Water softeners use a chemical reaction to replace the “hard” elements of water (the mineral content) with a “softer” substance that has a much smaller impact on taste and texture. In the case of most water softener systems, this substance is some sort of sodium-based softener. Water enters your home through your main water line and is first pumped through a water softener tank. Within this tank is a supply of filtration media that contains sodium ions. As the water flows down through the tank, the minerals are extracted from the water and replaced with the sodium ions by a chemical reaction. The softened water then reaches the bottom of the tank where it is free to flow into your home.

When the softener tank has exhausted its capability of removing minerals, it reconditions itself with the use of a brine tank. Your softener system pumps water from a brine tank into the softener, loosening the minerals that have bonded to the filtration media. The minerals are then extracted and flushed away through a connection to a drain line. The filtration media then absorbs the sodium particles from the brine tank and is prepared to handle more water. This recycling process is generally fast and takes no more than a few minutes to complete.