Water Softener 101 for Residents of Clearwater, FL
What is a water softener, and what are the benefits of having one installed in your home in Clearwater, Florida? A water softening system – also sometimes referred to a water conditioning system – is a device that takes minerals out of water. Though not harmful, waterborne minerals such as magnesium (Mg2+) and calcium (Ca2+) are responsible for causing a wide range of household problems. As hard water passes through a water softener, these minerals are removed through a process called ion exchange. The water softening system then delivers soft water to rooms throughout the house. Benefits of soft water include soft skin and hair, sparkling dishes, brighter clothing, longer-lasting appliances, and soaps and shampoos that develop a richer lather with less water.
The
water softener that you have installed in Clearwater, FL, will work in the following manner:
- The system will be plumbed directly into your main water supply line.
- Thousands of small, negatively charged beads called resin are put into the system’s ion exchange tank.
- Since Mg2+ and Ca2+ are positively charged, they will cling to the resin as hard water fills the tank.
- Ion exchange occurs when the negatively charged beads exchange their negative ions with the positive ions of the minerals.
- By the time the water reaches the bottom of the water softener tank, it has become sufficiently softened. It then exits the tank and is distributed throughout the house.
- In order for this process to continue, the resin beads must periodically be “recharged.” This is accomplished by a regeneration cycle in which a brine (salt) solution is flushed over the beads, which carries the Mg2+ and Ca2+ out of the home through a discharge pipe.
For more information, contact Florida Energy Water & Air, a RainSoft water softener dealer serving Clearwater, FL.
