Category Archives: Salt Free Water Softener

Salt Free Water Softener

What does a salt free water softener do? It keeps dissolved minerals from building up inside the pipes of your home or business. If the dissolved minerals build up inside the pipes, it can create clogging in the dishwasher, washing machine and other appliances where water runs through pipes. This is also called a de-scaler because it can slown down the buildup of water hardness caused by scale.

salt free water softener

For you to fully understand what a salt free water softener does, you must first know the meaning of water hardness. The water quality is measured by its hardness or the amount of calcium, magnesium and other minerals in the water. The evidence of hard water includes cloudiness on glassware, deposits in the bathtub or sink and soap or detergenet that does not generate adequate suds. These conditions indicate that water treatment, whether regular system or a salt free water softener, is needed.

What are the effects of hard water? There is actually no real proof that hard water poses a health hazard. There is a majority of adverse effects resulting from hard water that’s coming from the high cost of repairs and replacement of equipment that has been damaged from hard water within the industrial environment. The absence of a salt free water softener in many houses has resulted in homeowners replacing their appliances that use water more frequently.

There are regular water softener systems that work by running water through beads which contains sodium, or salt. During this process, calcium and magnesium molecules are replaced with sodium molecules in the water. The absence of minerals is what makes the water soft. The most popular and effective model of salt free water softeners is what is usually labelled as a potassium chloride water softener which means that instead of using normal softener salt, they use potassium which has been shown to be quite healthy even in larger amounts especially since there are some people who have potassium deficiency. The great thing about this is that there are a lot of models that people might but that use salt will also work with potassium pallets. Another model of salt free water softeners are the ones that use an electric charge that changes the structure of the mineral crystals so it won’t be able to develop quickly where the water runs through, they are called an electric water softener or magnetic water softener.

There are also advantages when it comes to salt free water softener systems:

  1. Salt free water softener doesn’t add salt to the drinking water. So, people with high blood pressure and other conditions may be required to restrict their salt intake. If a regular salt system in their home they may have to find other sources for their drinking water.
  2. A lot of people have said that they noticed that their skin is softer and smoother with the use of water from salt free water softener systems. However, this si not medically proven.

So, how do you install a salt free water softener? It is installed at the point where the water supply enters the property. There is a small electrical element that is attached by two wires and this is plugged into the electrical supply of the house. With this, it can create a small current of electricity that can pass through the water supply. The current itself is the one responsible for making everything work.

How Does A Water Softener Work?

How does a water softener work? A water softener is used to soften “hard” water, water that has an excessive amount of magnesium and calcium ions. Such condition is made by the ability of water to absorb material as it pass through. A water softener is also called a condition because it can remove the excessive amount of ions.

Now, for you to thoroughly understand, how does a water softener work?

It is a process when it passes the water down through the top of the softener through a resin bed that is negatively charged with sodium ions attached. As the water passes through the media, the sodioum ions trade places with the magnesium and calcium ions in the water and in this particular moment, it removes the hardness in the water. The number of sodium ions used to remove the “hard” minerals will depend on the initial water source levels.

The resin media will begin to lose its effectiveness overtime as more of the sodium ions are displaced by the magnesium and calcium ions. In this case, the solution will be to make a brine solution that consists of the salt that water softeners users are familiar with. See, a brine tank is connected to the softener through a control valve that manages when the system is to be flushed and recharged. Also, there is a drain line on the water softener that will allow minerals to be flushed out of the water softener and not through your faucets.

Control valves are important parts of a water softener and there are two types of control valves that you use:

  1. Timed Valve – this is programmed to recharge the system at particular timed intervals.
  2. Metered valve – this recharges the systemb based on the water amount that has passed through the water softener.

More water softener owners prefer to use a metered valve because they can adjust the system in a more accurate manner to their specific water make-up.

A water softener is a great addition to your household. This is designed to remove the minerals that create the hardness. However, you should know that these water softeners don’t act as a filter for sand and they don’t remove nitrates or nitrites from you water.

