Important Parts of a Water Softener System

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:

• Resign beads
• Mineral tank
• Brine tank
• Control valve
• Distributor tube

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.

Process of a Water Softener

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.

Main Types of Water Softeners

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.

Benefits of a Water Softener

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.

Sinks and Faucets
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 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.

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:

• Be aware of any changes that might preclude a problem.
• If a drain is repeatedly getting clogged it’s no longer a job for your Drano.
• If you find yourself using the plunger more often than not.

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.

As of now, there are white pipes sticking out of the ground that are the underground plumbing set up and installed so that the concrete can be poured and the foundation established.

With the work just starting, Mathews Plumbing and Heating will continue to update the photo gallery and let know you know of the progress being made daily.

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In addition to installing your heating and air conditioning systems, our knowledgeable crew can take care of any of your plumbing mishaps. Give us a call at 357-3439 if you are experiencing a leaky faucet, clogged drains, busted pipes or any other plumbing catastrophes.

Also, consider Mathews Plumbing & Heating on a commercial scope. Rexburg is a growing city; as it continues to grow, more business opportunities will arise. We are experts at new development and installation.

We have also gained the expertise of Mike Davis, an HVAC master installer who has 20 years experience in the heating and air conditioning field. He worked in the local HVAC industry for many years and then in 2005, partnered with Gavin to manage operations at Northstar Heating and Air. We feel very fortunate to have him as part of our team here at Mathews Plumbing & Heating and feel that it will be a great benefit to our customers to be able to offer bids that include the full package: plumbing, heating, and air conditioning.

Our Heating Services Include:

• Residential/commercial new construction furnace, air conditioning, and fireplace installation
• Furnace change outs (lead certified)
• Service on furnaces, boilers, air conditioners, and heating units
• Custom sheet metal shop
• Shop unit heaters
• Preventative maintenance service contracts
• Indoor air quality
• Humidifiers
• Duct design with heating loads (heat calcs)

Helpful hints to reduce your heating bills and extend the life of your furnace:

• Use programmable thermostats
• Change the filters often
• Keep snow away from any exhaust pipe’s going out of the side of your house or your roof.
• Get set up with us on a preventative maintenance service contract to prevent small problems from turning into big problems.

Any small part that was played in the construction of the Marshall-Sprier family’s new home is time well served toward bettering lives.

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We’re excited to hear that the Marshall’s will be receiving a new home by the Extreme Home Makeover coming to Eastern Idaho in Pocatello.The Marshall’s are a family of 8 kids and a single mother battling breast cancer. The surprise happened when the family was at a ceremony where their dog was given an award from the fire house, as it was able to warn the Marshall’s when their house burned because of a faulty dryer vent.