Filtering Treatments for Hard Water

Hard water can make it difficult to perform normal everyday tasks. For example, hard water diminishes soap's ability to lather, so you might find yourself using twice as much soap as you would normally. Also, soap scum and lime scale can build up on dishes, clothes, sinks, tubs and your hair. Over time, hard water can even cause deposits called lime scale to build up in pipes and plumbing. Hard water is caused by an overly high percentage of dissolved minerals in your water. Water softeners filter your water and remove those minerals, making your household cleaning easier.

How Water Softeners Work

Water softeners rely on a process called ion exchange. The calcium and magnesium ions that cause water hardness are "cations," which means that they are positively-charged ions. The ion exchange process replaces the calcium and magnesium ions with another cation, sodium. The water softener collects the calcium and magnesium, and the water that comes out of your faucet is no longer hard water.

Maintenance

Periodically, the removed calcium and magnesium build up in the water softener. This build up needs to be flushed out occasionally. This is called "recharging" or "regenerating." To recharge the water softener, the area where the deposits have accumulated is flooded with a salty brine solution. This loosens the deposits, allowing their removal. This type of cleaning process is called "backflushing." The amount of time between necessary cleanings depends on the amount of hardness in the water, the model of the water softener and the amount of water that has been treated.

Types

There are five basic types of water softeners--manual, semi-automatic, automatic, demand initiated regeneration (DIR) and off-site regeneration. Manual models require a manual operation of valves to control the recharging process. Semi-automatic models require a button to be pushed to initiate the recharging process. Automatic models use a timer to initiate the recharging process. DIR models measure the amount of water that has passed through and then initiate the recharging process once the total amount hits a pre-set level. Off-site regeneration models have tanks that are periodically replaced with new ones by a company that charges for the service.

How to Choose a Water Softener

There are many factors that you should consider before buying a water softener. First, you need to know the extent of hardness of your water. If your water comes from a public source, you can find this information by contacting your water supplier. If not, send a sample of your water to a laboratory for testing. Second, choose a model that can handle the amount of water that your household uses. Large families will likely need a larger water supply. Third, decide what level of maintenance you are comfortable with. Manual models will likely be the cheapest, but they will require the most maintenance. Off-site regeneration models will probably be the most expensive, but they will require the least maintenance.

Considerations

Because water softeners raise the level of sodium in your water, the treated water might not be suitable for drinking if you have medical conditions that require you to control your salt intake. Before installing a water softener, check with your doctor to see if the elevated sodium levels might be bad for your health. Also, check with your local government offices to see if they have any requirements concerning the disposal of waste-water from households that have water softeners.