The Importance of Salt Free Water Softener Reviews

If you are planning to purchase a salt free water softener and it happens to be your first time, it is very important that you do a bit of research. Reading salt free water softener reviews will help you determine which machine you should go for. Since there are a lot of manufacturers that you can choose from, you have to make sure that you are purchasing the best product for your home or business.

salt free water softener reviews

Today, water softener is being used by a majority of people living in the United States. If you are one of them, you’re lucky to know that you can find a lot of salt free water softener reviews through the World Wide Web. Aside from this, you can also ask your neighbors and friends where they got their water softener, what they can say about it and other questions that pertain to a water softener system.

Most people who are looking for reviews rely on the Internet. It is easier, and they get to read reviews from people all over the US. Pictures and videos of the water softener are a big plus. Your research will be much easier if you read reviews. These reviews will tell you anything you need to know about a particular water softener.

Aside from this, you can also find salt free water softener reviews by going to different forums. You can start a new thread or you can join a thread that talks about water softeners or household-related topics. You are bound to have honest opinions from different forum members, and this can help you a lot.

Reading reviews before purchasing is the best thing that you can do. This can also help you save more money in the long run. First timers, keep this in mind! Don’t just settle for a water softener because of its price. You have to know how it works, and the reviews will help you a lot!

Water Softener Parts

If you are planning to purchase a water softener, it would be helpful that you also familiarize yourself with water softener parts. This will be very helpful and this will help you be more knowledgeable when it comes to your machine which is very important.

Here are the water softener parts:

water softener parts

  1. Mineral Tank – this is that part of the machine where hard water is converted into soft warer. It has a water softener resin bed charged with negative ions. As the hard water passed through this tank, the positively charged calcium and magnesium ions are then absorbed into the resin bed, effectively creating soft water.
  2. Brine tank – this is a major part of your unit. It contains a mixture of water and sodium carbonate salts. Once a certain amount of hard water has been filtered in the mineral tank, the brine solution flushes the resin bed in the mineral tank. The calcium and magnesium ions trapped in the resin bed are replaced by the sodium ions in the brine solution. This enables the resin bed to continue extracting minerals from the hard water. Once this process is done, the brine solution will be flushed down the drain pipe along with the calcium and magnesium ions. It must also be serviced on a regular basis.
  3. Central Processing Unit – yes, this is the brain of your water softener. It has three parts: the meter, the valbe assemble and the timer.
  • Meter – it measures the levelk of calcium and magnesiym ions in the resin bed and starts the brine flush when it is too high.
  • Valve assembly – it helps the water pass from one part to the other.
  • Timer – this is used to decide when the machine is started and the duration for which it functions.

Aside form these water softener parts, the sodium carbonate is a very important component as well. This is because it is the main ingredient of the whole system.

Knowing the different water softener parts will help you understand more your machine and at the same time, you will know how it works. This is very important because you are the owner and you should be able to distinguish the parts and know how it works.

Common Water Softener Problems

Some people who have water softeners encounter water softener problems. This is quite common, especially if the machine has been in use for a couple of years, and there have been gaps when it comes to maintenance. The problem is that water softener issues can sometimes be difficult to diagnose, which often lead to frustration and disappointment.

water softener problems

The main water softener problems come about from misuse of the system and not maintaining the unit. Not following the procedure to take care of the unit found in the user manual can lead to a lower working unit life. This is very common. In fact, there have been some complaints from household owners. However, most home owners easily complain without analyzing the situation and without looking for the cause of the problem. This can really lead to frustration and can sometimes lead to anger.

