A water softener is an integral part of removing minerals that create water hardness, one of the most common water quality problems, particularly in Perth and across Western Australia.
What Is A Water Softener?
A water softening system is a type of whole house filtration system which functions to remove dissolved minerals such as magnesium and calcium ions from the water supply via the ion exchange process. Water softeners help to mitigate one of the most common and destructive issues in the modern home – hard water.
What is Water Hardness?
Water hardness is related to the measurement of concentrations of magnesium and calcium minerals in the water supply. This is further divided into alkalinity, or temporary hardness, which refers to calcium and magnesium bicarbonate concentrations, and permanent hardness relating to concentrations of other calcium and magnesium minerals – such as sulphates and chlorides. The total concentration of the minerals in the water is known as the total hardness.
Perth has inherently hard water, containing high levels of the minerals outlined above. While they are not overly harmful to your health, these minerals can pose challenges to both household and commercial plumbing systems. Over time, the build up of scale in the pipes restricts water flow and reduces efficiency, negatively impacts performance of water-based appliances and makes it more difficult to clean your dishes, clothes and achieve a good lather of soap. For these reasons, residents around Perth should consider investing in a water softening system, to combat the hard water supply in the region.
How Does A Resin Water Softener Work?
Our resin water softener systems contain a combination of different types of filters, each with different purposes throughout the water filtration process of your tap’s hard water.
Resin Cartridge
Our resin water filter contains a 10” column, filled with polymer resin beads. The small beads create a large surface area in contact with water as it flows past.
The resin is made of polymer that binds positively charged ions. Initially the polymer surface is saturated with sodium ions, meaning that there are sodium ions available on the surface of the ion exchange resin. These ions are weaker than calcium & magnesium ions. The polymer is designed specifically to bind more strongly to the calcium & magnesium ions, than to the sodium ions.
When the hard water flows past the 1000’s of resin polymer beads, the calcium & magnesium ions will bind to the polymer, displacing the sodium ions into the water.
Kinetic Degradation Fluxion (KDF)
It’s a filtration media that contains high-purity copper-zinc granules to reduce contaminants from the water through a redox reaction – oxidation or reduction. The KDF process media reduces heavy metals, hydrogen sulphide, and chlorine. Once again, the technology of ion exchange is used here. Being a one-micron cartridge, it removes any contaminants larger than one micron, including the displaced sodium chloride from the ion exchange resins.
Sediment Filter
To maintain efficiency of the Resin & KDF filters, we have found in Western Australia that more frequent changing of the sediment filter is required, to remove increasing large particles before going through the other two filters. If this is not done, the work load is increased in the second two filters, reducing their efficiency for what they are designed to do: remove calcium ions, chlorine & heavy metals, providing you with softer water.
Benefits of Installing A Resin Water Softener System
Homeowners who install a resin water softening system to help combat water hardness will experience a range of benefits.
Saves You Money
Filtered water doesn’t carry the same calcium and magnesium ions that cause build up in your pipes and appliances, reducing the likelihood of having to front costly repair bills. Hard water causes mineral build up in a pipe, decreasing the area that water can pass through, requiring higher pump pressure. This can also lead to an increase in energy requirements for managing the temperature of the water during heating or cooling. Your appliances also suffer from this build up leading to frequent repair or replacement of appliances such as hot water systems, dishwashers, washing machines and coffee machines.
Cleaner Hair & Softer Skin
Soft water also carries a range of benefits for the health of your skin and hair when bathing or showering. The mineral ions in hard water negatively affect the solubility of soap products, producing soap scum opposed to a smooth lather. Homes with water softeners will experience a deeper lather when compared to those without. Utilising a softener for water treatment can also lessen the effects hard water has on the natural oils found on our skin and in our hair.
Brighter & Cleaner Clothes
Hard water can also have harmful effects on your clothes during the washing process due to the presence of minerals that leave deposits. Over time, these minerals and organic contaminants will cause fading of colours and may even stain whites. A water softener is an essential component in preserving the softness and fresh look of clothing which in turn results in savings as there is no longer a need for the use of fabric softeners.
Water that has passed through a filtration system also cleans clothes more effectively. This is due to the ease in which the water can dissolve into the clothes when compared with hard water.
Cleaner Dishes
Homes in hard water areas often experience a cloudy appearance on their clean glass and silverware after doing the dishes. No matter how many times you scrub those glasses, or what dishwashing products you use, the shine doesn’t seem to last. By installing a water softener for your home, you can rid the water supply of the minerals that cause this cloudiness before it enters your sink or dishwasher. Similarly to the shower products mentioned above, soft water fuses with dishwashing products more effectively, leading to a deeper lather and essentially a deeper clean.
How Can WestOz Water Filters Help Me?
WestOz Water Filters is committed to serving you, your family, and the people you love with clean, filtered drinking water. We listen, we’re passionate, and we know what matters to you most. Boasting extensive experience across the building, nursing and naturopathic industries, Rob & Mavis can expertly answer your questions, queries and concerns from system selection to installation and maintenance. If you are in the market for a resin water softener system, or a separate water filtration system, look no further than the team at WestOz Water Filters. Get in touch today!