How water conditioning systems work

Many homeowners face chronic problems with hard water. Symptoms of a hard water issue include dingy clothing, spotty dishes, and feeling of soap scum when you leave the shower. If you have these problems, it’s time to invest in a water softening system. Such a system will improve the efficiency of any appliances that use water, while making you and your clothes feel much cleaner.

Hard water is a problem that comes from the city water network, and can only be addressed by a unit within your own home. A water conditioner is a simple system that removes dissolved mineral particles from your water before they move through your fixtures. If left untreated, the water clogs up the pluming in the home, creating a crust of lime around your fixtures, and doing damage to your appliances. In the system the water goes through several steps.

1. Water enters the main body of the tank, which is filled with beads coated in sodium ions. The tank sits adjacent to your water heater, and is typically about the same size.
2. The minerals dissolved in the water, usually calcium and magnesium, become attracted to the sodium ions and attach themselves to the beads in the softening tank.
3. The softened water then proceeds into the home’s primary plumbing system, where it can be used for cleaning and bathing It’s important to note that a water softening system is not the same as a water purification system, though there will be a slight improvement in the color and taste of your drinking water.
4. Over time, the beads in the softening tank become so coated with calcium and magnesium that they are unable to soften any more water. At this point, you must recharge the system through a simple flush.
5. Upon opening the control valve at the top of the tank, you displace the saturated water with a briny solution thatrecoats the beads in sodium ions. The hard water is disposed of through a drain on the floor, and the whole system is reset and ready to use once again.

Water softening systems are the best way to protect your home’s appliances and plumbing fixtures from the damage caused by hard water. Contact us to learn more about water softening and to schedule a consultation.

Call 216-365-0600 or toll-free from anywhere, 877-768-7239 today!