Too often quality is undervalued and not a priority while cost and convenience are said to be the better choice. While you can get away with this assumption for some aspects of life plumbing, heating, and cooling are not areas you want to be lazy or stingy about. Mathews Plumbing & Heating does not skimp on quality to get a job done faster. The word quality and all it stands for is an integral part of how Mathews Plumbing & Heating operates. You, as the customer, will never have to worry about the quality of work or materials used when it comes to how we approach your particular situation.
It’s unwise to pay too much,
But it’s worse to pay too
little. When you pay too much,
you lose a little money…
that is all…when you pay too
little, you sometimes lose
everything, because the thing
you bought was incapable
of doing the thing it was
bought to do.
The common law of business
balance prohibits paying a
little and getting a lot…it can’t
be done. If you deal with the
lowest bidder, it is well to add
something for the risk you run.
And if you do that, you will
have enough to pay for the
something better.
John Ruskin
1819-1900
Before we go into all the details of water softener systems, we should probably answer the big question “what is a water softener?” A water softener is a machine that you connect to your water supply to get rid of all the hardness in your water. Hard water is what leaves the grime around water fixtures, causes water heating systems in your house to be less efficient, and leaves a slimy residue on your hair and skin.
Every machine has its important parts and water softeners are no different. The main parts that any consumer would want to make sure they know are:
Now we’ll just go in the order listed as well as the order they are used. The resign beads are the whole reason a water softener system works. They pull out the elements in the water that make it hard (magnesium and calcium) and replace it with sodium (salt).
Next there is the mineral tank where the actual switching of sodium and magnesium/calcium takes place. It can also be known as the conditioning tank. This is also where the resign beads go to get rid of the magnesium and calcium it took out of the water and stock up on more sodium to put in the water.
The brine tank is where an overly salty solution is prepared so that after the resign beads take the magnesium and calcium out of the water those beads go into the brine tank to once again become soaked in the sodium. In that process the magnesium and calcium that was pulled out of the water and onto the beads comes off and stays in the briny solution to be disposed of later.
When it comes to the control valve don’t think of water intake control, instead a water softener control valve is what tells the resign beads when it’s time to head over to the brine tank for a recharge.
Lastly we get to the distributor valve. Its whole purpose is to send the water out of the water softener system and off into the rest of the house.
The whole purpose of water softener is to get rid of the elements in your water that make it ‘hard’. The resign beads take the incoming hard water and force a switch the magnesium and calcium using the sodium covering the beads. Once switched the softened water simply continues on its way into the house. Those resign beads will eventually run out of sodium to switch. This is when the control valve initiates regeneration.
The regeneration cycle consists of three factors: backwash, recharge, and rinse. Backwash simply flushes out all the stuff that accumulates in the mineral/conditioning tank. When the system is recharging it is sending ‘brine’ or overly salty water to wash over the now magnesium/calcium soaked beads in order to make them pull off the magnesium and calcium and re-soaked them in sodium in order to be ready to soften more water. The rinse clears out the leftover magnesium, calcium, and brine from the brine tank. After the regeneration has completed its ready to go through and soften more water.
Differences in the types of water softener systems can be as simple and small as the brand or and big as one tank or two tanks. The most common and therefore the more popular system is an automatic regeneration system. Meaning that a timer keeps schedule of when the beads need to be recharged and rinsed. The one down side to it is that there is no soft water available during the recharging phase.
Another system is a sort of water meter that measures the water usage to know when to start regeneration. With this type of system it only has to be recharged when it’s actually needed. Also, only when it is equipped with two tanks is there a constant supply of softened water.
A third type of system is controlled by a computer. Throughout each day the computer monitors how much water is being used. Once a certain amount of water is used the computer triggers the regeneration cycle. Unlike the automatic regeneration and the water meter there is some soft water still available throughout the process but it is not limitless amounts only a reserve.
