How A Water Softener Works

image from stained texture background series (old hard water or lime stained sink drain)When it comes to your water supply it’s crucial that it’s clean and pure. Many homes have a hard water supply as opposed to a soft water supply, and many may be confused that hard water is bad water. Hard water isn’t necessarily bad to consume or to use, but it does affect other aspects of water quality including taste, appearance and its effect on plumbing and fixtures. Thinking about softening your hard water supply? Here’s how a water softener works:

 

Hard water is considered hard because it contains high levels of minerals, specifically calcium and magnesium. To establish soft water a water softener system works to remove those concentrated levels of minerals. In some cases this can be done with a chemical treatment, but instead of introducing chemicals into your water supply you can opt for a water softener.

 

A water softener is an appliance that is installed directly into your home’s water supply system. Instead of adding chemicals to your water a water supply a water softener system replaces the hard minerals with sodium, which is referred to as ion exchange. Because minerals, calcium and magnesium carry positive charges, water softeners use negatively charged beads to attract the calcium and magnesium ions from the water and replace those with positive sodium ions into the water supply.

 

Once the beads have attracted all calcium and magnesium ions the water softener system begins a regenerating cycle to flush out dirt and the calcium and magnesium, all of which happens automatically so you don’t have to even think about it.
Want to learn more about your water supply? Find out if it’s hard or soft by giving us a call. At Reynolds Purified Water, we can test your water hardness and provide a water softener system installation to enhance your water quality and lifestyle. Call or click here for a quote.