life expectancy water softner resin?

[morenuf]

What is the life expectancy of a water softner resin?

I have an industrial style installation which we have had for 10 years with no problems. I assume it is a zeolite based resin but really don't know (no documentation left by installer).

The resin is in a tank (like gas cylinder) about 4-5 feet tall 8 inches or so in diameter. No obvious way to ever change the resin. The salt and saline solution are in another garbage can plastic bin. The electronic mechanism for recharging etc is mounted on top of the resin tank via a stem that screw mounts over the top of resin tank?

Softner still works just fine. Just wondering how long they would last? Indefinitely? Assuming no contamination from city water supply.

Thanks.

Morenuf

[gfretwell]

It mosty depends on your watter quality. Iron is tough on it. Usually the head unscrews from the top of the tank.

[Jim Redelfs]

Indefinite.

We have a similar setup. It started as a Culligan rental that, after a year or two, I purchased. When we moved, we moved the unit(s).

We have lived here since 1991 and I recall it was used at the previous house for 3-4 years

[Gary Slusser]

Resin lasts indefinately but its life is usually stated as 10-20 years. The life depends on the number of regenerations, if iron or chlorine is in the water etc.. The longer it has been used, the less there is in the tank due to friction wear causing 'fines' and broken beads that are backwashed out of the tank.

The vast majority of softeners over the last 30-40 years have resin in them, not Zeolite which is a man made material and only made by one company in the US. It is not as good as resin (kinetics) for salt efficiency, so you need more cuft of it for the same K of capacity, it is heavier so it requires more water at higher pressure to regenerate it. Chlorine does not harm it as it does resin.

Gary Quality Water Associates