All of these systems are effective; it’s based more on preference. Another difference that applies to all systems is the capacity. Each of these different types of systems has the option of different capacities. The capacity of a water softener system is determined by the amount of grains (of sodium or potassium) you can put in it. Most systems have a capacity between 20,000 grains and 100,000 grains.
While there are countless benefits there are a few poignant ones. The biggest benefit that is universally acknowledged is how much money you save. Not only do you save on how much soap and detergent you have to buy, you save on how much energy you go through. The savings are enough to make up for the cost of the system.
Hard water makes it hard to clean anything it comes in contact with, all the soap scum and build up, clogged pipes and dingy clothes. Also hard water creates a type of film or coating over the water heating appliances and systems causing them to work harder, be less effective, and use more energy. With a water softener all this turns around for the better. Clothes are softer coming out of the washed, white fabrics stay white longer, less buildup in the pipes, and energy saved.
Every Idaho Falls house consists of the most commonplace fixtures and appliances found in bathrooms, kitchens, and laundry rooms. Repairs, replacements, and renovating these aren’t simply done with the wave of a hand or the snap of a finger. There are some fixtures that you can get away with installing yourself while there others that have to be done by a professional.
Sinks and Faucets
In Idaho Falls bathroom sinks seem to constantly be causing problems in one way or another. If it isn’t clogged it’s leaking and if the drainage is fine then faucet is not. Then, there is the debate over how to fix the problem most effectively. Chemical cleaners, sink augers, sheer persistence and will, or a plumber? Sure you may feel that you are perfectly justified in going out and buying liquid clog remover to fix the clog. But when it doesn’t work what are you going to do with the liquid clog remover now sitting in your sink or tub??
The best and easiest solution would be to find a trustworthy plumber in Idaho Falls who will help you with any problem you may have in the most effective way possible. With sinks, you know you have to use them everyday at least once, so why not make sure that the clogs and problems are gone and won’t come back in a day or two. Sometimes the liquid clog removers work but if there is something really wrong then it could clog up within a day or so and you will feel cheated out of the money you spent on it.
Showers and Tubs
When looking to fix, repair or replace either your shower or tub (or both) there are a few key points you should make sure you know. The first and most important point is that if you are looking for replace one you need professionals! Why? Because you would have to know and deal with electrical wiring in the wall, the wall itself, the flooring, the plumbing, and possibly more depending on your bathroom. Not only would you need a plumber but you’d also require a tile setter if you have tile and possibly a carpenter. These are experts in their fields and would be able to handle any complications that might, and most likely will, come up.
Repair is easier for the non-professional, do-it-yourself type individual. Still, it would be recommended to use professional help in case anything does go wrong, depending on the task. There are so many different parts to each little bit of your bathroom, how can you be sure you are even fixing the right thing? Use logic when you are repairing any bathroom appliance and be willing to accept defeat if you have no idea what is wrong. OnlineTips.org says “Bathtub replacement is a specialized task and can wind up costing you significantly more if you attempt to undertake it and then have to call in a plumber, carpenter or tile setter to rectify your errors.”
Toilets
A toilet doesn’t seem much like something you’d ever want to repair yourself. 
Clogged toilets should be easy to fix but so should most things, right? Most of the time it is downright simple to fix. Use the plunger until its no longer clogged. But when that doesn’t work, what are you going to do? Well, no matter the severity of the clog, always remember that the first thing to do is turn off the water so it doesn’t keep flooding.
One thing to keep in mind while trying to fix anything about your toilet, whenever you are dealing with a problem involving water you run the risk of misdiagnosing your own problem. Be careful that you are aware of each of the working parts, in order to fully know if you need to call a professional plumber or not.
Be aware that there are some clogs professionals occasionally have trouble with, you may not be able to fix some problems without professional help. Don’t worry, they have been trained to help you with your plumbing problems and can do so with accuracy.
Call Mathews Plumbing and Heating today at (208) 357-3439.
