Water Softener Regeneration…you’ve heard the term used before but you’re not exactly sure what it means. Let’s talk about water softener regeneration: what it is, how it works and why it’s important!
Water Softener Regeneration Definitions
First, let’s break down a couple of important definitions:
Resin beads: Resin beads are tiny little beads that hard minerals bind to. There’s thousands of them located inside of your water softener tank.
Ion exchange: Ion exchange happens when hard water passes through the charged resin beads which then remove the hard minerals from the water, allowing soft water to then enter your home’s pipes for use! When this exchange takes place calcium and magnesium ions are replaced with sodium ions that are attached to the sodium resin beads.
Brine: A strong concentration of sodium chloride.
The Regeneration Process
Backwash: When the backwash occurs, water flows up and out through the resin and flushes out all the built up sediment and broken resin beads into the drain.
Brine Draw: Brine solution sits on top of the resin bed and contains sodium chloride ions which replaces the calcium and magnesium ions on the resin beads.
Resin Bed Rinse: The resin bed is rinsed with clean water.
Rinse: Fresh water rinses the brine from the resin bed.
Once the rinse is finished, the regeneration process is complete and the resin bed is ready to collect hard water minerals and renew the water again.
Water Softener Regeneration Timing
So, you’re probably wondering: how long is this process going to take? This process typically takes two hours from start to finish. North Star Water Softener systems are programmed to recharge at 2am. This time is often associated with low water usage, making it an ideal time to recharge. It works while you sleep so you can wake up and use all the soft water that you need!
The frequency of regeneration will vary depending on the size of your home and your overall water usage. Two to three times per week would be considered standard. If you’re noticing that your water softener is regenerating too frequently, you may want to try cutting back on your water usage or consider opting for a larger water softener system.
Water and Salt Usage
Water and Salt usage will vary depending on overall water usage. However, you can generally expect this process to use:
Approximately 40 gallons of water to complete the process
Between 2.5 and 7 pounds of salt per regeneration
Reliance is the Reliable Choice
So, now that you understand exactly what happens during the water regeneration process, you may have some additional thoughts or questions…and that’s perfectly normal! Our service technicians would be more than happy to answer any questions that you may have!
Have concerns about your Reliance water softener system? Schedule an appointment and have one of our technicians service your system free of charge!
Our team is just one quick phone call away! Connect with us and let us take care of all your water softener needs!
Although it’s often overlooked, your water heater plays a prominent role in the overall function of your home and contributes to many facets of everyday life. From your sparkling clean dishes to that much-earned soak after a long day at the office, hot water helps make it all possible.
However, after years of use 365 days out of the year, your water heater can show visible signs of age, which then begs the question: how do you know when to replace your water heater? Today, we’ll provide you with some helpful tips that’ll help you decide if it’s time for an upgrade!
How Long Do They Last
Typically, a water heater will last you anywhere from 8-12 years depending on if you’ve been keeping up with proper maintenance and routine service. If you’ve neglected maintenance and service you could be looking at roughly 6-10 years of efficient use.
2 Tell-Tale Replacement Signs
There are a couple of indicators or tell-tale signs that indicate you may be ready for a new water heater. We’ll break them down so you know what to look out for.
Lukewarm Water
The first and often most noticeable indicator that it may be time to replace your water heater is if your supposed hot water is constantly running warm to lukewarm. You cranked the water what seems like all the way past the H and you’re still getting the water that runs warm rather than hot. This could be happening as a result of a broken heating element in your tank or a tank that is too small for your home and your hot water needs.
A Corroded Tank
In the case of a corroded tank, the initial sign is rusty water coming out of your faucets. Over time minerals break down a heater’s steel interior, resulting in built-up debris and rust forming within the tank. This rust is then released into the tank and as a result, travels out of your faucets leaving you with rusty unusable water.
