Water softeners remove calcium and magnesium that might harm your plumbing fixtures by forming scale — a mineral deposit that can clog pipes, water heaters and tea kettles. These minerals also diminish the ability of soap to clean clothes and dishes. For a water softener to do a good job of eliminating minerals from your water, you should change the filter every now and then.
Typically, a water softener is plumbed into your home’s water supply system. Negatively charged polystyrene beads in a mineral tank attract positively charged calcium and magnesium as the water passes through the system. A brine solution with sodium (also positively charged) is then poured into the tank, forcing the minerals off the beads.
Running water through a filter before it goes into your appliance can help catch some minerals and particles. This way, the water softener can do a better job. Changing your filter regularly will keep it from clogging.
Changing the Filter
- First, put a bucket under the filter’s main housing to catch any leaking water.
- Then, turn off the water supply, as well as the isolation valve found downstream of the softener.
- Next, push the button to repressurize the appliance. The button is probably a bright red color.
- The next step is to turn the filter housing counterclockwise and pour excess water contained in the filter housing into the bucket.
- Place the new filter in the opening and turn it clockwise, ensuring that it fits snugly in place.
- Then, turn on the water valve and check for any leaks before turning on the isolation valve between the filter and the housing.
- Lastly, allow water to run through the system for a while to make sure it’s working properly.
Mowery Heating, Cooling and Plumbing can answer your questions about getting the most out of your water softener. We have been in the heating and cooling business for more than 40 years, and have a tradition of providing excellent service to our customers in the Brownsburg area.
Our goal is to help educate our customers in Brownsburg, Indiana and surrounding areas about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems).
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