What's Inside Our Systems
The Tank Itself
- Our Water softener tanks are made with Fiberglass with a coconut carbon shell on the inside to offer a combination of durability, environmental sustainability, and enhanced water treatment. These materials work together to create a water softening system that is both effective and long-lasting. Here’s why this design is beneficial:
Coconut Carbon Shell
- The coconut carbon shell used in water softener tanks is an eco-friendly option. It’s made from the husks of coconuts, a renewable and biodegradable resource, making it an environmentally conscious choice. Coconut carbon is highly effective in adsorbing impurities from the water. While primarily used in activated carbon filters for removing chlorine, volatile organic compounds (VOCs), and other contaminants, the coconut shell material also provides durability and strength to the tank’s structure. It adds an extra layer of protection and can improve the overall water quality by reducing harmful chemicals.
Fiberglass Construction
- Fiberglass is another important component of these tanks. It is lightweight, corrosion-resistant, and incredibly durable, which makes it ideal for withstanding the constant flow of water and pressure within the softener system. Unlike traditional steel tanks that can rust or corrode over time, fiberglass maintains its integrity and performance. Fiberglass also offers superior thermal insulation, preventing the tank from becoming too hot or cold, which helps regulate the regeneration cycle and ensures consistent performance.
The Brine Tank
- The brine tank is a key component in the water softening process, used to store the salt or potassium chloride solution needed for the regeneration cycle. During regeneration, the brine tank delivers a highly concentrated saltwater solution to the resin tank, where it restores the resin beads by replacing the calcium and magnesium ions with sodium ions. This process is essential for maintaining the effectiveness of the water softener. Brine tanks are made up of durable plastic and are designed to hold the necessary amount of salt while preventing clogs and ensuring smooth operation of the system.
Activated Carbon
- Activated carbon is a highly effective material commonly used in water treatment systems, including water softeners and conditioners, to enhance water quality. While its primary role is filtration, it also plays an important role in improving the overall performance of a water softener system. We use only 10% capacity crosslink activated carbon resin in all of our systems, which provides superior strength, chemical resistance, and durability compared to 6% or 8% resins. The higher crosslink density enhances structural integrity, improving resistance to heat, wear, and environmental factors. This makes it ideal for demanding applications, offering longer-lasting performance and better stability under stress.
Filtration Benefits
- Activated carbon is incredibly effective at removing impurities from water, including chlorine, volatile organic compounds (VOCs), chemicals, and odors. When used in conjunction with a water softener, activated carbon adsorbs these harmful substances, which not only improves the taste and odor of the water but also protects the resin beads in the softener from chemical buildup. This helps maintain the system’s efficiency and extends its lifespan.
Improved Water Quality
- While water softeners primarily remove calcium and magnesium ions responsible for hard water, activated carbon helps enhance the overall quality by removing contaminants that water softeners alone cannot address. This combination ensures cleaner, healthier water, free from chlorine, pesticides, and other organic compounds. The result is water that is both soft and free from unpleasant chemicals, making it more suitable for drinking, cooking, and bathing.
Enhanced Protection for Plumbing
- When used in a water softening system, activated carbon helps prevent scale buildup by filtering out impurities that can cause corrosion or sediment formation in pipes and appliances. This added layer of filtration reduces the risk of pipe blockages, rust, and damage to water-using appliances like dishwashers and water heaters, ultimately saving homeowners money on costly repairs.
Eco-friendly and Efficient
- Activated carbon is a sustainable and renewable material, making it an eco-friendly option for water treatment. It is also efficient and long-lasting, requiring minimal maintenance compared to other filtration methods.
- In summary, activated carbon enhances water softeners by improving water quality, protecting plumbing, and offering effective filtration.
Ion Exchange Resin
- Ion exchange resin is a vital component in water softeners, playing a key role in removing hardness-causing minerals like calcium and magnesium. This resin is made up of tiny, charged beads that facilitate the ion exchange process, making it one of the most effective methods for softening water. We use only 10% capacity crosslink Ion exchange resin in all of our systems, which provides superior strength, chemical resistance, and durability compared to 6% or 8% resins. The higher crosslink density enhances structural integrity, improving resistance to heat, wear, and environmental factors. This makes it ideal for demanding applications, offering longer-lasting performance and better stability under stress.
