Take Care of Hard Water with a Water Softener System

Salt-Based (Ion Exchange) Water Softeners: The sodium ion exchange is far and away the most prevalent type of water softener process. As mentioned earlier, salt-based water softeners take advantage of positively charged sodium ions to attract negatively-charged hard water minerals. Though they’re a highly effective piece of equipment, they do still require a small amount of upkeep. Maintenance is usually in the form of replenishing the system’s supply of salt.

There are even a few salt-based systems that use a dual-tank design. Dual-tank water softeners may be a useful option if you’re concerned about the tank failing, as the second tank serves as the backup.

Salt-Free Water Softeners

Other water softener systems use a potassium-chloride substitute instead of the ion exchange process to address hard water. Salt-free systems might cost more up-front to install at first, but their maintenance needs are also generally lower. Before deciding, learn what you can about a few different water softeners so you know what’s best for your plumbing. Feel free to contact our plumbers so you can review models with an experienced professional.

Other forms of water treatment are labeled water softener systems despite differences in design and filtration method.

Magnetic water softener: With this innovative design, you can extract mineral buildup with a magnetic field surrounding the plumbing. Without the ability to bond together, the minerals simply break down in the water.

A water softener extracts minerals from potable water. This could be minerals such as calcium and magnesium, a common culprit of scale buildup and other issues in your plumbing. To soften water, the equipment uses a chemical reaction known as ion exchange. Here’s how they work, step by step:

1. Hard water flows into the softener systems’ tank, contacting specialized resin beads coated with sodium ions.
2. These beads of resin draw the negatively charged minerals toward them with a positive charge, exchanging them with the supply of sodium ions.
3. After the hard minerals are extracted, the now-softened water flows out of the tank and returns to your plumbing system.

If you’re struggling with hard water, contact Geisel Heating, Air Conditioning & Plumbing, Inc. for professional water softener services in NE Ohio. Our team of local plumbing experts will make sure you can enjoy softer, better-tasting water while protecting your plumbing and appliances. Don’t wait any longer to improve your water quality – call Geisel Heating, Air Conditioning & Plumbing, Inc. today at 440-394-7046.