A water softener is a water treatment system that removes certain minerals that are dissolved in the water as it passes through the “Water Cycle.”* Rain falls and then seeps into the ground, eventually forming the ground water that is drawn from wells, or else it flows into lakes and rivers from which towns and cities take their water.
Hard water contains a high concentration of minerals like calcium and magnesium. The water treatment system removes these minerals from your water as it flows into your home. Usually this is done by a process called ion exchange, where the water passes through a container filled with small beads. These beads are covered in sodium ions (molecules missing one or more electrons) that actually switch places with the calcium and magnesium ions that make the water hard.
Once all the sodium ions are gone, the system uses ordinary salt to create a strong brine solution, which is then used to flush away all the calcium and magnesium ions and replace them with sodium ions once again. The unwanted minerals are flushed down the drain. Once this process of regeneration is completed, the beads are ready to go back to work, softening your water.
Water treatment systems, such as the one just described, need to have their salt supply replenished occasional by the homeowner. Many stores carry the appropriate type of salt in cube or crystal form. In many cases, water softeners can also use potassium salt (potassium chloride), which has some nutritional benefit. Salt levels should be checked periodically and your salt reservoir should always be kept at least half full.
Many companies will perform a free water test to determine if you have hard water in your home.
*Google Images “water cycle”
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