How Do Household Water Softeners Work?
Hard Water As water moves through rocks and sediment in the natural environment, it picks up different ions. The acquisition of calcium and magnesium ions, in particular, is what causes hard water. Hard water is undesirable for a few reasons. The first being the unsightly stains it causes. The second–and probably more serious reason–is that the hard water leaves deposits, which become solid when left in pipes. Over time, these deposits will obstruct the flow of water, and can stop heat from being emitted from boilers, resulting in potentially hazardous malfunctions. And finally, hard water reacts negatively with soap to create a sticky scum. Which means, if you’re showering with hard water, you’re not getting as thoroughly cleaned as you could be. Zeolite Zeolites are the active ingredient in your water softener. According to encyclopedia.com, zeolites are hydrated alumina silicates with ion-exchange properties. What makes them work is their three-dimensional honeycomb-like molecular
