How Often Does a Water Softener Regenerate?

If you are asking the question how often does a water softener regenerate, you may be concerned about the performance of your own water softener system.

Generally speaking, the more water you use, the harder your water softener has to work – or the more often it has to work. That is if it is driven by demand rather than doing this essential regeneration on a regular basis. If it is programmed to do this every so often, then that is your answer, and if that is not satisfactory, then maybe you are not happy with the system’s performance. The key to all this is to have a good understanding of how a water softener works and what it actually does.

Why is Regeneration Necessary?

Water only needs to be softened if it is hard in the first place, and that means it contains relatively high levels of calcium and other elements such as magnesium, but mainly calcium, or rather calcium carbonate. Even municipal water can be hard; it has been tested and purified to the extent that it is safe to drink, but relative softness is not a consideration in that process.

Another factor in the frequency of the regeneration is just how much calcium etc. the system has to deal with. This is measured in grains per gallon (GPG), and that is what your water softener system supplier will determine before recommending which system is best for you. If you really want to know what your softener has to contend with, you can ask your water softener supplier what the GPG figure is, but it’s not necessary.

When the levels are high, although the water may look perfectly clear and be palatable, the hidden ingredients show themselves in other ways. In a water softener system, salt is used to drive the calcium out and into the clutches of the resin.

The crust that forms inside a kettle is a telltale sign. We notice this because it is easy to see, but the point is that if it is in your kettle, it will be in your pipes and your water-powered appliances, such as washing machines and dishwashers.

In addition, it will be in the water you use to shower and wash your hair with. It can be responsible for hair and skin just not feeling as silky as they should.

So, if you’re concerned about your water softener’s schedule because you can see that crust in appliances or feel it after a shower, you are probably thinking the system isn’t working properly or needs adjusting. What happens eventually is that the resin in your softener, which is what traps the impurities and keeps them out of the water, becomes saturated with them and can’t catch any more. That is when regeneration is needed, and if it doesn’t happen, you are back to square one.

In these days of computer-controlled equipment, a water softener that works on demand – and which is not operated by electricity – may seem like an old-fashioned thing, but in fact, it is the way forward. With a Kinetico twin-tank water softener, for instance, it is the movement of water when a faucet is opened or an appliance is turned on, that starts the process. No action means no need, so you’re saving electricity and salt, supplies of which have to be maintained so you can top the system up.

If there is one answer to the question “how often does a water softener regenerate” it is this: a good system regenerates as often as is needed. With a Kinetico twin-tank system, you won’t even think about it, because with two tanks, your flow of soft water is uninterrupted. When one is doing the work, the other has already done it, so you’ve got great water to use at all times.