The Difference Between Salt-Based And Salt-Free Water Softeners

If you started to notice the signs of watermarks, stains and residue on your dishes or in sinks, this could represent hard water that could be found throughout your plumbing. Installing a water softener in your home can be an excellent way that you can prevent these issues from happening. Water softeners can improve the lifespan of your plumbing and make sure that you can enjoy it more efficiently. Deciding what water softener is going to be a good fit for your home often means making the initial decision between saltless and salt based water softeners. Each system has its own set of distinctions and it’s important to consider the differences before you make a purchase.

A salt based water softener will use an ion process to have water flowing in through a resin bed inside the tank with sodium and potassium chloride that can remove many of the hard minerals from the water. These systems need to be regularly filled up with salt to operate efficiently. These systems work well and can lead to longer lasting appliances, but they do require regular maintenance and filling.

A salt free water softener works by removing hard minerals from the water with a template assisted crystallization process. This converts the hard materials into crystals which are properly cleaned or removed through the filtration system. This process will ensure that the crystals within the water will not stick to the surface within your home. Water in these devices is not softened but it’s conditioned instead.

Once one of these systems is installed, you’ll just need to change the filter once a year and this is why so many homeowners prefer it for the minimal maintenance. Choosing the right water softener for your needs comes down to the size of the water softener that you need and the amount of maintenance that you would like to carry out on your softener.

If you would like to learn more about water softeners and the difference between salt-based and non-salt-based water softeners, contact us today!

This post was written by Kristian D’An, owner and water expert at Eco Water Solutions of Florida. They offer whole home water solutions such as softeners, whole home water filtration systems, and reverse osmosis systems. Their focus is to provide Floridians with safe and clean water throughout the home.