Let’s Talk Water Softener Regeneration
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!