How Do Salt Free Water Softeners Work

The ion exchange process used by water softeners doesn t work without the sodium ions displacing the calcium and magnesium ions that create water hardness.

How do salt free water softeners work.

Hard water destroys appliances leaves filmy soap scum across bathrooms and kitchens and dries out hair and skin. Salt free water softeners and traditional salt based softeners produce measureably different results traditional salt based water softeners work by removing the unwanted hardness minerals from your water hard water symptoms impossible. A water softener removes minerals that create water hardness one of the most common water quality problems a homeowner encounters. Water softeners mainly consist of systems using the ion exchange process reverse osmosis system deionization systems and distillation systems.

Salt free water softeners are actually not softeners they are water conditioners. These systems use template assisted crystallization tac to attract hardness causing particles. A more accurate description of units commonly marketed as salt free water softeners would be a salt free water conditioner or scale inhibitor. Water softening involves an ion exchange process which removes both magnesium mg2 and calcium ca2 from water.

If it doesn t do that it s not a water softener. In other words water conditioners are known as descalers or scale inhibitors. Just test cold water hardness after a salt free system is installed compared to a newly installed salt based system. Some nice things about salt free systems are that they don t waste water the way water softeners do they cost less to operate and don t require much maintenance.

In the salt based process above true water softening hardness minerals are actually removed from the water. They do not soften the water but break the hard minerals in a way that they can pass easily from plumbing through faucets into the drain. With over 85 of the united states relying on hard water for their cooking cleaning and bathing water softeners serve a vital purpose. Do salt free water softeners work.

The simple and easy answer is no because in actuality what many companies call salt free water conditioners simply do not soften the water. Salt free water softeners are water conditioners in actual. How does a salt free water softener work. During the ion exchange process a polymer resin bed attracts hard water minerals and replaces them with sodium ions.

A salt free water softener does not exist. In the salt free process minerals are retained in the water but their form is changed so they will not adhere to surfaces. But the facts don t bear that out. Conditioned water also doesn t have the slippery feel you get from a water softener which can be an advantage or disadvantage depending on your preference.

By definition a water softener is any device that reduces the hardness to below one 1 grain per gallon gpg. The salt free water softener in this test was provided by pelican water treatment. Instead of salt free water softener you can call it a water conditioner. While salt free water softeners are indeed salt free they do not soften water.