In a previous blog post, in which we explained how to remove limescale from water, we referred to the installation of a water softener.
What is it? Well, it's essentially a domestic water treatment system, thanks to which you can "soften" the water that comes out of our taps.
This expression means reducing the concentration of limescale in water, or more correctly of calcium and magnesium salts, which contribute to making it harder, with a whole series of consequences, first and foremost the softening. data-mce-fragment="1"> the formation of limescale deposits and residues on taps, bathroom fixtures, appliances, and dishes.
But let's proceed in order, let's try to understand how a water softener works and what it's used for.
As mentioned, a water softener is a filtration system which works to remove the high concentrations of calcium and magnesium that cause hard water.
Hard water contains high concentrations of minerals, particularly calcium and magnesium which, due to their chemical composition, easily bind with other types of metals. Over time, These bonds accumulate in those annoying and harmful limescale residues we referred to earlier. In fact, this is why the expression "hard water" is used for the hardened mineral deposits that this type of water leaves behind. Yes. Over time, these deposits can build up, clog, or even corrode pipes and cause serious plumbing problems.
With a water softener, you can significantly reduce this problem. Let's see how.
A water softener is based on a chemical process called ion exchange, which allows calcium and magnesium ions to be retained using a filter made of food-grade resin beads. When hard water enters the tank, it flows through these resin beads, usually made of polystyrene, charged with sodium ions. Resin beads are anions, meaning they have a negative charge, while calcium and magnesium minerals have a positive charge (cations). Since opposite charges attract, the negative charge of the minerals is attracted to the positive charge of the resin beads. When hard water passes through the resin, the beads grab the mineral ions and remove them from the water.
When the beads grab the mineral ion, the sodium ion is released. The resin column removes all the hardness from the water as it passes through the mineral tank and the softened water flows into your home.
It's not that simple to understand, we realize, so let's try to simplify it a bit.
Let's imagine that this resin filter in the water softener is like a magnet, capable of attracting calcium and magnesium ions. data-mce-fragment="1"> In this way, the water that passes through the filter leaves behind minerals which, in high concentrations, make it hard, softening. After a while, however, these filters have They need to be regenerated, cleaned, using a brine bath (water and salt). Some water softener models also feature a hardness regulator which allows you to adjust the hardness value output by the softener itself. For proper operation, we recommend installing the water softener on the main water connection. Where this is not possible, you can opt for smaller and more compact models that are installed directly under the sink. A water softener is basically composed of the following three elements: These three components work together to remove minerals from hard water, monitor water flow, and periodically clean the system through a regeneration process. There are so many models, but just to give you an idea, we'll show you an image of the AcquaBrevetti BRAVOCAB 22 cabinet water softener on sale on our e-commerce site (you can find it here). *img* The mineral tank is the chamber where hard water is softened.
The water enters the tank, passes through resin beads, and is then filtered and softened. At this point, it leaves the tank and flows directly into the home's pipes. The control valve measures the amount of water passing through the mineral tank and into your home. Before the balls become too loaded with minerals to continue removing calcium and magnesium ions, the control valve automatically initiates a regeneration cycle. Not all models have this self-regeneration feature, so it's a good idea to check with your dealer. The brine tank is located next to the mineral tank, but is smaller. This contains a highly concentrated salt solution (brine) that serves to restore the positive charge of the resin beads.
Salt is manually added to the brine tank. When the control valve registers that the resin's filtering capacity is decreasing, the salt solution is extracted from the tank and washed through the resin into the mineral tank. If the brine tank runs out of salt, the water passing through the unit will no longer be softened. Simply put, a water softener serves to make water less hard, resulting in reduced limescale deposits. Both Of course, calcium and magnesium are not harmful in themselves to our health; on the contrary, they are essential, like many other mineral salts we consume through the water we drink.
That said, excessive concentrations can damage pipes, appliances, dishes, and more, and also cause a negligible waste of energy, not to mention that.
Without a water softener, laundry requires extra detergent to prevent it from looking dirty. Dishes will come out of the dishwasher streaked and stained. Scum builds up on shower curtains, and soap and shampoo don't lather up enough. Bathing in hard water leaves your skin dry and itchy, and your hair lifeless and sticky. The amount of time, energy, and money required to clean up the harmful side effects of hard water is truly enormous. A whole-house water softener is the solution to the scourge of hard water.
So, why, especially in some areas of Italy where the water is harder, is the installation of a water softener recommended or recommended? The main reasons that should push you to make this choice are the following: For more information, please visit the water softeners section in our online store.What is a water softener?
How does it work?
How is a water softener made?
1. The mineral tank
2. The Control Valve
3. The Brine Tank
What is a water softener for?
The advantages of a water softener