What Does a Water Softener Conditioner Do?

A water softener conditioner is a mechanical appliance that reduces the levels of hardness minerals in water. When present in water in moderate-to-high concentrations, minerals like calcium and magnesium can actually cause a variety of problems. Though generally not harmful to humans, hard water retards the sudsing action of soaps, leaves skin and hair feeling dry, and leaves behind a white precipitate that can eventually clog pipes and diminish the efficiency of water-using appliances. Just as water can become hard by coming into contact with underground rocks and sediment, it can also become soft by having its hardness minerals removed. This is the job for which water softener conditioners are designed. They make hard water soft, and in doing so, render it more enjoyable and practical to use for everyday activities throughout the whole house.

The mechanics of a water softener conditioner are relatively straightforward. By far the most common type of water softening system used in the world today is one that utilizes a process called ion exchange. Here is how it works. The system’s ion exchange tank is filled with thousands of small polystyrene beads, or resin. These beads, which carry a negative charge, attract the positively charged ions of calcium and magnesium and replace them with ions of sodium. Periodically, the system’s resin bed has to be recharged/regenerated and this is normally accomplished through a three-phrase regenerating cycle that is fully automated on today’s most popular systems.

If you’d like to learn more about how a water softener conditioner works, please contact your local authorized RainSoft dealer. Since 1953, RainSoft has developed the finest residential water treatment equipment for the home, including state-of-the art water softening systems.