3 Things to Know when Getting Water Softener Resin

Most water softeners will need a water softener resin to purify the water as it runs through the unit. Many, however, do not know what to look for when purchasing new resin for their machines. Here are three important things to keep in mind.

1 – Capacity

Before purchasing any water softener resin, make sure to know the capacity of the water softener that needs to be filled. This way you won’t wind up buying to little or too much resin. Most softening resin media will come in quantities of 1 cubic foot.

2 – Type

There are two main types of water softener resins: standard hi-cap and fine mesh. Standard hi-cap is the type used by most water softeners, and will soften water by swapping the magnesium and calcium ions in hard water with sodium ions. Fine mesh resin, on the other hand, will also soften water, but is much better at removing iron from water as well. Because of the small size of these beads, fine mesh resin can only be used in machines that are specifically designed to use it.

3 – Breakdown

Chlorine found in tap water will, slowly but surely, dissolve any and all types of water softening resins. However, because of its tiny structure, fine mesh resin will break down much faster than standard hi-cap resin and will need to be replaced slightly more often.