How Ion Exchange Resin Works
- In a water softener, the ion exchange resin beads are initially coated with sodium ions. As hard water passes through the resin tank, calcium and magnesium ions, which cause hardness, are attracted to the resin beads. The calcium and magnesium ions replace the sodium ions on the beads, effectively softening the water. This process continues until the resin becomes saturated with calcium and magnesium, at which point the system regenerates the resin using a salt brine solution. The salt solution replaces the calcium and magnesium ions with sodium ions, allowing the resin to continue its softening function.
Benefits for Water Softener and Conditioner
- Ion exchange resin offers several key advantages for water softeners:
- Effective Softening: The resin is highly effective in removing hardness-causing minerals, providing soft water that reduces scale buildup in pipes, appliances, and fixtures. This helps extend the life of water-using appliances and improves the efficiency of water heaters, dishwashers, and laundry machines.
- Improved Water Quality: Softened water not only prevents mineral buildup but also helps detergents and soaps work more efficiently, providing cleaner dishes, brighter laundry, and softer skin and hair.
- Energy Efficiency: By reducing scale buildup in pipes and appliances, ion exchange resin helps water-using equipment operate more efficiently, potentially lowering energy bills.
- Long-lasting Performance: Ion exchange resin is durable and long-lasting, with proper maintenance allowing it to work effectively for many years before requiring replacement.
- In conclusion, ion exchange resin is crucial for achieving soft water in a home, making it an essential part of any water softener system. It improves water quality, protects plumbing, and helps appliances run more efficiently.
Garnet Media
- Garnet media is a highly effective filtration material often used in water softeners. Garnet, a naturally occurring mineral, is known for its hardness, durability, and unique physical properties that make it ideal for water treatment applications. When used in water softening systems, garnet offers several significant benefits.
Durability and Longevity
- One of the key advantages of garnet media is its exceptional durability. It is harder and more resilient than many other filtration media, such as sand or anthracite. This makes it ideal for water softeners where the media needs to withstand long-term exposure to water and pressure without breaking down. The robust nature of garnet ensures it can handle the continuous flow of water, providing long-lasting performance without needing frequent replacement.
Improved Filtration Performance
- Garnet media also improves the filtration process by enhancing the particle retention capability. Its angular shape allows it to form a dense, uniform bed, which increases the effectiveness of filtration by trapping and removing impurities from the water. This helps to reduce sediment and other particulate matter, which can interfere with the performance of a water softener. By improving the overall quality of the water, garnet media contributes to the efficient operation of the system, ensuring that the water is free from contaminants.
Efficient Water Flow
- Because garnet media has a high density and uniformity, it promotes efficient water flow within the filtration system. This helps to reduce the risk of clogging, ensuring that water moves through the system without restriction. A smooth and efficient flow is critical for maximizing the softening and conditioning processes, ensuring consistent water quality.
Cost-Effective Solution
- While garnet media may have a higher initial cost than some other filtration materials, its longevity and low maintenance requirements make it a cost-effective choice in the long run. Its durability reduces the need for frequent replacements, and its filtration properties contribute to the overall efficiency of the water softener.
KDF 55 Media
- KDF 55 is a high-performance filter media that offers several significant benefits when used in water softeners, making it a popular choice for both residential and commercial applications. KDF 55 is a copper-zinc alloy that operates through a redox (reduction-oxidation) reaction to effectively treat water, offering multiple advantages for improving water quality.
- One of the primary benefits of using KDF 55 in a water softener is its ability to reduce hard water mineral buildup, such as calcium and magnesium, which are responsible for scale formation in pipes and appliances. By reducing these minerals, KDF 55 helps prevent the accumulation of scale, which can clog plumbing systems, damage appliances, and reduce the efficiency of water heaters, dishwashers, and washing machines. This scale reduction results in lower energy consumption and longer appliance lifespan, leading to savings on maintenance and repair costs.
- In addition to reducing scale, KDF 55 also effectively removes or reduces other harmful contaminants in water, including chlorine, iron, hydrogen sulfide, lead, and other heavy metals. This helps improve the overall taste and odor of water, making it more pleasant to drink and use for cooking. The removal of chlorine and other chemicals also helps protect skin and hair from the drying effects of chlorinated water.
- Another key benefit of KDF 55 is its longevity. The media is highly durable and has a long lifespan, often outlasting other filter materials. This reduces the frequency of media replacement, making it a cost-effective solution in the long run. Additionally, KDF 55 does not require chemicals to function, making it an environmentally friendly choice for water treatment.
- Overall, KDF 55 offers an efficient, eco-friendly, and cost-effective way to improve water quality and protect plumbing systems and appliances from the negative effects of hard water and contaminants.