How Softeners Work
Water softeners are designed to remove calcium and magnesium (the
cause of scale and scum) from hard water. They are intended to treat
the whole house, so are installed where the water supply enters the
premises.
Ion Exchange
Water softening happens through a process called ion exchange, which
uses an ion exchange resin. The resin comprises of tiny polymeric
beads which are specially formulated so that they can be charged
with certain ions. Calcium and magnesium, the causes of scale and
scum from hard water, are referred to as ions, and as water passes
through the resin, the calcium and magnesium ions swap places with
the sodium ions on the resin. Sodium salts, unlike calcium and
magnesium, are highly soluble so sodium does not cause scale or
scum. When all the sodium ions have been exchanged for calcium or
magnesium, the resin must be regenerated by recharging it with
sodium ions. This is done by flushing the resin with salt solution
(brine).
Our Machines
Our softeners have tanks to hold the resin which the water supply
moves through in order to soften it. When required, salt is
dissolved for the regenerating brine and one cylinder is regenerated
while the other continues to serve softened water. This duplex
parallel system is unique to Harvey water softeners. It makes
regeneration even more efficient in terms of water usage since
softened water is more ideal for the regeneration process (it does
not contain calcium and magnesium ions that regeneration removes).
There are various ways in which softeners determine when to
regenerate - some are fitted with a timer and some regenerate after
a pre-set volume of water has been treated.
Our softeners are effective in:
- Preventing scale in the hot water system and around taps
- Removing existing scale
- Reducing boiler fuel cost and heating system maintenance costs
- Preventing soap scum, which is evident around the bath and sink
- Improving the texture of laundry by preventing detergent scum
deposits within the fibres of clothes, bedding, etc.
- Reducing soap and detergent costs.