A water softener comes loaded with water softener resin beads. When hard water, which is water heavy with iron, calcium, and other minerals, flows through the resin bed, the resin beads break down the hard minerals into soluble. The entire process is called ion exchange.
Standard resin beads can last up to 10-15 years with regular upkeep and maintenance. However, the shelf life is bound to reduce if the water is highly loaded with minerals. In this article, we have thoroughly researched everything you need to know about resin beads to treat your water and improve its quality.
Let’s begin.
How Long Do Water Softener Resin Beads Last?
Ideally, a water softener resin bed functions well for 10-15 years. However, there are a few additional factors that determine the longevity of resin beds. Let’s check them out.
💧Home’s water quality
If the water has a high concentration of chlorine or chloramines coming in from the treated water, your resin bead will damage quickly. The high chlorine concentration will break down the resin and reduce it to mush-like consistency.
In addition to chlorine, contaminants like iron or debris can also affect your resin bead. The chances of damage increase if the resin is not regenerated properly after it picks up any of these contaminants.
💧Size
The size of your water softener is an essential factor. If the water softener is broken, it will run out of treated water. Besides, it will suffer from reduced water pressure and require additional maintenance services. Overall small sized water tanks have a shorter shelf life. Ideally, healthy beads should only need to regenerate about once every 12,000 gallons for a family of four.
💧Amount of wear and tear the bed goes through
Though most water softeners last for many years, however, if the unit faces regular wear and tear due to improper maintenance or if the water is particularly hard, it won’t last. Water containing sediments like iron, clay, sand or other elements cause a lot of wear and tear to the tank.
💧Temperature
Temperature also plays a decisive role in resin bead breakdown. As noted, there is a limited reduction in resin life for cold water application. However, when the different oxidizing agents like chlorine dioxide, peroxide, chlorine, hypochlorite, and other oxidizing chemicals are mixed in water at a higher temperature, the breakdown happens much quicker.
💧Regeneration cycle frequency
It’s essential to choose a deionizer set that meets your tank’s requirements and will result in a long-lasting resin bed. However, it’s not cost-effective if you fall prey to deionizers that only meet the family’s water requirement for a few days or months.
How do you know when your water softener needs to be replaced?
Like other appliances at your home, say your air conditioner and water heater, your water filtration system will not last forever. Even after regular maintenance and cleaning, once your water softener gets old, it will lose its effectiveness. There are certain tell-tale signs that will help you determine when to change the system.
💧Change in Taste of Water
If your water starts to taste different and off-putting, it may be time to change the water softener. Such change in taste may be due to the presence of chemicals and contaminants in the water, which signals immediate system change.
💧Scale buildup inside water-using appliances
If you see scaling on your dishes, shower area or other water-using applications, your water treatment system may not work at its optimum level. If you are unsure about the scale buildup, check the water fixtures or the sink. If you identify any chalky white-looking substance, it’s scaling.
💧Soap fail to Lather
Soft water leads to a richer soap lather in the shower or washing dishes. Besides, soft water is less drying than hard water as well. Hard water makes it difficult to soap lather, and you will feel a film form on your skin when you leave the shower. Soap residue might still be present on your hair and body, which signals the presence of hard water.
💧Crust and Stains
In addition to scaling in your shower area and around your water application usage, you might see stains and crusts forming in the water pipes. This is a classic sign of hard water.
💧Lower water pressure in the shower
Though water pressure can change for various reasons, if you see a gradual change, something might be wrong. This can happen if calcium or other substances start building in pipes and obstruct the pressure and flow.
💧Fading colour in Clothes
Hard water, of course, impacts your clothes. It has been noted that the concentration of chemicals and minerals mixed in the water cause bleaching and fading of fabrics which is another tell-tale sign.
Why does water softener resin go bad?
A standard water softener tank is filled with thing beads called resin beads. When hardness chemicals come in contact with these beads, they are bound together and removed through the water that is let out of the tank. This whole process is called ‘ion exchange.
These resin beads are of various types; while some last for longer, others have shorter lifespan. Some of the prevalent causes for resin beads going bad are:
- Chlorine: Chlorine is a popular reason for resin beads degeneration. Chlorine impacts and damages the glue that holds the resin beads together, rendering them useless.
- Iron: If the water contains iron, it can cost the outer surface of the beads that make up the resin bed. Thus the contaminants cannot bind with the beads, and the softener’s performance decreases.
- Water hammering is basically the water force that drops from the pipes. If your plumbing system hammers excessive water, it can damage the resin bed.
How often should you replace your water softener resin?
Ideally, a water softener resin should be changed every ten years. However, if the water is extremely hard and contains chlorine, iron and other substances in high concentration, it should be changed every five years.
How to Prevent the need to replace the water softener’s resin bed?
Regular use of the train water softener will make the unit susceptible to wear and tear. However, the amount of damage can be managed by following a few simple techniques.
- Installing a Proper Water filtration prior to the softener: The best thing to do is to install a water filtration system that can easily remove hard contaminants like irons and chlorine.
- As mentioned, such a system must be installed before the water softener to remove the pollutants before they can enter the tank.
- Proper maintenance: Regular maintenance is essential to protect your water softener resin bed. For this purpose, it’s vital to get the unit cleaned. Such thorough cleaning fixes any glitches that might exist and does not damage the resin bed.
- Carbon Filter: A carbon filter is beneficial for a water softener. A double prefiltration system improves the life of the resin bed. The process also eliminates the entry of excessive organic compounds into the tank.
Does water softener resin break down?
The longevity of resin life is determined by many factors – the percentage of bead crosslink, chlorine and iron damage, and hydraulic shock. Based on their conditions, a basic 8% resin bead breakdown is 2-10% annually.
However, you can improve and extend the lifespan of the resin by removing chlorine and iron, thereby enhancing the crosslink percentage.
How to increase resin’s self-life?
Though a standard 10% crosslink bead will last 2x longer than an 8% bead (20 years vs 10 years), there are a few ways to improve the shelf life of your resin bed. For instance, installing an additional purification system or using resin cleaning fluids available on the market.
Frequently Asked Questions (fAQs)
How much does it cost to replace resin in water softener?
If the cleaning and repairing process does not work, you will have to replace your resin in the water softener. If you do it yourself, it will work a lot cheaper. But if you are hiring help, it will cost around 300 dollars. It roughly takes four hours to get the job done.
Can you clean water softener resin?
Yes. There are two methods to go about the cleaning process.
☑️ Unplug the water softener unit and remove the resin tank by unscrewing the bolts. Then clean the tank with bleach and water.
☑️ The easier way is to add an iron-removing product to the water. Such products change the irons into a soluble state allowing easy rinsing.
Are water softener resin beads harmful?
No. Water softener resin is non-toxic. Besides, the beads cannot go out of the water softener unit.
Can water softener resin dry out?
Yes, resin beads can dry out if all the water is sucked or evaporated. In such conditions, the resin beads will shrink to half of their size. However, this should not be allowed as experts warn against such occurrences.
Conclusion:
This article has covered all you need to know about water softeners and how to use them well. We hope you find this piece helpful while using and maintaining your resin water unit.
