Water Softener
A water softener is an appliance that removes hardness-causing minerals, such as calcium and magnesium, from your home's water supply. Hard water can cause a number of problems, including:
- Soap scum buildup on dishes, showers, and sinks
- Reduced efficiency of appliances that use water, such as washing machines and dishwashers
- Dry, itchy skin and hair
Water softeners work by using a process called ion exchange. In this process, hard water is passed through a tank filled with resin beads. The resin beads are coated with sodium ions. As the hard water passes through the resin, the calcium and magnesium ions in the water are attracted to the resin beads and exchange places with the sodium ions. The softened water then flows out of the tank.
There are two main types of water softeners: salt-based and salt-free
- Salt-based water softeners are the most common type. They use a brine solution (saltwater) to regenerate the resin beads. The regeneration process typically happens automatically every few days.
- Salt-free water softeners do not use salt. They use a variety of methods to remove hardness from water, such as electromagnetic fields or crystallization. However, salt-free water softeners are generally less effective than salt-based water softeners.
