SOFTENER SYSTEMS
A water softener is packed with resin beads. Hard water with calcium and magnesium flows through this resin and, in a process called ion exchange, the hardness ions in the water trade places with soft ions on the resin beads. The result is soft water. Over time, the resin beads in the water softener will become covered with calcium and magnesium ions, diminishing their capacity to soften hard water. Through a process called regeneration, water is automatically flushed through the water softener with a concentrated amount of regenerant. Now the resin beads pick up the soft ions from the regenerant in exchange for the hardness on the beads.