Old Age
Old age, it happens to the best of us…even your water heater. After years of use, your water heater naturally becomes less reliable and efficient. Thankfully, there’s a serial number on the back that can help us identify exactly what year and month your water heater was manufactured in, giving our service technicians an idea about whether it’s time for a replacement or if service is a sufficient resolution to the problem at hand.
Make Your Move
Now you might be thinking, “Well I’ve had my water heater for upwards of 12 years and haven’t experienced any issues, do I still need to have it replaced?” That’s a great question! Given that every home has different hot water needs and usage frequencies, some tanks may last longer than others! If you’re thinking you may be due for a new water heater but have some thoughts or hesitations, give us a call! We’ll come out to inspect your current unit and then provide a recommendation as to if you should go ahead with a replacement or if it’s got another year or two of life left!
Save Money In the Long Run
Whether you’ve noted some tell-tale signs that it’s time for a replacement or if you’ve just got a feeling that your unit may be reaching maturity, looking into it by reaching out Reliance Heath should be your next natural step.
Our team is just one quick phone call away! Connect with us and let us take care of all your hot water needs!
You just received last month’s water bill and well, let’s just say it was a bit of a shock! “Did I really use that much hot water?” you wonder to yourself as you reminisce on those nice warm baths and extra loads of laundry you did from all those weekends spent at the cabin. Well, maybe. Either way, the bill seems a little bit too steep to not make some minor tweaks to your water usage habits so the same thing doesn’t happen again next month. Today, we share our top tips for using less hot water and saving money on your water heater bill!
Time It Out
Being strategic about when you’re using your hot water or not is a great way to help reduce costs. Based on the season, a lot of people will either turn down their furnaces or turn off their A/C in the evenings to save a few dollars and cut down on monthly costs. There’s no reason that the A/C has to be pumping all throughout the night. The same goes for your water heater. A water heater timer is a great option to help cut down your monthly utility costs. Set your desired times for it to turn on and off and see it pay off (literally) in the long run!
Decreasing Your Water Temperature
One of the easiest ways to help decrease your water heating bill is to go straight to the source. This means reducing the temperature of your water heater. Turning down the thermostat, even if it’s just a few degrees is one simple and sneaky way to cut down on overall costs. Head down to the storage room, unscrew the access panel and adjust the temperature. On most Bradford White water heaters, the standard temperature is typically set to 140 F. You’ll know that this is the case if the nob is at the halfway point between A and B. Slightly adjust the nob to the left, leaving it at around 120 F.
Replace Your Water Heater
Your current water heater may have been kicking for the last 15-20 years…but over the last few months, you’ve noticed that it hasn’t been performing as well as it used to. It may be time to ditch your old, costly water heater and replace it with a newer more efficient option. Cue Reliance Heath! We use a durable and efficient lineup of gas and electric Bradford White water heaters.
At Reliance Heath, our main priority is ensuring that all of our customers are happy, healthy and getting all of their hot water needs met..without breaking the bank! If you’ve troubleshot and tested all of our money-saving hacks and are still seeing no change in your hot water bill, replacing your water heater unit may be the next natural step.
Our team is just one quick phone call away! Connect with us and let us take care of all your hot water needs!
Today, we break down how to adjust your water heater temperature. Whether it’s too hot or not hot enough, we provide some tips and tricks to ensure the perfect water temperature!
Your Water Temperature is Too Hot
A hot shower after a long day is such a treat! However, there’s nothing worse than scolding hot temperatures coming from every shower head and faucet in your house. If you’re experiencing ongoing exceedingly hot water, it may be an indication that your water temperature is set too high. For the health and safety of you and your family, it’s important that your water heater temperature is not set above 140 F or 78 C. The higher that your water temperature is set the less time that it takes for serious burns to occur.
See the Time and Temperature to Produce a Scald below.
