How Do Water Softeners Work?

How can you “soften” water, you might ask? Well, water softening is a similar process to using a sieve for flour - you end up with a purer product in the end.

Water softeners simply remove the hard minerals from water, leaving it "softer" and easier on your skin, appliances, and pipes.So, water softeners play a vital role in many households by removing hard minerals like calcium and magnesium, which can cause a variety of issues in your home.

Let's look at the step by step process of water softening - when water enters your home, it flows into the water softener’s mineral tank, which is filled with resin beads. Imagine these beads as tiny magnets, ready to catch the hard minerals in the water. As the water flows through, the calcium and magnesium stick to the beads, while the softened water continues on, free of the hard minerals.

However, the resin beads will eventually become saturated with minerals and need to be regenerated. This is where the brine tank comes into play. Filled with a concentrated salt solution, the brine tank flushes the hard minerals off the resin beads and replenishes them with sodium ions. This regeneration process is crucial for maintaining the efficiency of your water softener so it's essential that you regularly check and refill the brine tank to ensure 1.its longevity and 2. your homes continued access to soft, high-quality water!