If you are having water softener problems but you still don’t know what is causing it, you can try these:

  • Check the motor and see if it’s functioning. Most of the time, the problem is just electrical. Make sure that the unit has live power running on it. Check your breaker as well to see if all the switches are flipped.
  • If you still have hard water, empty out the tank and see if there is not enough salt. You can also do a timer reset so that you can increase the number of times it takes to regenerate.
  • Higher iron deposits can also be a problem. Make sure that you take a look at the filter. If you need to swap it out for another one, verify that the bypass valve is notched to service market. At the same time, check for leakage.
  • Brine stoppage can also cause problems. Flush the brine and inspect the filter screen and injector to see if they need to be swapped out for a new one. Your brine line should not have any damage. Look in the manual to make sure all settings are correct.

So if you ever encounter water softener problems again, here are some tips that can help you diagnose your machine. These can also help you fix it on your own!

Water Softener Installation

Now that you have a water softener, whether it’s a salt free water softener or not, it is time that you focus on water softener installation. For you to be able to ensure that the machine that you purchase works properly, you must know how to properly install the machine. Don’t worry, it comes with instructions so, pay attention to it. Remember that each water softener have their own specifics when it comes to their actual installation but there are several aspects of water softener installation that are common to all types.

water softener installation

First step in water softener installation, you must consider the location. If you plan to keep the machine indoors, make sure to keep it in a dry area that doesn’t have much flactuations in temperatures. However, if you chose a machine that has two tanks, make sure that they are close together and the brine tank is accessible. This is because this is the tank that you will need to refill so it is very important that you can get to it easily. On the other hand, if you are planning to put it outdoors, it must be in an area that is away from direct sunlight. There are a lot of tank that you can purchase that comes with a jacket that will help protect the tank from the sunlight and other inclement weather.

Also, there should be a presence of an electrical outlet. It must be less than 50 feet from the water softener unit and you should also have a drain in the area that is at least 1 ½ inches in diameter. You can use a tubing to extend to a drain that is out of the way or you may use a flexible tubing or a more rigid PVC tube.

  1. If the media is not installed in the tank prior to the water softener installation, you will need to do this step as well. The way you install this will depend on the size of your tank and whether or not your tank has a turbulator. A larger tank of 64,000 grains or a tank that doesn’t have a turbulator will require a gravel underbed.
  2. Once you have placed the gravel, you can now follow the directions and install the media in the tank. Following this, you will be able to install the bypass valve and then th einlet outlet water connections according to the included instructions.
  3. Next in the water softener installation process, you will take the brine tubing and connect the water softener control valve and the brine tank. Once you have placed this tubing, you can connect the brine tank overflow. This can be done by attaching the 5/8” tubing from the brine tank and run it to the drain.
  4. Program the conrol that will be responsible for softening the water correctly. Run the backwash cycle and look for leanks and tighten any loose fittings. Watch the tank as it runs through a cycle of water to be sure that everything works correctly.

The next instructions are very general and should only be applied in combination with the instructions that have come with your unit. Water softener installation doesn’t have to be difficult. The main key is to follow the instructions. Remember also that there are two types of water softener, the salt free water softener and the no salt water softener.

Saltless Water Softener

Water softening process reduces calcium, magnesium and to some degree, ferrous iron and manganese which is present in hard water. Hard water is full of mineral concentration and that must be removed as it has a very undesirable and harmful effect to the body. There are two types of water softeners, the first one is that one that uses salt while the other one is the saltless water softener.

saltless water softener

The saltless water softener is commonly used by individuals who have hypertension and other medical conditions that restricts them from salt or sodium. This is their best choice for water softening process. Aside from this, this particular water softener atttracts environmentally conscious individual. It is no question that considerable amounts of salt dumped in the ecosystem can ultimately damage environmental surroundings. There are some studies that found any particular one single-family household that can deposit 500 pounds of salt into the ground each year.

Saltless water softener is not actually a softener. This system is better known as descalers or water conditioners since they don’t actually take away the dissolved minerals required to soften the water. These saltless systems work by changing the physical properties of minerals. A magnetic strategy is employed to create ionic charges that keep them in a suspended state. This will then prevent the mineral deposits on pipes, faucets, and household appliances designed to use water. However, scales may as well form anywhere water is stagnant. Due to the ionic charge technology, saltless water softeners are also known as magnetic water softeners.

