Soft water sounds strange to some people, but they may not realize how hard their water really is. Hard water affects millions of homes around the country. While it isn’t dangerous, it does have some negative side effects. Hard water can make hair and nails brittle, fade clothing, leave residue on dishes, and cause scale to build up in your plumbing. A water softener is a simple solution that can improve your hair and skin, extend the lifespan of appliances, and make cleaning easier. Let’s take a look at how it works.
What Makes Water Hard?
Hard water contains high levels of minerals, mostly calcium and magnesium. These are natural minerals that enter the water as it travels through soil and rock below ground. Hard water has increased levels of sulfates, carbonates, and bicarbonates that negatively impact plumbing and can make daily routines a hassle.
If you’ve noticed that your soap rarely lathers, no matter how vigorously you scrub, this is a sign that you have hard water. The minerals also prevent your detergent from developing bubbles, and it often leaves behind scum that you need to clean off your shower, sink, and dishes.
How Does a Water Softener Work?
Water softeners utilize a process called ion exchange, which replaces the hard minerals in your water with sodium and potassium ions. Most of the time, water softeners contain tiny resin beads coated with sodium or potassium ions. As hard water passes over them, the dissolved minerals attach to the resin, while sodium or potassium is released into the water. Resin-bead water softeners should be rinsed with a salty solution (brine) every few months to replenish the ions and maintain their functionality.
Salt-Free Water Softeners
Sodium-free softeners condition the water. They change the water’s chemical composition by crystallizing the minerals instead of removing them. This means that when you drink water softened with a salt-free softener, it still contains the minerals, but their state has been altered, so they don’t cause the same issues as they usually would.
Choosing the Right Type of Softener
Both types of water softeners work well, and the decision comes down to personal preference and how hard your water is. For homes with moderate to severely hard water, a salt-based system is beneficial because it’s the most effective. Sodium-free water softeners perform better in areas with mild hardness, as it doesn’t remove the minerals from the water. This can lead to recurring issues with scale in places with harder water.
Our professional technicians can conduct an assessment of your home’s water supply and recommend the best solution. If you’re looking for a water softening system in Salt Lake City, UT, contact the pros at Whipple Service Champions Heating, Cooling, Plumbing and Electrical for fast, friendly service.
