water, reducing the potency of the resin beads. When dissolved iron comes into contact with oxygen, it oxidizes and transforms into ferric iron. So, while a water softener can remove iron in its dissolved state, if your water contains a lot of iron, some of it will inevitably convert to an insoluble state.
If your water softener is processing a lot of iron, you should use a chemical solution like Rust Out to clean your softener bed and extend the life of your resin beads. An iron filter or a more comprehensive filtration system, such as reverse osmosis, is best for removing iron from water.
Is it safe to drink soft water?
It is safe to drink soft water. When the resin beads grab hold of the hardness minerals during the ion exchange process, they release sodium into the water. However, the amount of sodium in softened water is not harmful and is far less than what is commonly assumed. If your water is moderately hard, say five grains per gallon (about 86ppm), you're only adding 37 milligrams of sodium.
That amounts to less than 2% of the recommended daily sodium intake. A slice of white bread contains approximately 170 milligrams of sodium, while a slice of pizza contains approximately 640 milligrams. So, in comparison, the sodium added by water softeners is negligible.
A water softener's sodium addition is proportional to the number of hardness minerals removed. The softener releases two milligrams of sodium for every milligram of hardness in the water. This is only an issue if you live in an area with extremely hard water.
If the hardness level in your water exceeds 400 ppm, you should install a reverse osmosis system to treat the water you drink and cook with. The reverse osmosis system forces water through a semipermeable membrane capable of removing nearly all dissolved solids and salts. If your doctor has advised you to limit your sodium intake due to high blood pressure or kidney problems, you should also install a reverse osmosis system after your softener.
Do I need a water softener?
You need a water softener if you have low water pressure due to scale-infested pipes, dry hair, stiff laundry, and endless appliance repair bills. Hard water is not going away on its own, and the costs associated with it will only continue to rise. Appliances with a water softener will inevitably fail before their expected lifespan.
If scale builds up in your pipes, your flow rate will be restricted and you risk losing water pressure throughout the house. Hard water wreaks havoc on water heaters, and without a softener, your utility bills will continue to rise. If your water supply is hard, the never-ending cycle of repairs and replacements will continue until your home is protected by a water softener.
How much does a water softener cost?
A whole-house water softener costs between $600 and $1,500. If you live in an area with hard water, a water softener is not a luxury; it is an essential investment in your home and property. The size and model of water softener that is right for you are determined by the size and hardness of your water. Remember that, despite their high cost, water softeners can last for 20 years or more. They also have very low monthly operating costs. They run on very little power (no more than a bedside alarm clock). If properly backwashed, water softener resin can last for over 20 years.
The only true monthly expense is salt replenishment in the brine tank. According to industry standards, a household of four using a standard efficiency softener will use approximately 40 lbs of salt per month. Water with high TDS and iron levels, on the other hand, will require more salt to soften effectively. A 40-pound bag of sodium chloride pellets costs between $10 and $25. Upgrading to a high efficiency counter-current brining unit will result in even less salt being used.
When compared to the daily expenses and frustrations caused by hard water, a water softener is ultimately a cost-effective investment. The money and energy saved far outweigh the cost of the water softener system.
How do you install a water softener?
A water softener should be installed as close to the source of the water as possible. This ensures that the majority of your plumbing and appliances benefit from the softened water. It's especially important to place your water softener before your water heater, because hard water is the most damaging to hot water appliances.
Install the softener in a dry, level location, such as a basement or garage. It must be near a water main line, have an electrical outlet to turn on the system, and have a drain for the brine solution from the regeneration cycle.
Most softeners have a bypass built into the inlet and outlet. You can bypass the softener by turning a valve if you need to perform maintenance on it or if you're installing it. If the softener you choose does not have a bypass, you should build one out of plumbing to bypass the equipment in case you need to maintain it.
Installing a Water Softener:
Set up the water softener. Ascertain that the softener is properly positioned. The inlet should be connected to the water supply, and the outlet should face the direction of the hot water appliances.
Turn off your home's water supply at the main line. Turn off your home's water supply to prevent leaks from forming during the installation process. Make sure your water heater's water supply is turned off, as well as the power to the unit. Drain your drains. Open nearby faucets or faucets on your home's bottom floor to ensure that all water exits your house's supply pipes.
Make a cut in the main water supply line. Cut into the water main leading into the supply line with pipe cutters. Because this is a whole-house filtration system, the inlet and outlet lines must be connected directly to the water main line.