Looking down at your feet you see that the water is no longer draining. You watch as the level of water rises towards the edge of the shower. You shower faster, trying to beat the impending flood threatening to overflow out onto the bathroom floor. Hurrying to turn off the water, you step out of the newly formed lake, and turn to glare at the drain. The glaring turns into a one-sided staring contest as you look for any sign that it’ll start draining again. Giving up, you turn away and hurry off to get ready for the day. It’s only after you return later do you find the shower finally free of the watery lake of a puddle you’d left. Sighing you grab the Drano under the sink and dump even more down the drain. “Maybe that will last for a little longer than last time.”
If this sounds familiar, in any way, it’s time to call a licensed Idaho Falls plumber to fix a possibly minor problem before it has a chance to get any bigger. Looking at that drain, you start to wonder if that pool of water is a sign of a bigger problem than Drano can’t fix. How are you supposed to know? You may say to yourself, “It costs money to have a plumber come over to simply look at your drain and say hey I could charge you a bit of cash you can’t afford to give away to fix this pipe or you can keep throwing Drano down the pipes”.
Clogged pipes are a fact of life that often show themselves when you really don’t have the time to deal with it. With sinks, toilets, showers, tubs, fridges, water heaters, and more, there are so many places that plumbing could go wrong. Even a small little crack causes problems. If anything goes wrong with the plumbing in any of these household necessities you definitely notice.
How long can you delay getting the pipes fixed before a really big problem erupts?
Here are some bits of advice from Mathews Plumbing to help you stop a small problem before it turns into a big event:
When you call up your plumber what do you really want to hear? How soon can they get around to your problem? Are you put on a list with the hope they will manage to get to you before the week is over? Mathews Plumbing will be there to help you with any problem you come up against in regards to your plumbing. They can be there in one business day to let you get back to your busy schedule and life. As a smaller company Mathews Plumbing is able to provide good competitive prices that easily compete with the big brand-name companies and bring you the satisfaction you are looking for. Mathews will leave you better off then you started.
The weather in Pocatello is unpredictable. Summer days can get pretty hot with the sun beating down through the windows. A few hours later, night temperatures drop 30 degrees. To equip yourself for the fickle climate in Pocatello and other Southeastern Idaho cities, check into getting a heater and an air conditioner installed. Mathews Plumbing & Heating has served happy customers for over 60 years.
If you are looking for a trustworthy company to solve your plumbing and heating issues in Rexburg, we’re here for you. Mathews Plumbing & Heating has served Southeastern Idaho for over 60 years. We are no strangers to busted pipes, leaky faucets or other problems you may come across. With Rexburg’s frigid temperatures lasting for many months out of the year, you want to have reliable heating. Our skilled technicians are here to help solve any of your plumbing mishaps to make sure you are comfortable during all seasons. (more…)
Water softeners help to protect the environment.
The impact of fuel savings, Increased life of clothing and appliances, using up to 80% less detergents and cleaning products. Chemicals that pollute our World.
| Monthly Cost | Annual Cost* | % SAVED | Monthly Savings | Annual Savings | |
| Plumbing and Appliances Replacement and repairs. | $10 | $120.00 | 75% | $7.50 | $90.00 |
| Cooking and Coffee Tea, Sugar and Canning | $9.83 | $118.00 | 25% | $2.46 | $29.50 |
| Clothing and Linens | $50.00 | $600.00 | 30% | $15 | $180.00 |
| Energy Consumption (.06 KWH) Less energy to heat Soft Water |
$26.67 | $320.00 | 20% | $5.33 | $64.00 |
| Soaps and Cleaning Aids Laundry, cleaning, dishwashing, bathing, complexion, shaving, shampoo and rinse *10 or more hours of cleaning per month | $86.00 | $1032.00 | 80% | $68.80 | $825.60 |
| Totals | $182.50 | $2190.00 | $99.09 | $1189.10 |
When Mathews Plumbing helps you filter your water your water isn’t only better but your plumbing will last longer. Over time, hard water can cause a build up of water scale from mineral deposits. Pipes can clog, water flow can diminish, and water pressure can be reduced, this doesn’t happen with soft water. Soft water has a low mineral content, therefore it does not leave deposits in the pipes.
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