Understanding Hard Water

& Water Softening

Why You Need a
Water Softener
First Things First
What is Water Hardness?
Groundwater dissolves rocks and minerals releasing
calcium, magnesium, and other ions that cause
water to be hard. These dissolved ions give hard
water its characteristics.
Hardness levels vary in
different geographic regions.
So, whats the big deal?
Why is hardness bad?
It costs you
MONEY !!

Water softeners can save
significant amounts of money and
energy in the home, a major new
study by the independent Battelle
Institute revealed.

See the study summary here.
Hardness minerals precipitate out of the
water and form energy robbing scale.

Gas water heaters:
Gas water heaters operated on softened water maintained the
original factory efficiency rating over a 15-year lifetime.

Each five grains per gallon of hardness causes an 8% loss in
efficiency and 8% increase in cost when using 100 gallons of hot
water per day. (On 30 gpg hard water, thats 48% less efficient
than with softened water.)
Tankless heaters:
Instantaneous gas water heaters operated on softened water
maintained the original factory efficiency rating over a 15-year
lifetime.

The study found that tankless water heaters completely failed to
function because of scale plugging in the downstream plumbing after
only 1.6 years of equivalent hot water use on 26 gpg hard water.
Softened water saves 34% of costs compared to operating on 20 gpg
and saves 47% compared to operation on 30 gpg hard water.

Studies show washing with softened water can significantly cut
detergent use, & energy consumption:

Consumers can cut back on dish and laundry detergent use by 50
percent or more and lower washing machine temperatures from
hot to cold just by using softened water, as shown by two new
independent studies.



The detergent savings studies conducted by Scientific
Services S/D, INC. of New York reveal that using softened
water in washing machines, can reduce detergent use by
50 % and save energy by washing in 60F cold water
instead of 100F hot water, achieving the same or better
stain removal and whiter clothes compared to results in
hard water.

Reduction of hardness is significantly more effective on stain removal than either
increase in temperature or detergent dose. This is demonstrated in the graph
below for top loading washers, but it was also confirmed for side loading washers.

The same study indicates:
Areas having very hard water,
can cut detergent use in
dishwashers by more than 50%
after softening and get the
same cleaning results.

Energy efficiency and cost savings are
significant over time
OK, I want one but, How
does a softener work?
Hard water, loaded with
Calcium, Magnesium, and many
other ions, enters the water
softener and contacts millions
of special resin beads which
hold billions of sodium ions.
The Calcium, Magnesium, and
other ions trade places with the
Sodium ions, creating softened
water.
How Water Softeners Work
SOFTENING CYCLE
Softened water
containing
sodium ions
Regeneration
with salt brine
now required
Partially exhausted,
but still delivering
100% soft water
Sodium
charged ion
exchange resin
Water
Softener
Hard water
enters
Many gallons
later
Capacity to
soften water
now ending
How Water Softeners Work
REGENERATION CYCLE
15 to 20
minutes later
Ready for ion
exchange
softening
Regeneration
almost completed
Salt brine, most
economical
source of sodium
Waste water
containing hardness
in exchange for
sodium
Softener still
discharging
waste water
Excess salt
brine also
removed
Regeneration
complete
Typical Water Softener
Water Softeners Remove Other
Contaminants
Nearly any positively charged cation can be captured by a
typical water softener using standard cation exchange
resin, i.e. Iron, Manganese, Lead, Aluminum, Barium,
Cadmium, Copper, Potassium, Radium, Silver, Strontium,
Uranium (depending on valence).

This is not a comprehensive list, and specific water chemistry may affect removal rates.
The Bottom Line
Water softeners work, and the bad rap they have received in
recent years in unjustified! They work significantly better
than any of the so called no salt softener/anti-scale devices.
All while saving energy and protecting the environment.