Pipes must be measured, cut, and connected. Measure and cut your pipes to fit before connecting them to your water softener. To avoid melting the plastic, solder any nipples and fittings before connecting the unit to the bypass valve if you're using copper pipes. Plumber's tape should be used to seal all threads. PEX plastic tubing can also be used. Though additional adapters may be required, flexible tubing is far easier to work with and can use push-to-connect fittings, saving you time and the hassle of soldering.
Secure the drain hose. After the regeneration cycle, the water softener must drain the depleted brine solution. Securely clamp the drain hose and feed it into a dedicated drain, such as a floor drain or utility sink. All drain hoses must have an air gap to prevent the hose from backsiphoning waste water. The hose should extend at least two inches above the dedicated drain. This can be accomplished with an air gap, which may be required depending on local plumbing codes.
Attach the overflow tube. Overflow tubes are an additional safeguard to prevent the brine tank from flooding and overflowing. For specific placement of this hose, consult the manufacturer's instructions. An air gap may also be required for the overflow tub.
What is causing my water softener to leak?
Water softener leaks are typically caused by an issue during installation or during maintenance. Take your time when installing the plumbing to your softener and make sure your fittings are properly threaded and your push-to-connect fittings are properly seated. A cracked bypass valve can also cause the system to leak. Bypass valves have o-rings that may need to be lubricated or replaced over time. A cracked rotor valve or rotor valve seal could also be the source of the problem.
During the softening and regeneration processes, the rotor valve directs the flow of water throughout the system. A worn water valve can become stuck and leak. If the rotor valve seal is leaking, it is most likely cracked and simply needs to be replaced.
A water softener should not leak on a daily basis. Leaks can also occur if you collide with the softener and jostle it, causing the fitting to separate. Install the unit in a secure and stable location to avoid this happening. If you live in an earthquake-prone area of the country, secure the softener so that it doesn't fall over and rip out the plumbing if the foundation begins to move. If your water softener is leaking during regeneration, wait until the cycle is finished before inspecting the system for cracks or broken fittings.
You should also ensure that your drain line is never clogged with debris. A clogged drain line can cause the softener to blow off during regeneration, flooding your basement or garage.
To avoid electrical shock, never attempt to repair a leak while the softener is plugged in. Before attempting any repair or cleaning, always unplug the softener from its power supply. You should also turn off the water softener's bypass valve to prevent further leaks and to isolate the unit from the rest of your home's plumbing. Turn off the water at the main line if your softener does not have a bypass valve. If you can't find the source of the leak, contact a plumber or the company that installed the unit.
When do I need to replace my water softener?
Water softeners typically have a 15-year lifespan; however, if properly maintained, water softener systems can last much longer. Making sure the brine tank never runs out of salt will help the unit last longer. Protecting the resin bed from high levels of iron and manganese will also protect the unit. Iron will clog the resin and reduce its ion exchange performance.
Resin cleaners improve the regeneration cycle by removing hardness-causing minerals from the resin beads. Resin can last for 10-20 years if properly maintained; however, heavily chlorinated water will quickly deplete the beads' ion exchange capacity. Sediment accumulation will also cause the control valve's screens and injectors to fail prematurely.
Installing a sediment filter in front of your water softener is a good idea, especially if you have well water with a lot of dirt and debris. If you have extremely hard water (more than 14 gpg), your system might not last as long as someone with moderately hard water.
The variety of factors makes determining a specific time frame for replacing a water softener difficult. If the unit is more than a decade old and its softening powers appear to be steadily declining, it may be time to invest in a new system. Having said that, diligent care and maintenance can help to extend the life of a water softener.
What exactly is a salt-free water softener?
A salt-free water softener does not exist. To address water hardness, salt-free water conditioners use template assisted crystallization (TAC) rather than ion exchange. TAC converts dissolved calcium and magnesium minerals into micro-crystals by using small, spherical beads. These crystals are unable to attach to surfaces, preventing scale buildup in pipes. Salt-free water conditioners do not soften water; rather, they are anti-scale systems.
Though these systems are effective at both preventing and removing pre-existing scale, they do not provide many of the benefits that water softening does. They do not remove water hardness minerals. The hardness minerals are transformed, but the elevated calcium and magnesium levels remain in the water. As a result, you won't notice many of the water softening benefits, such as brighter laundry and cleaner dishes.
To achieve the desired cleanliness, you will still need to use additional detergent. Soap scum will continue to accumulate around your tub and shower. However, your showerheads and faucets will be free of scaly deposits, and pressure and flow will return to your pipes.
Learn more about the truth about salt-free water softeners.
