Hard water problems at the Lake of the Ozarks can wreak havoc on your plumbing, appliances and even your hair and skin. As a homeowner, you want to know that investing money in a water softener is going to be worth the cost. Part of knowing that your investment is making a difference is understanding how a water softener works and why it's essential to have one in your home. So first, let's take a look at the difference between hard and soft water and which is better for your home.

Hard Water vs. Soft Water
Water quality differs depending on where you live and whether you’re getting water from a municipality or a private well. Regardless as to where it comes from though, both sources are known to contain hardness minerals. Calcium and magnesium are the most common minerals found in water that causes hardness. Minerals from groundwater - the source of all water regardless of whether it comes to your home from a municipality or well - can cause a scaly buildup on everything from dishes, to pipes, to the heating elements of your appliances, to your own body. Water softeners remove those hard minerals, prolonging the life of appliances that use water and making it easier to clean and do laundry.

How Hard Water Becomes Soft
So how do water softeners get the minerals out? Water softeners use a process called ion exchange to remove things like calcium, magnesium, iron, and manganese – replacing them with sodium ions. As hard water passes through your water softener tank, calcium or magnesium are pulled to the media like a magnet, and sodium ions take their place. All the hardness minerals stay trapped inside the water softener tank while the clean water, with a few sodium ions, disperse throughout your home for use. No more scaly build up!

Regeneration is how a water softening system cleans and recharges itself so it can continue providing your home with soft water. This process happens in the brine tank, where you add water softener salt. During regeneration, the water softener will take the brine solution into the softener tank and the ion exchange process happens again, only this time in reverse. The media gets a bath in the salt solution. Hard minerals caught in the resin are released and the media gets replenished with sodium ions. The water softener is also cleaned and disinfected during regeneration. Finally, water containing the hard minerals and other waste gets flushed out of the system.

Do You Need a Water Softener?
Here's the bottom line. Water softeners aren't just for those homes whose water supply comes from a private well with extremely hard water. Even people living in the city who are on municipality water sources can have hard water too. Municipalities are required to treat the water for impurities, but they do not remove hardness minerals because, while they're burdensome and can be costly when it comes to home care and maintenance, they are not harmful to your health. Regardless as to where your water comes from, the modern home depends on soft water. High efficiency appliances can not run as designed when they suffer from hard water build up. Dishwashers and washing machines could end up with a much shorter lifespan because of hard water. You could end up spending thousands on avoidable plumbing and appliance repairs or replacement by installing a water softener in your home.

Your Water Softener Source at the Lake of the Ozarks
So, if you've got hard water problems, it's time to look into getting a water softener for your home. If you're ready to get one, but don't want to purchase a water softener, you've got options! At Lindyspring Systems, we can help make sure you get the size of unit that is exactly right for your needs as well as install it in the most professional manner possible. Our rental softeners are typically new or in like new condition, so you don't have to worry about getting an old worn out model from us! Contact us at 573-348-5044 to learn more about our water softener rental services at the Lake of the Ozarks!

For All Your Household & Commercial Water Conditioning and Treatment Needs Count on LINDYSPRING!