Water Filtration & Softeners
Richmond, VA

A water softener is a device designed to reduce a water supply's overall water hardness. Let 1-800-Plumber +Air of Richmond explain how a water softener works.

Ion Exchange

Water softeners reduce mineral levels through ion exchange. Sodium ions arrive to replace the magnesium and calcium ions. The softener contains resin beads for hard water to go over, allowing the ions to be swapped. By the time the water has come out of your faucet, it's been properly softened.

Installing a Water Softener

You can try to install a water softener yourself. These are some things you should know before trying.

Location

Wherever water first comes into your house is where you should place your water softener. Locate the start of your plumbing line, and place your water softener as close to it as possible. If you don't have a water loop, you should definitely consider installing one. This allows you to conserve more water and keeps your indoor and outdoor water lines separate.

Sizing

You need your water softener to be the right size for your home and water needs. If it's too small, it won't be effective against hard water. If it's too big, it would take too long to regenerate the resin beads. Make sure that your water softener is the right size and is efficient, only using as much sodium as it needs to.

Installation

Before you try installing a water softener, you should find a quality guide about it. Look for professional material that goes into great detail about the process. This can also include videos, made by experienced plumbers who clearly explain and demonstrate every step.

If you've done other installation jobs, installing a water softener can be a fun new project to tackle. However, if you haven't tried anything like this before, it can be very difficult. You'll need experience in soldering, for instance. Call 1-800-Plumber +Air of Richmond for safe and expert water softener installation.

Caring For Your Water Softener

Your water softener can be great about getting rid of hard water. However, that's only possible if you're performing all the proper maintenance, such as:

Cleaning

Water softeners can develop their own unfortunate minerals buildups. Salt deposits, referred to as things like "salt bridges," can form and reduce your water softener's effectiveness. When you add more salt to your water softener, see if there's any visible uncleanliness.

You can use bleach, vinegar, or dish soap to clean your water softener. Or, you can use a store-bought cleaner, though you should make sure it's not corrosive to your water softener. To keep up with your water softener, we recommend cleaning it every time you go to replace the salt, generally once a month.

Using the Right Salt

You need to make sure you're using the proper salt for your water softener. This goes in the brine tank and is essential for allowing regeneration to occur. Typically, it's found in the form of salt pellets. The trouble is some pellets have matter that doesn't dissolve in water. As a result, the tanks get dirty more easily and the water isn't softened nearly as well. Make sure you purchase high-quality salt. Even if it's more expensive at the time of purchase, it can help you save money in the long term by extending your water softener's lifespan.

Professional Inspections

You should have your water softener examined as part of an annual plumbing inspection. Even if you've been able to keep it clean, there might be parts that need replacing. A professional plumber, like one from 1-800-Plumber +Air of Richmond, can tell you if any part of your water softener needs to be replaced.