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Hard Water

While water is in the ground, it picks up soluble bits of whatever it passes through. While this can mean contamination that makes the water unfit to drink, in many cases it simply means that the water contains minerals found in the earth. Of these, calcium and magnesium are of particular importance because they affect the water's ability to function in our homes. These minerals make our water hard.

One effect of hard water is that soaps and detergents lose some effectiveness. Instead of dissolving completely, soap combines with the minerals to form a coagulated soap curd. Because less soap is dissolved, more is required. And the sticky insoluble curd hangs around--it clings to the skin and may actually inhibit cleansing. Washed hair seems dull and lifeless.

In the laundry, things aren't much better. The soap curd can work its way into your clothes as they're being washed in your automatic washing machine. This can keep dirt trapped in the fibers, and it can stiffen and roughen the fabric.

In addition to affecting the actual washing process, insoluble soap deposits leave spots on everything you wash--from your dishes to the family car--and a soap film will build up in your bath and shower.

Another reason to be concerned about hard water is its effect on your plumbing system. Calcium and magnesium deposits can build up in pipes, reducing flow to taps and appliances. In water heaters, these minerals generate a scale buildup that reduces the efficiency and life of the heater.   
 

How Water Softeners Work

A water softener system consists of a cigar-shaped resin tank, a salt tank, and a control head.  The resin tank is approximately 2/3 full of a sandy type material called Zeolite.  The salt tank holds all the salt and brine for the regeneration process.

Water enters the resin tank at the top and is drawn down through the Zeolite to the bottom where it enters a center pipe through a fine screen which directs the water back to the top of the tank and provides soft water to the home.  As the water passes through the Zeolite, an ion exchange takes place, through the magic of chemistry.  The dissolved solid ions are exchanged with sodium ions, which have been retained by the resin.  As water is used, the Zeolite becomes saturated with dissolved solid ions. A salt brine solution is then passed through the Zeolite and the ion exchange again takes place in reverse. This time the Zeolite retains the sodium ions and the dissolved solid ions are rinsed down the drain. This process is repeated during every cycle.

The most popular softener today employs one salt tank and one resin tank. The control valve is usually a timer system set to regenerate the system at a pre-arranged time.  This time must be set for a period when no water is normally used—usually at night as the system cannot regenerate itself and provide soft water simultaneously.  This has proven to be an inefficient way to control the regenerations.  Time and water use do not directly equate.  If you use more water in the time between regenerations, hard water enters your household plumbing and your hot water heater.  If you do not use any water, the system regenerates at the pre-arranged time anyway, and wastes 8 to 12 pounds of salt and approximately 200 gallons of water for each regeneration.  It then takes approximately a week for the water to blend back to soft and usually, before soft water is ever provided, the goof starts all over again.

There have been some improvements to this process by adding a metering device to the system.  However, since the system can only provide soft water or regenerate, it must regenerate when no water use is expected. Again, the system must regenerate needlessly, sooner than is required or too late—permitting hard water to enter your household plumbing and water heater.