How Do Saltless Water Softeners Work

Water softening involves an ion exchange process which removes both magnesium mg2 and calcium ca2 from water.

How do saltless water softeners work.

After all the ion exchange process still occurs in an electronic softener. In many cases we are led to believe both work the same and the only difference is that one doesn t use salt. Unlike conventional water softeners saltless water conditioners do not remove the calcium from your water but instead treat the calcium and convert it into aragonite which is still calcium and will test just like calcium in a water test. It is this removal of magnesium and calcium that defines water softening.

Ion exchange removes hard water ions in an exchange for sodium ions. With a water softener you also don t need to use as much soap for dishes laundry or bathing as you do if you have hard water. Well you ll be happy to know that the answer is a big yes. How do water softeners work.

Problems a water softener won t fix. A no salt water softener does not work as far as softening water goes. A water softener by definition is a device that reduces hard water dissolved minerals such as calcium and magnesium. Do salt free water softeners work.

Salt based water softeners use an electronic metered valve mounted atop a fiberglass resin tank that meter water by the gallon and then run a cleaning cycle when the ion resin. Water softeners are good at removing calcium and magnesium but they don t do anything to remove other minerals and gases that can cause problems in drinking water. For example ferrous iron is a common mineral and it creates nasty rust stains in sinks tubs and toilets. A salt free water softener does not exist.

Learn how real water softeners work. Water softeners have become more efficient and some use up to 75 percent less salt. A more accurate way to describe them would be descalers since they do reduce buildup in many but not all types of plumbing equipment. This really isn t the truth.

The only major difference is that things are a bit more automated for electronic softeners. Saltless systems do not remove hardness. And manganese causes black staining. So there s the big question you ve been pondering.

So here s the scoop. 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. The term water softener represents a technology called ion exchange. A saltless water softener uses potassium in place of sodium.

Cool but do electronic water softeners actually work. During the ion exchange process a polymer resin bed attracts hard water minerals and replaces them with sodium ions.