Understanding Hard Water & Water Softening

Why You Need aWater Softener

First Things First

What is Water Hardness?

Groundwater dissolves rocks and minerals releasing calcium, magnesium, and other ions that cause water to be hard. These dissolved ions give hard

water its characteristics.

Hardness levels vary in different geographic regions.

So, what’s the big deal?Why is hardness bad?

It costs youMONEY !!

Water softeners can save significant amounts of money and energy in the home, a major new study by the independent Battelle

Institute revealed.

See the study summary here.

Hardness minerals precipitate out of the water and form energy robbing scale.

Gas water heaters: Gas water heaters operated on softened water maintained the original factory efficiency rating over a 15-year lifetime.

Each five grains per gallon of hardness causes an 8% loss in efficiency and 8% increase in cost when using 100 gallons of hot water per day. (On 30 gpg hard water, that’s 48% less efficient than with softened water.)

Tankless heaters: Instantaneous gas water heaters operated on softened water maintained the original factory efficiency rating over a 15-year lifetime.

The study found that tankless water heaters completely failed to function because of scale plugging in the downstream plumbing after only 1.6 years of equivalent hot water use on 26 gpg hard water. Softened water saves 34% of costs compared to operating on 20 gpg and saves 47% compared to operation on 30 gpg hard water.

Studies show washing with softened water can significantly cut detergent use, & energy consumption:

Consumers can cut back on dish and laundry detergent use by 50 percent or more and lower washing machine temperatures from hot to cold just by using softened water, as shown by two new independent studies.

The detergent savings studies conducted by Scientific Services S/D, INC. of New York reveal that using softened water in washing machines, can reduce detergent use by 50 % and save energy by washing in 60ºF cold water instead of 100ºF hot water, achieving the same or better stain removal and whiter clothes compared to results in hard water.

http://www.waterfilters.net/

Reduction of hardness is significantly more effective on stain removal than either increase in temperature or detergent dose. This is demonstrated in the graph below for top loading washers, but it was also confirmed for side loading washers.

The same study indicates: Areas having very hard water, can cut detergent use in dishwashers by more than 50% after softening and get the same cleaning results.

http://www.waterfilters.net/

Energy efficiency and cost savings are significant over time

OK, I want one but, How does a softener work?

Hard water, loaded with Calcium, Magnesium, and many other ions, enters the water softener and contacts millions of special resin beads which hold billions of sodium ions. The Calcium, Magnesium, and other ions trade places with the Sodium ions, creating softened water.

How Water Softeners WorkSOFTENING CYCLE

Softened water containing

sodium ions

Regeneration with salt brine now required

Partially exhausted, but still delivering 100% soft water

Sodium charged ion

exchange resin

Water Softener

Hard water enters

Many gallons later

Capacity to soften water now ending

How Water Softeners WorkREGENERATION CYCLE

15 to 20 minutes later

Ready for ion exchange softening

Regeneration almost completed

Salt brine, most economical

source of sodium

Waste water containing hardness

in exchange for sodium

Softener still discharging waste water

Excess salt brine also removed

Regeneration complete

Typical Water Softener

Water Softeners Remove Other Contaminants

Nearly any positively charged cation can be captured by a typical water softener using standard cation exchange resin, i.e. Iron, Manganese, Lead, Aluminum, Barium, Cadmium, Copper, Potassium, Radium, Silver, Strontium, Uranium (depending on valence).

This is not a comprehensive list, and specific water chemistry may affect removal rates.

The Bottom Line

Water softeners work, and the bad rap they have received in recent years in unjustified! They work significantly better than

any of the so called “no salt” softener/anti-scale devices. All while saving energy and protecting the environment.