What Is a TAC Water Conditioner?

It’s on your showerheads, at the end of faucets, and built up inside your plumbing pipes. Limescale is the white, chalky substance found on these fixtures and appliances, and it is one of the effects of hard water. Template-assisted crystallization (TAC) media water conditioning systems help reduce and prevent scale from building up, but what is a TAC water conditioner, and how does it work?

At Monkey Wrench Plumbing, Heating, Air & Electric, we’ve been installing TAC water conditioners since 2007, so we’re very familiar with the ins and outs of these treatment systems. We’ve helped thousands of curious homeowners across Los Angeles understand how their TAC water conditioners operate.

We’ll help explain how TAC water conditioners work in the simplest terms. At the end of this article, you’ll learn how these water conditioners work to understand best how your home’s water is being treated. Let’s get started.

How Does Template-Assist Crystallization Treat Water?

TAC water conditioners treat hard water to prevent scale from sticking to surfaces of fixtures and appliances. These water conditioning systems are connected near a home’s water heater or main water line.

Water flows through the water conditioners and runs through unique resin beads that initiate treatment. Once the water is treated, it flows out the water conditioner and enters the water lines inside a house without scale building up again. Thanks to the TAC media, these water conditioners are between 90% to 99% effective at reducing scale in a home.

Water conditioners are only needed if a home has hard water. Water hardness is measured by parts per million (PPM) and falls under one of the following classifications.

• Soft (less than 17.1 ppm)
• Slightly Hard (17.1 to 60)
• Moderately Hard (60 to 120)
• Hard (120 to 180)
• Very Hard (over 180)

The majority of Los Angeles and the surrounding areas have hard or very hard water.

Calcium and magnesium are the two primary particles found in hard water that cause it to form scale. These two minerals are the primary targets of template-assisted crystallization. Without the TAC process, these water conditioners cannot treat hard water.

What Is Template-Assisted Crystallization?

Template-assisted crystallization is the process where hard water minerals are attracted to the special resin beads in water conditioners and forced to crystallize together. The entire process, also known as nucleation-assisted crystallization, occurs within the resin beads.

The hard water minerals inside the beads form a tiny crystal that is released into the water and attracts other hard water minerals. The water will still contain calcium and magnesium, except it won’t be able to stick to the surfaces of fixtures and appliances. When drinking conditioned water, the crystallized hard water minerals are not visible, felt, or tasted.

Unlike water softeners that remove entirely hard water minerals, TAC doesn’t soften water since the minerals remain flowing. The tiny amounts of calcium and magnesium in the water do not have an impact on health, according to a study.

The entire TAC process happens instantly and doesn’t affect a home’s average water flow. It also doesn’t waste any water either.

TAC resin beads are tiny yet responsible for treating hard water. The beads can be made out of different materials.

What Is the TAC Media Made of?

The special resin beads responsible for template-assisted crystallization are made up of unique polymer blends, also known as polyphosphates. Most water conditioner brands use a proprietary formula to create system resin beads. Some synthetic resin beads are coated in ceramic to help absorb water to their surface.

The resin inside the water conditioner must only be replaced every three to five years, depending on the brand. Contacting a technician for assistance in replacing the TAC media inside a water conditioner is recommended.

Is a TAC Water Conditioner Right for Me?

Scale affects the efficiency of appliances such as water heaters and can also impact the appearance of a shower. A home with a TAC water conditioner installed will not have to worry about these issues thanks to its ability to prevent scale buildup. Now that you know how these water conditioners work, you can speak with a technician about these systems to see if they fit your home well.

Since 2007, we’ve been helping homeowners understand how these systems work and helped install them in homes in the surrounding Los Angeles area. In those homes, we’ve installed many of the leading brands of water conditioners, giving us the know-how to install any reputable brand.

If you have questions regarding TAC water conditioners, contact us using one of the following buttons or book an appointment using our water filtration scheduler.

Check out this article if you’re looking for other methods besides TAC water conditioners to combat hard water. The more water conditioning options you are aware of, the more confident you’ll be in choosing one for your home.