Types of Water Softeners
Salt-Free Water Softeners
Salt-free water softener systems are different from salt-based systems because, well, they don’t use salt. Instead of replacing hard minerals through ion-exchange, a salt-free water softener neutralizes these minerals and prevents them from sticking together and creating the buildup that leads to hard water. While these salt-free water softeners tend to be more expensive at the start, they can cost less over time because they do not require any weekly maintenance. Salt-free water softener systems are more compact than salt-based water softeners because they do not require an extra tank for the ion-exchange process. These salt-free water softeners can also often neutralize other unwanted impurities like bacteria and chemicals from your water.
Salt-Based Water Softeners
Salt-based water softener systems are the most traditional form of water softener in the United States. These water softener systems use a process called ion-exchange in which a resin attracts the calcium and magnesium in your water and replaces it with sodium ions. This completely removes the hard water minerals from your water but also adds salt to it. While this is not an issue for bathing or running the dishwasher, it can be an issue if you use that water for drinking but are trying to keep a low-sodium diet. Salt-based water softeners require weekly upkeep in the form of regenerating the resin by using salt.
Dual-Tank Water Softeners
A dual-tank water softener system is a salt-based water softener that uses ion-exchange in two different resin tanks. By having one resin tank that is always available for use and one tank that is constantly in a regeneration cycle, a household will have access to soft water at any time of day. A dual-tank water softener is especially useful for a household that runs on different schedules so that everyone always has access to soft water.
Magnetic Water Softeners
One of the newer forms of water softener, a magnetic water softener system is a salt-free that doesn’t remove the hard minerals from your water but instead neutralizes them and doesn’t allow them to build up. This type of water softener system uses magnetic water conditioners to keep hard minerals like calcium and magnesium from bonding together and create healthier drinking water for you and healthier water in general for your pipes and appliances. A magnetic water softener is an easy-to-install product that doesn’t require you cutting pipes or even turning off your water. By wrapping the magnetic product around your pipes, the magnetic field will condition all of the water that passes through. While this is a cheaper alternative to some of the other salt-free water softeners, magnetic water softeners do require a constant flow of electricity to work.
Reverse Osmosis Water Softeners
Reverse osmosis water softeners are aptly named because they use the process of reverse osmosis to remove hard minerals from your water. By stripping away your water of all substances, hard minerals like calcium and magnesium are removed and your water is made softer. However, in order for the drinking water to be healthy following the process of reverse osmosis, extra steps are often required to re-introduce healthy minerals into your water. Reverse osmosis water softeners do not pick and choose which minerals to get rid of, so you will have to add back in the healthy minerals that you need while leaving out the magnesium and calcium. These types of water softeners are typically built for under-sink installation and will only provide soft water to the sink in which they are connected. Reverse osmosis water softeners are mostly used for clean drinking water, but they can get expensive if you need clean drinking water from more than one location in your home.
Other Types of Water Softeners
While most water softeners are meant to soften the water in your entire home, some water softeners, like reverse osmosis, are designed to target specific locations in your home. Let’s take a look at some of the other options that you will have when purchasing a home water softener.
Portable Water Softener
A portable water softener can give you soft water while you travel and is a good size to supply softer water for a single bathroom or drinking water for several people when you are at home. These are sold in small on-the-go tanks that are easy to take with you anywhere you travel.
Showerhead Water Softener
Showerhead water softeners are a type of residential water softener that is specially designed to give you soft water in the shower. This can eliminate hard water spots on your shower walls and doors and can help your hair and skin to feel more healthy and hydrated. Showerhead water softeners are easy to install by simply unscrewing your old showerhead and putting this one on in its place.
Well Water Softener
One of the most common issues for people that use well water is hard water. Hard minerals like calcium and magnesium build up in well water which creates hard water over time. For homeowners using well water, salt-based and salt-free water softeners are both great options for cleaner and healthier water.
Where to Get a Home Water Softener System
Call us today! We can answer all of your water softener questions and help find the right product for your home.