Water Softener – A Key Part of Your Home’s Water System
A water softener is a key part of your home’s water system. These devices monitor and control water flow while removing the hardness minerals through a process called ion exchange.
As hard water flows through a mineral tank full of resin beads, magnesium and calcium ions are swapped for tiny sodium ions. When the resin bed reaches maximum capacity, a strong salt and water solution recharges it.
Reverse Osmosis
Reverse Osmosis (RO) is a water filtration system that removes organic and inorganic dissolved solids from drinking water. The process uses a semipermeable membrane that allows water molecules through while blocking contaminants larger than water molecules. It’s similar to a screen door that lets air molecules through while keeping pests out. It also works like Gore-Tex clothing which has tiny holes that let water vapor through but block anything bigger.
A reverse osmosis system can help you eliminate the need for bottled water, saving money and helping to reduce the millions of tons of plastic that end up in oceans each year. It can also improve the taste of your coffee and tea, make clearer ice cubes and provide healthier, better-tasting water for cooking and washing.
The RO system can filter out harmful chemicals such as aluminum, copper, lead, chromium and more. It can also remove nitrates, phosphates, chlorides and other organic compounds. It works by forcing your household water through a series of filters such as a sediment filter, pre-carbon block, RO membrane and post-carbon filter.
It is important to pair an RO system with a Kinetico softener as hard water can damage the membrane over time. A Water Softening System softener prevents scale-forming elements such as calcium and magnesium from clogging the filter, protecting the RO membrane and extending its lifespan.
Sediment Filter
Filters that remove heavy sediment, dirt, and particulates from water for better, safer, cleaner drinking and household uses. They prevent clogged faucets, water-using appliances, corroded fixtures and more. They also help reduce detergent and soap usage while offering cleaner, healthier, and more attractive looking dishes and glassware. This is a great option for families who drink well water or have private wells as their main source of drinking water.
Sediment filters come in a variety of micron ratings to suit the needs of your specific water. The micron rating is an indication of what size particles the filter will be able to trap and block. Using the correct micron rating is crucial for your home’s water quality.
Although not essential for all households, sediment filters can be extremely beneficial for homes with a well or other surface water sources that are prone to larger particulates. They protect softeners from damage by reducing the amount of time that the resin bed is exposed to large debris. They also prevent the buildup of rust, turbidity, and other unsightly substances in your home’s drinking water.
A sediment pre-filter is an excellent addition to any whole house water filtration system. It’s also a smart addition to any home with a UV water filtration system, as sediment can interfere with the ability of ultraviolet light to kill illness-causing bacteria in water.
Water Softener
Water softening systems work by removing the positively charged mineral ions that form hard water through ion exchange. Your incoming water flows into a mineral tank that contains a bed of spherical resin beads which are charged with a sodium ion. As hard water passes through the resin, it encounters the positively charged calcium and magnesium minerals. Since opposite charges attract, the resin’s sodium ions grab hold of the mineral ions and swap them for their own. The resulting soft water is then fed through your home’s plumbing.
Water Softeners are generally refilled with a salt brine, which is a mixture of water and sodium, at least twice a year. This is called recharging the system. Recharging the softener flushes the resin bed of the ion exchange system and removes any remaining hardness minerals from the system. This process is typically done in the middle of the night when no one is using water.
Conventional water softeners are prone to channeling and tunneling within the resin. WaterBoss’ super fine mesh resin design prevents these problems, allowing the recharging salt to be evenly distributed throughout the entire softener resin bed.
Metered water softeners are demand-initiated controllers that monitor your household’s daily usage and only regenerate when necessary. This saves salt, electricity and fuel and is a great choice for vacation homes or cottages where water use is often low.
Installation
The ideal location for a water softener is a heated, insulated basement or other storage room. It should be as close to your home’s water water treatment for home source as possible, typically near a water meter or if on well water, by a pressure tank. The system needs to be within easy reach of a power outlet for the valve’s control and a safe place to put the brine tank, which stores salt that is used to regenerate the resin beads. The system should also have a safe location to drain the water that flushes out hardness minerals during regeneration.
The most common type of water softener uses an ion exchange process to remove hardness minerals like magnesium and calcium, which cause many problems in your household. These include dry skin, soap scum buildup, and scale deposits on plumbing fixtures and hot water heaters.
Your Culligan dealer can recommend the best system for your home based on your water usage, family size and desired level of softness. Installation is quick and relatively simple, depending on the type of water softener you choose and whether it’s a metered or timed model that requires scheduling for salt refills. During the installation process, your installer will check that everything is in good working order and answer any questions you might have. They will also install a bypass valve, connect the new water softener to the incoming line and show you where to add the drain line for flushing out the mineral sediment during regeneration.