This is more expensive than water softeners that has salt but it is said that it can help you save more money in the long run. Between the two basic types of water softeners, it is really up to the person and his or her current medical condition whether he or she will choose the salt one or the salt free water softener.

No Salt Water Softener

There are two basic types of water softening system and in this article, the no salt water softener will be tackled. This may be a more complicated in operation.

no salt water softener

For people with hypertension, the no salt water softener is their best choice. Controlling sodium in their water with no salt water softener could be the best and possible solution. The normal amount of sodium salt based on one put into the water may be minimal, but small amounts of sodium may have an impact on people who try to limit sodium in their lives. In this case, the no salt water softener will be very helpful and useful.

Aside from this, the no salt water softener helps reduce the effects on the environment. The salt used in traditional softener eventually ends up in ground water and soil can have a negative impact on delicate ecosystems around us. In fact, it has been shown in a study that single-family household will place as much as 500 pounds of salt to the soil every year. It isn’t hard to see that the gradual building of salt can really affect the environment from time to time. If you care about our environment, then you should definitely go for the no salt water softener.

The downside is that the no salt water softener is more expensive. However, if you look at it in a long term view, you will see that it will be a worth investment and a useful one. The cost to clean and maintain various home appliances that can become clogged or stained by prolonged exposure to hard water may cost you more. So, the no salt water softener can help you save money. It may cost more upfront but in the long run, you will realize that you’re saving more money than the usual. That is why more people go for the salt free water softener.

If you are wondering what the other type is, it is the water softener salt which means that this particular water softener requires salt. So, this is definitely a no-no to people who have a medical condition that restricts them from salt or sodium. Yes, this is much cheaper but if you think about the advantages of the no salt water softener, you won’t be able to get that if you settle for the one that requires salt addition.

Water Softener Salt

A lot of people don’t know the meaning of water softener salt. Sure, some have encountered the word before but still no clue what it means. For you to finally understand what it is, this is a product that can remove ions from water that make water hard. Hard water refers to water with above average mineral content. Typically, this refers to minerals Calcium and magnesium. If the water has high amounts of these minerals, it will make the water less able to dissolve other solutes, like soap. Hard water can also lead to clogged pipes due to increased lime scale build-ups. If this kind of build-up happens, it can make the heating less efficient and it can produce more wear and tear on the pipes and water dependent household machines.

water softener salt

The need for this product, the water softener salt is used by many companies and households. They use this to soften the water for them to be able to reduce their heating bills and maintenance costs for piping and machinery. A water softener salt is designed to extract positively charged ions, calcium and magnesium. However, softeners are sometimes used to remove iron as well.

There are three types of water softener salt that is generally used today:

  • Rock salt – naturally occuring salt that is found as a mineral in underground salt deposits. It is mostly sodium chloride eventhough it has small amounts of calcium sulphate as well. It is also considered to be the cheapest among these three water softener salts on the market because it has a higher insoluble composition, the resorvoir of the softener needs more frequent cleaning.
  • Evaporate salt – this is also found in underground salt deposits but in dissolved form. The water is then evaporated from the salt which leaves almost a hundred percent sodium chloride.
  • Solar salt – this is acquired through seawater evaporation and it has 85% sodium chloride.This is better than rock salt because it has more insoluble components than evaporated salt and it requires more reservoir cleaning.

The salt reservoir must always be checked every month to ensure that the water softener salt level is at least half full. Don’t expect to see immediate softening results after adding salt softeners because it takes time to dissolve. Also, you should be mindful when buying a water softener that salt is corrosive and can break down pipes over time. Also, salt-softened water may not be suitable for babies due to its high sodium content. There is also a salt free water softener that you can consider if you have babies in your home.