Lost Valley Pump Service
Call (417) 312-5570
Call (417) 312-5570
Lost Valley Pump Service

Water Softener Install and Replacement

Is hard water a major issue in your home? Hard water can occur when there’s an excess amount of minerals in your water. This is a common problem for many households in Missouri. At Lost Valley Pump Service, we offer water softener installation services that will keep minerals such as magnesium and calcium in check, to keep your water safe and fresh. 

Whole House Water Softener System 

Hard water minerals can cause many problems. The average water softener system can have a major positive impact on the quality of your water, ensuring that you don’t experience the dangers or issues that come with hard water. 

Signs of Hard Water in the Home 

The team at Lost Valley Pump Service can determine whether or not your home can benefit from a soft water system. 

If there’s hard water in your home, you’ll notice a wide range of problems. Hard water will not only cause scale buildup in fixtures and plumbing appliances, but it can also impact the flavor of water and can cause skin issues and other problems including:

  • Dry skin
  • Itchy skin 
  • Flaky skin 
  • Minerals in pipes 
  • Mineral buildup in faucets 
  • Foul tasting and/or foul-smelling water
  • Soap with a filmy residue 
  • Trouble lathering soap 
  • Cleaning products are no longer effective 
  • Brown stains on clothes that come out of the laundry 

And more.

These issues may not seem like major problems, but when they all happen at the same time, it can be frustrating for most homeowners. Additionally, scale buildup can cause significant issues with a gas water heater and other plumbing appliances. Scale buildup can speed up the corrosion process, which can lead to ongoing hot water heater repairs or replacement.

Benefits of Water Softening Systems 

Having a water softener system installed can offer many immediate and long-term benefits.

Softer Skin 

If you’ve always washed your skin with hard water, then you’ll be surprised by how soft and clean your skin feels once you make the switch to a soft water system. 

Strong, Shiny Hair 

Even if you always use the best shampoos and conditioners on your hair, if you wash it in hard water, your hair may still be brittle, dry, and damaged. Just like on the skin, hard water can be very damaging to hair. 

Softer, Cleaner Clothes

 If your clothes are coming out of the washer still dirty or discolored, your detergent isn’t to blame. Hard water can seriously damage your clothes. It can make your laundry detergent less effective, so you may need to wash your clothes an additional time. With soft water, the cleaning power or your laundry detergent will no longer be compromised. You'll also notice an improvement in how effective your home cleaning products are. 

Soft water doesn’t leave mineral buildup behind, so your skin, hair, and clothes will be fresh and clean. 

Great-Tasting Drinking Water

Hard water contains minerals that can leave the water tasting bitter and metallic. With a water softener system, you’ll no longer have to spend money every week on bottled water, instead, you’ll enjoy great-tasting water straight from your kitchen sink. 

Soft Water is Gentle on Plumbing 

Soft water is also gentle on your plumbing, so you won’t see the scale buildup that hard water leaves behind. This means fewer plumbing problems in the future. 

How an Entire Water Softener System Works 

Softened water can make all the difference. Effective water softeners are designed to remove minerals from water. A system will target harmful minerals, such as magnesium and calcium. Minerals are typically found in water in rural areas and in well-water. 

Softened water systems come equipped with a small pipe that connects the storage tank with the tank that’s filled with resin beads. This type of water treatment system also comes with a discharge pipe that integrates the water tank with a drain line. 

Water Tank 

The resin in a water softener system consists of plastic spheres that are placed inside the water tank. These beads hold a negative charge that attracts positively charged ions. The beads are coated with a sodium ion, which holds a positive charge naturally. The ion exchange takes place when the positively charged magnesium and calcium ions in the water knock the sodium off the resin, attaching to the resin beads. The sodium ions are released into the water during this process. 

When all of the resin has become saturated with hardness, the softener requires a way to get rid of the minerals it’s captured.

Water During Regeneration Cycle 

As a softened water system ages, the resin beads become less effective. When this happens, an integrated computer in the water softener system activates the regeneration cycle. The computer is designed to monitor the amount of water that’s flushed through the tank on a daily and monthly basis. After a water heater has reached maximum capacity, the regeneration process will begin again. 

During this process, the salt in the brine tank is used to sanitize the resin beads to remove all of the excess minerals. After the minerals are removed from the water during regeneration it's flushed through the discharge pipe. Once the beads have been sanitized, the regeneration setting will deactivate. This process will repeat itself to soften the hard water supply. 

The soft water system works around the clock to remove minerals from water and requires salt to be added to the tank on a regular basis. Because the system is constantly in operation, neutralizing minerals, if a water softener system breaks down, repairs will be needed to avoid the damage that’s caused by hard water. 

Refilling Your Water Softener System with Salt 

Depending on the size of your system, water usage patterns, and salt levels, you may need to refill the system with salt on a monthly basis. There are also systems that utilize potassium chloride instead of salt to remove minerals.

Water Softener Replacement Options 

Each year, a water softener system’s efficiency is reduced by 1% to 2%. If you purchased your system several years ago, it may be time to consider replacing your outdated system, especially if you start to experience itchy skin or dry skin, or you see spots on your dishes. 

System replacement may not be the only option. In some cases, your system may just need the valves cleaned, new resin beads added, or more salt added to the brine tank. 

Before a water softener system is replaced, call the team at Lost Valley Pump Company to schedule an inspection. 

Signs a Water Softener System Needs to Be Replaced

When there’s scale buildup on the surface of your tub or your laundry is difficult to clean, these are considered clear indicators that something is wrong with your water softener system. 

Lack of Lather 

A lack of lather in your wash can indicate your water softener isn’t working. When you have a supply of soft water, it’s easy to create bubbles when you’re taking a shower and you won’t need to use much shampoo or soap. If you have to use more shampoo or soap than normal, then you’re probably getting hard water, not soft. 

Trouble with Laundry 

If you’re washing machine requires repairs often, it can be a sign that there’s hard water in your home. Other indicators that you’re water softener system is no longer working are the lather amount during the cycle or your laundry’s appearance after washing it. To determine if there’s a lack of lather, stop the washing machine in the middle of a cycle. If you don’t see a regular amount of bubbles, then your water softener isn’t working the way it should. 

Residue Buildup in Pipes

If your pipes have developed crusty material, this is a major sign that your water softener system needs to be repaired or replaced. 

What Type of Water Softener System Features Do I Need?

The type of water softener system you choose can depend on many factors, such as your water quality, budget, water hardness levels, and more. Many modern top-of-the-line systems offer a wide range of benefits, including improved operating efficiency. 

Need Help?

At Lost Valley Pump Service, we are your complete commercial and residential pump repair and installation team. We offer a variety of services including water filtration and water softeners, well drilling, and commercial and residential water pump repair and installation. We will ensure your home has only the freshest, cleanest water possible and can help you stay on top of maintaining your water pump to lengthen its lifespan. If you’re interested in learning more about our well drilling services, pump installation or you need emergency repairs, contact our office today to speak with one of our experienced and knowledgeable contractors. 

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