If your pipes are corroding and you have soap scum and lime scale all over your tub and shower, it may be time to take a look at water softener systems. Water softener systems can be used to eliminate the calcium, magnesium and other trace minerals found in hard water. If you don’t have any problem with lime scale and rust stains, odds are you aren’t dealing with hard water and won’t need a water softener system to improve your water quality.
Having hard water can actually clog your pipes by depositing minerals over time. It can be difficult to clean off appliances and dishes as the minerals in hard water are not easy to dissolve. Hard water can also interact with soap, making it more difficult to get a good lather when bathing.
These problems can easily be avoided by installing a water softened system in your home. Water softeners are extremely effective at removing calcium and magnesium from your water supply. They remove the minerals by replacing them with sodium ions in the resin exchanger. The resin has the ability to bond to calcium and magnesium while released sodium back into the water. This will result in higher levels of sodium in your drinking water, so if salt intake is a concern for you, you may want to run a faucet from a water source that hasn’t been softened.
Most water softener systems consist of a large tank which holds the salt that needs to be regularly refilled. The salt is mixed with water to create brine that’s used to regenerate the resin that’s used to remove the calcium and magnesium. The resin is flushed with the brine, usually once a day, to help recharge it with sodium ions that can take the place of the calcium and magnesium ions in your water.