Monday 31 January 2011

Saltless Water Softener

Water softener is a common home appliance that many of us have installed one in our homes. Till today, many regions get only hard water supply for daily use. A water sample is called hard, if it contains excess amount of mineral ions, namely, calcium and magnesium. Hard water not only form scales, but also interferes with washing, cleaning, bathing and daily chores by reducing lather formation. Thus, treating hard water with a saltless water softener or with other techniques is preferred to increase water quality.

Saltless Water Softener: Do they Work?

In a traditional water softener system, the hard water is passed through resin beads that contain sodium ions. The magnesium and calcium ions are replaced by sodium ions, and soft water is delivered via the outlet pipe. A major concern with this method of softening water is elevated amount of sodium in the softened water. While using it for drinking or cooking applications, the sodium content in the diet is increased, which is not recommended for people with certain medical conditions.

Considering the high sodium content in water resulted by regular water softener, many homeowners are now opting for the salt free water softener. In fact, the market is flooded with saltless water softener systems, each promising to give high-end results. But, does a saltless water softener really works? Simply called a descaler, this salt free water softener works by changing the structure of mineral crystals present in hard water. By doing so, it reduces the tendency of crystals to form scales.

The working mechanism of most saltless water softener systems is not to remove mineral or hardness ions directly. Instead, the electric charges generated in this system are effective for preventing quick formation of scales. Hence, build-up of the same in pipes, washing machine or dishwasher is reduced significantly. Nevertheless, scale deposits are observed in standing water, say hot water heater or other storage tanks. In short, the saltless water softener is less efficient for actual water softening.

Saltless Water Softener: Benefits

The major benefits of saltless water softener are attributed to the absence of sodium in the softened water. Contrary to regular water softening, it involves electromagnets (in electromagnetic water softener) or other salts (e.g. potassium chloride) for softening hard water. Thus, water after undergoing the treatment process is free of sodium and is considered safe for consumption, even for people who are on a sodium restriction diet. Needless to say, it increases the longevity of pipes and other plumbing components. Another advantage of using salt free water softener is reducing environmental pollution.

Saltless Water Softener: Reviews

Purchasing the best saltless water softener is easier said than done. Being a costly gadget, proceeding with the trial and error method is not practical. In order to make the best investment, do your home work properly, check water softener reviews and search for the brands that deliver good results, in terms of softening water, energy efficiency and durability. Do not forget to go through saltless water softener consumer reports, so that you can get an insight about the positive and negative sides of this water softening device.

When a comparison is made between saltless water softener and regular water softener, each of the system works in a different manner, and have their own pros and cons. So, deciding, which one is a better alternative depends upon your health objectives, water requirements and personal choices. A better solution is to replace resin beads of a regular water softener with potassium chloride. But, make sure that the machine configuration is safe for using other salts. Or check with a reliable company for any possible water softener problems that may arise with salt replacement.

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