Homeowners in Texas experience clogged water pipes and scale build-ups in their home appliances which in turn reduces the life span and efficiency of the appliances. Mineral build up in the kitchen and bathroom can increase the cost of cleaning materials needed as well. While washing clothes, bathing, or cleaning, hard water tends not to dissolve with soap and constantly form scums. The Hard water in Texas is a problem but luckily there are solutions.
Water softening provides the least costly and most effective way to soften hard water. Having soft water in your home can help your family against dry skin and hair, clothing fading and losing its quality, and even unnecessary bills to handle the removal of build-up on surfaces and in appliances.
How Water Softener Turns Hard Water into Soft Water
A water softener removes minerals found in hard water such as calcium and magnesium, to make it soft through ion exchange coming from your water supply. As water enters the softener, it passes through a mineral tank. The mineral tank holds resins that contain sodium ions used to attract magnesium and calcium ions to make hard water soft. As more amount of water passes through the mineral tank, sodium ions get depleted. The brine is used to regenerate sodium ions to the resin for the softener to continue its efficiency to soften hard water. These minerals are what cause build-up in pipes, stains in your bathroom, kitchen, metallic taste in drinking water, and increased energy bills. With these minerals removed, hard water is turned to soft water, allowing homeowners to avoid the unnecessary effects of hard water.
Components of a Water Softener
The main parts of a water softener include
Mineral Tank
The mineral tank holds the mineral distribution tube that controls the flow of water and allows soft water flow. The tank also has gravel under beddings and resins that allow sodium ions’ regeneration.
Control Valve
The water softening regeneration process is done over time. The control valve has a meter that monitors, records and provides the amount of water used and history. The amount of water recorded assists the softener in automatically regenerating the resins with sodium ions to continue softening hard water.
Brine tank
The brine tank is made up of a safety float lid that assists in preventing water overflow. The brine consists of water and salt required to regenerate water softener resins.
Resins
Since unlike charged ions attract each other, resins contain negatively charged cations that attract the magnesium and calcium ions to make hard water soft. The resins are held inside the minerals tank, where the whole process of water softening happens.
Conclusion
A water softener can last up to 25 years when used properly with the right components. The size of a water softener needed for your home can be determined by the number of your household appliances and the number of people living in your home.
Water Softener Installation Companies in Austin Tx
Austin Water Solutions can help you find the right unit for your home and answer any questions that you may have! Give us a call or visit our website if you live in Austin and have any questions about water conditioners. We would love to hear from you.
