What Is a Water Softener and How Does It Work?

Water Softener Aqua Best in Dubai UAE

water softener removes minerals that create water hardness, one of the most common water quality problems many homeowners encounter. Hard water destroys appliances, leaves filmy soap scum across bathrooms and kitchens, and dries out hair and skin. With over 85% of the Dubai United Arab Emirates relying on hard water for their cooking,cleaning, and bathing, water softeners serve a vital purpose. A water softener saves you from replacing prematurely ruined water heaters, scaly faucet heads, and hours and hours of cleaning up soapy residue. Investing in a water softener saves you time, energy, and money, and protects your home and your property.

What is a Aqua Best water softener?

A water softener is a whole-house filtration system that removes hardness-causing calcium and magnesium minerals from your water through a process called ion exchange. A water softener addresses one of the most prevalent and devastating water problems: hard water. Hard water wreaks havoc on the modern home. Scale builds up in your pipes, clogging them and decreasing water pressure. Scale dramatically shortens the lifespan of appliances like dishwashers, coffee makers and ice machines. Hard water destroys hot water appliances. The higher the temperature of the water, the more calcium and magnesium will solidify and harden into solid deposits inside your hot water heater. If you live in hard water territory, it can sound like your water heater is popping popcorn. This is because scale has attached itself to the heating element. As the temperature of the heater rises and the tank expands, the calcified rock deposits crusted on the heating elements start cracking and stretching. Hard water-induced scale is the culprit of that popcorn popping sound.

Without a water softener, laundry demands extra detergent to prevent it from looking dingy. Dishes will come out of your dishwasher streaked and stained. Filmy scum builds up on your shower curtains and your soap and shampoo will not lather. Bathing in hard water leaves your skin itchy and dry and your hair lifeless and sticky. The sheer amount of time, energy, and money required to clean up the detrimental side effects of hard water is dizzying. A whole house water softener is the solution to the scourge of water hardness.

How does a water softener work?

A water softener removes calcium and magnesium from water through a process called ion exchange. When the hard water enters into the mineral tank, it flows through a bed of spherical resin beads. These plastic beads, usually made from polystyrene, are charged with a sodium ion. The resin beads are anions, meaning they have a negative charge. The calcium and magnesium minerals have a positive charge, making them cations. Since opposite charges attract, the negative charge of the minerals is attracted to the positive charge of the resin beads. As the hard water passes through the resin, the beads grab ahold of the mineral ions and remove them from the water. When the bead seizes the mineral ion, the sodium ion is released. The column of resin strips all the hardness out of the water as it passes through the mineral tank, and softened water flows out into your home.

What are the disadvantages of water softeners?

While there are many advantages to using a water softener, they are not suitable for every situation. More often than not, the cons to water softeners are the  result of poor-quality softeners, or related to common misconceptions about water softeners. The following are some disadvantages or misconceptions associated with water softeners:

May contain too much sodium

Because ion exchange water softeners use salt, sodium ions enter the softened water. According to the CDC, the maximum amount of sodium a person should consume per day is 2300 milligrams per day. Because of the prevalence of heavily processed foods, the average American already consumes about 3400 milligrams per day. Adding more sodium on top of this salty diet can contribute to long-term health effects, which include the following:

• High blood pressure
• Heart disease
• Kidney stones
• Kidney disease
• Stroke

Sodium content in water can also cause a septic system to become less efficient. Too much or too little sodium in a septic tank can kill the bacteria that breaks down waste in the tank. Without these bacteria, the septic tank will fill too quickly and its contents can overflow into the surrounding soil.

Alternatives to sodium chloride pellets, such as potassium chloride, are available, but they cost significantly more than sodium. The most effective way to remove sodium from water without using an alternative salt is a reverse osmosis filtration system or water distiller. Both of these systems remove almost all sodium from water, as well as almost all other contaminants. Reverse osmosis systems are point-of-use filtration systems, meaning their installation can be localized to treat the water you are using to drink and cook with.

Expensive to install and maintain

A whole-home water system can cost you thousands of dollars, and replacing the salt in the system can also eat up a few hundred dollars per year. While many people living in areas with hard water may see the cost as a reason not to purchase a water softener, the costs of running hard water through appliances may be more significant. Hard water can cause scale buildup that reduces water flow and create leaks that damage appliances. If hard water in your region is significant enough to damage appliances, using a water softener can be much more cost-effective than running hard water in your home. Furthermore, if left untreated, the hard water will continue to damage your appliances, leading to an endless cycle of premature equipment replacements, making the initial costs of the softener well worth your investment.

Reduces mineral intake

Calcium and magnesium are essential in maintaining a healthy body, but water softeners eliminate them from water. For those on strict diets that require certain levels of mineral intake, a water softener prevents reaching these goals through drinking water. However, the main source of your body’s mineral intake should always be food, not water. Eating calcium-rich foods, such as dairy products, soybeans, and leafy vegetables will have much more effect than relying on drinking water for calcium and other minerals.

Can overload a septic system

The discharge from water softeners during a regeneration cycle can cause a hydraulic overload of a septic system if your septic tank is barely large enough for your home. Poor quality water softeners can regenerate more than they need to and are more likely to cause issues with septic performance. Purchasing a high-quality water softener can reduce sodium levels in soft water and prevent your septic tank from overflowing.

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