What Does a Water Conditioner Do?
Whether the water in your home is municipal or from a well, you might have noticed some issues with its quality. It’s normal for water to contain a certain level of contaminants and suspended solids; however, when the concentration becomes too high, it starts causing problems. This is especially true of minerals, such as calcium and magnesium, which are common in water supplies across the county. You’ve probably heard that a water conditioner can help address these impurities. But what exactly does a water conditioner do?
Water conditioners are designed specifically to remove problematic minerals, such as calcium and magnesium, from water. This happens through the process of ion exchange. As water enters the conditioning system, it is stripped of hardness ions by negatively charged resin, and these ions are then retained in the resin tank. From here, fresh, mineral-free water exits the resin tank through a valve. In short, water conditioners work by changing the chemical makeup of your water.
Eventually, the resin tank that holds hardness ions becomes saturated and needs to be regenerated. To achieve this, most water conditioners use salt. The tank is flushed with sodium-rich water, which strips away hardness ions, allowing the system to continue providing luxuriously softened water.
What Benefits Do Water Conditioners Provide?
If the water in your home has a high concentration of minerals, then a water softener is certainly a smart investment. Some of the problems that water softeners can prevent include:
- Hard-to-clean mineral deposits in tubs and sinks
- Cloudy or spotty dishware, silverware, and glassware after a wash cycle
- Dry, irritated skin and dull-looking hair after bathing
- Laundry that’s dingy and stiff out of the wash
All of these are common signs that your water is rife with minerals. However, some of the problems that calcium- and magnesium-rich water cause are less obvious. For example, these minerals may slowly accumulate in your pipes. Over time, this can reduce water pressure in your home and put undue pressure on water-using appliances, possibly lessening their lifespan.
Is a Water Conditioner Right for Your Home?
If you’ve noticed any of the problems listed above, it’s very likely that you could benefit from a water softener. However, if you’d like to be sure, there are ways you can test your water for the presence of minerals. For example, test kits are available for purchase over the Internet or at local home improvement stores. Or, you could seek out a local water treatment company to provide an expert assessment of your water.
KY Water & Air Sets a New Standard for Quality & Service
At KY Water & Air, we proudly install water conditioners from the industry’s most trusted manufacturer—RainSoft. Homeowners who work with us can choose from the exceptionally advanced EC4 or EC5 water conditioner or the cost-effective yet highly reliable TC-M system. Both of these water conditioners have best-in-class features, such as an energy-efficient power supply for cost-efficient operation, self-cleaning valves to reduce maintenance, and failsafe features to prevent overflows. Best of all, they are backed by a limited lifetime warranty to protect our customers’ investments.
Beyond installing the industry’s best-performing water conditioners, KY Water & Air offers comprehensive service. We can provide salt delivery, filter changes, and even repairs to ensure our customers’ systems always operate at peak efficiency. For more information about what our water conditioners do and the benefits they provide, contact us today to schedule a free water test.
