Hard Water Basics

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Water Softener
Terminology Explained
Getting to Know Hard Water Terms
If you’re dealing with hard water in your home, it may seem like
you’ve entered a whole new world. Between system research
and the completely new vocabulary, it’s a lot to take in. To help
ease the learning curve and make you a confident and informed
shopper, get to know some water softener terminology you may
come across in your search to find the perfect softener for your
home and why they’re important.

Hard Water 101

Just starting your hard water research? Here is some key water
softener terminology you’ll need to know to help put the puzzle
pieces into place.

 Hard water: A high

concentration of calcium and magnesium make water hard.
When water flows through soil and rocks, the materials are
mixed with the water. Depending on where you live, your
water could be harder than most because your water is
traveling through more soil than other areas.
  Grains per gallon: Grains per gallon — or gpg — is the unit
used to measure the hardness of water. This is measured
by using one grain (~65 milligrams) of calcium carbonate
dissolved in a liter of water. As a reference, let’s look at
aspirin. Let’s say there are 10 grains in one aspirin. When
it’s dissolved into a gallon of water, it’s reported as 10 grains
per gallon. Soft water is considered to have less than 1 gpg.
Hard water is anything greater than 7 gpg.
 Parts per million: Measuring water hardness in parts per
million (ppm) is rare, but you will occasionally see it when
shopping for a new softener. The conversion is 17.1 ppm for
every gpg. If iron is found in water, it’s measured in ppm.
Iron can leave a reddish brown colored stain on fixtures and
appliances when it’s as low as 0.3 ppm. It is very difficult to
remove once the stain has been applied, but you can
prevent this from happening with a water softener.
 Capacity: Water softeners are measured by either grain
capacity, gallons or cubic feet. Before buying a system for
your home, you should consider the number of people in
your household and how much water you use. Our step-by-
step tool will easily guide you toward determining which size
is best for your home.

Getting From Hard Water to Soft

Have you ever wondered how adding salt to your tank softens
your water? These terms help break down the process.

 Resin tank: The resin tank is where water is softened and

incoming hard water passes through ion exchange resin.
These resin beads swap the calcium and magnesium in the
water for the sodium or potassium they’re holding. This
“swapping” of ions softens the water, and it’s the beads in
 the tank that make it happen.

 Brine tank: This component of a water softener is where you

add the salt six to eight times per year. This tank should be
filled at least 50 percent of the way to ensure there’s enough
salt in the system to soften your water.
 Brine solution: When your system is regenerating, it pulls
the salt you add to the brine tank to the water to make a
brine solution. This solution “scrubs” the resin beads during
regeneration, preparing them to soften more water.
 Regeneration: A water softener removes hard water
minerals through a process called regeneration. Resin is
recharged after it has exchanged all of its sodium ions for
calcium and magnesium from hard water. The same
principles are applied for water softeners performing the ion-
exchange process for regeneration.
o Timer-based regeneration: These water softeners
regenerate on a predetermined schedule that you will
set. These outdated models aren’t ideal if you want the
most efficient softener. If you underestimate your water
usage, the softener will regenerate too infrequently,
leaving you with hard water at certain times.
Overestimating your water use will result in
unnecessary regeneration that wastes energy and
water.
o Demand-initiated regeneration: This is the best model
if you want an efficient system. Sensors in this system
 monitor water usage. When the resin is full of hardness
minerals, the softener regenerates on its own. This
softener works on an as-needed basis, and some
advanced models can learn your water use patterns to
further optimize regeneration frequency.

System Suggestions
If you’re ready to solve your hard water woes, here are a few
styles to consider as you determine the best fix for your home.

 Single-tank water softener: A single-tank system uses an

efficient amount of space with its compact design that holds
the brine and resin tank in a single cabinet. The “on-
demand” feature monitors your water usage in gallons. The
softener will regenerate during off periods when capacity is
reached. It’s almost impossible to run out of soft water.
 Twin-tank water softener: This model uses more floor space
but that’s because of the two resin tanks. The space
accommodation is worth it. When one tank is being used for
soft water, the other is regenerating soft water in case more
is needed throughout the day. The twin-tank system is great
for large families who need more soft water during the day,
making the higher cost well worth it.

Upgrades and Features to Consider

Looking to go above and beyond a standard softener? These
add-ons may be for you.

 Water refiner (hybrid): Remove chlorine and other impurities

causing poor taste and foul odor from your water with a
whole home filter system that works with your water
softener. The filters in this system never have to be replaced
as long as the softener lasts.
 Sediment filter: Remove leftover silt and sediment from your
water before it enters your softener with a sediment filter.
Your softener is vulnerable when it gets too dirty. That’s why
 this system is proactive in sediment removal. Your
appliances and plumbing can also be affected by too much
sediment. This filter will keep your system’s water clean.

 Blending val ve: Some

people prefer slightly harder water because soft water is
generally slicker. A blending valve allows for some of the
hard water causing minerals to remain in your water. This
accessory leaves your water at about 2 gpg, whereas water
from a softener is at zero.
 Routine maintenance: Although low maintenance, there are
a few easy ways you can make water softeners work more
efficiently and last longer.
 Salt bridge: This is when a solid crust develops in the brine
tank and forms an empty space between your water and
scale. This stops the salt from dissolving and making brine.
Use a broom handle to carefully push on the top of the salt,
using a little bit of pressure to break it up if it has solidified.
 Salt mushing: This is when the dissolved salt in your tank
reforms and creates a sludge-like substance at the bottom
of the brine tank. Salt mushing creates blockage in the tank,
negatively affecting the regeneration process. The only way
to fix this is to drain the softener of its water, dig out all the
old salt, and replace it with fresh salt.
 Water softener cleanser: By using a water softener cleanser
every four months you can maintain your water softener’s
peak efficiency and performance. It also helps remove
 harmful deposits from your water softener’s resin bed, valve
and system.

Making Water-Softener Speak Work

for You
With a new understanding of the key terms associated with hard
water and water softeners, finding the best solution for your
home will be a breeze. To help narrow down your search even
more, get your personalized softening solution based on your
unique needs.