Water Softener

Water Softener

A water softener removes calcium and magnesium from water through ion exchange. As hard water enters the mineral tank, it flows through a bed of spherical resin beads made of polystyrene and charged with sodium ions. These negatively charged beads attract and capture the positively charged calcium and magnesium ions. When the resin beads seize these mineral ions, they release sodium ions. This process strips the hardness from the water, resulting in softened water flowing into your home.

According to the U.S. Geological Survey, about 85 percent of American households have hard water, including homes with city water and well water. A water softener is made up of three components: a control valve, a mineral tank, and a brine tank. These three work in conjunction to remove the minerals from hard water, monitor the flow of water, and periodically clean the system through a regeneration process.