Saltless Water Softeners - Do They Work?

Saltless water softeners eliminate salt, magnesium, and calcium deposits in the water, which are known to scale and discolor water pipes and appliances. The process is also referred to as reverse osmosis. 

To be more specific, saltless systems work by forcing highly pressurized water through a semi-permeable membrane, where the salt and minerals are exchanged with fresh water. There are both countertop and tankless systems. They are sometimes used in combination.

In most homes salt is added to saltless water softeners to soften the water supply for bathing, cleaning, laundry, and other household uses. Hard water scale build-ups in appliances like coffee makers, dishwashers, and showers, as well as shower doors, piping, and under the sink spigots, can be difficult to remove with traditional methods. 

Another advantage of installing such a device in your house is that it dissolved already existing lime build-up even if the system works as advertised. It works by passing clean, freshwater through the device, filtering out unwanted minerals and salts. A faultless system is a good choice for those who want to soften their water supply without using salt.

There are two different types of saltless water softeners: single salt and multi-salt. In case you don't know, a saltless system is cheaper than other types. 

One advantage of using a saltless system is you won't have to use harsh chemicals, which can make your water conditioners less effective. However, one downside of using these devices is they cannot soften the water supply to bathing requirements. Read on pentair water softener reviews or more tips on using your water conditioner effectively without spending more.

Saltless water softeners work by replacing sodium with sodium bicarbonate or potassium bicarbonate. These elements are combined to form a compound known as sodium ions. These sodium ions are then passed through a resin bed to form the sodium salt. Once the salt passes into the resin bed, the sodium ions replace the traditional sodium ions in the water, thus softening the water. 

This process is repeated several times until the water is softened enough to pass through the resin bed and into a proper dispenser for your faucets. You will notice that using saltless water softeners requires more sodium to replace the traditional sodium, which means you will spend more on your water conditioner every month.

The good news is that different types of saltless water softeners work differently depending on your water conditions. The main type of water conditioner available in the market right now is the resin bed-based variety, which is the cheapest among the three different types. Other types are available, but they function differently, requiring different installation procedures.

One of the disadvantages of using saltless water softeners is that you will have to use electricity to run them. The amount of energy used will depend on the type of unit you choose, but most use around 120 watts of power. This can be a drawback if you do not have access to electricity or do not want to pay too much for your electric bills. 

On the other hand, this kind of system ensures that your hard water descalers are cleaned properly and do not cause any damage to your appliances. This in return saves you from costly repairs and it also protects your family from harmful hard-scale build-ups.