Temperature
Time to Produce Serious Harm
120℉
More than 5 minutes
125℉
1 ½ to 2 minutes
130℉
About 30 seconds
135℉
About 10 seconds
140℉
Less than 5 seconds
145℉
Less than 3 seconds
150℉
About 1 ½ seconds
155℉
About 1 second
Decreasing Your Water Temperature
Depending on which style of Bradford White water heater you have, your access to your water heater may vary. After unscrewing the bottom access panel, you should be able to easily remove the panel and see the thermostat. The halfway point between A and B is roughly 140 F, therefore the nob shouldn’t exceed anywhere past that point. To decrease the temperature, use a screwdriver to turn the thermostat slightly to the right.
Increasing Your Water Temperature
Conversely, you may be finding that the temperature of your water is not hot enough. You may be experiencing low water temperatures for a sustained period of time. No one likes a freezing cold shower! This could be due to a number of contributing factors such as inefficient elements, tank size, and an increase in hot water usage.
However, that’s not to say that’s always the case. Adjusting your water heater temperature may actually be the best solution. To increase the temperature, remove the panel to the thermostat and adjust the nob, ensuring that you do not surpass the mid-A-B point or 140 F. Over the next couple of days be cognizant of the water temperature and if it has noticeably changed. Was your last shower just the perfect temperature or was it still feeling a bit too mild for your liking? If you don’t notice a difference, there may be another issue going on. Give us a call and we’ll come down to assess the situation and provide you with some insight and recommendations moving forward.
The Perfect Temperature
At Reliance Heath, we trust Bradford White water heaters. When you rent a Bradford White water heater from Reliance Heath, our annual rental fee includes routine maintenance free of charge. Live with peace of mind knowing that if your water is too hot or too cold, or anything in between, you can call us and we’ll be out as soon as possible!
Our experienced and trusted experts are just one quick phone call away! Schedule an appointment today and let us take care of all your water needs!
Today, we’ll explain the most common reasons for water softener leaks and how to solve them!
Tell-Tale Signs Your Water Softener is Leaking
Did you walk into your garage or maintenance room to find water pooling around your water softener system? The presence of water is often the most common identifier.
Another common identifier is a never-ending regeneration cycle. So what is it? A typical regeneration cycle’s purpose is to flush all the present minerals down the drain. This cycle typically takes a couple of hours and can use up to 100 gallons of water. If you notice that your water softener is running in regeneration for longer than three hours you may have a leak or a valve may be stuck, therefore resulting in an improperly running system. When and if this happens, turn it off and call us!
Brine Tank Leak
If your brine tank is the cause of your leak, you will find the water coming directly from the bottom of the tank. The brine tank houses the salt and is often a result of the excessive clearing of the salt bridge or a crack in the tank itself. If you’ve recently gotten maintenance performed on your tank by another company, there’s a fair chance that they may have cleared the salt bridge too heavily.
Drain Line Leak
The drain line is connected to the water softener and can become blocked or cracked over time. By identifying the specific spot in the drain where the water is originating, you will be able to tell where the crack or blockage has occurred. If you’re able to identify it, that’s great! If not, we will be able to assess the situation and provide you with these details upon our arrival and inspection.
Bypass Valve Leak
A bypass valve leak may be a result of worn-down O-rings. O-rings are located inside the valve and work to ensure that the valve is able to do its job without leaking. Depending on your water softener’s needs, our team can provide maintenance or replace the O-rings altogether. Thus, effectively resolving the leak and getting it back to work in tip-top shape.
These are just a few of the most common reasons that your water softener system may be leaking! Once our team is there to help, we can provide you with further insight into the problem!
Reliance is Reliable
At Reliance Heath, we trust North Star Water Softeners. When you rent a North Star softener from Reliance Heath, our annual rental fee includes routine maintenance-free of charge. That means when you’ve got a leak, you can call us and we’ll be out as soon as possible to inspect the leak and provide you with the most optimal solution, whether it be maintenance or a system replacement.
Leak No More
So, now that you’ve established that there’s a leak in your water softener, it’s time to call up the professionals! Cue Reliance Heath. We’re dedicated to ensuring that you and your family are getting the best water softener system care out there!
Our experienced and trusted experts are just one quick phone call away! Schedule an appointment today and let us take care of the leaks!
