Are Orange & Yellow Beads Clogging Up Your Plumbing?

In many areas where water is hard, water softeners are used extensively. Hard water is what you call water that has a high concentration of dissolved calcium, magnesium and other minerals. Plumbing service providers are very familiar with hard water and the nuisance it can be.

A water softener softens hard water using a process called ion exchange. This is when the magnesium and calcium ions pass through the resin beads in a water softener and the soft ions on the resin beads replace the hard ions.

Hard water isn’t exactly a health risk, but because of mineral buildup it can cause problems with the plumbing. It can also leave calcium carbonate deposits in water heaters, kettles and other items that heat water.

Water Softener Resin Bead Clogging

If you find that water is coming out slowly through your faucet aerators and there are tiny orange and yellow balls inside the filter, the clogging is being caused by the resin beads from your water softener. It’s a tedious process trying to flush out these beads, so it’s advisable to call a professional for plumbing services.

How Did This Occur?

Resin beads are located in the brine tank of a water softener. The softener also has salt in a holding tank that cleans the beads every few weeks. The water softener screen or membrane can erode over time, however, allowing the beads to escape and get lodged in the faucet aerators. 

If you own an old water heater and in addition to beads clogging up your faucet filters you also notice that you’re getting lukewarm water instead of hot water, the problem is different. This means your water heater plastic intake tube has dissolved. You can replace this faulty tube, but at this point it’s advisable to install a new water heater instead.

If you need local plumbing services, A-1 Comfort Care is a phone call away. We also offer professional HVAC repair and installation. Call us today at  (732) 578-0379 or request your free estimate here. We work with homeowners in Wall and Freehold, NJ, as well as other areas around New Jersey.