As you might be aware, hard water refers to a type of water which comprises of highly dissolved mineral content. Calcium and magnesium are known to be the most common minerals found in hard water. Use of this kind of water, although not harmful for health, sure does a great deal of damage to home appliances like water heaters, dishwashers, tea kettles, and so on. The damage is caused due to the scaling on the inside of the appliances, which form when the water precipitates. One of the main disadvantage of using hard water is its inability to form lather. This makes washing clothes, or baths less productive. This water can be made soft with the help of reverse osmosis or distillation. It can also be done by using a water softener salt, about which a description has been provided below.
Water Softener Salt Types
Before I take you to the water softener types, I would tell you how does the water softener salt work to make the hard water soft. Basically, the salt works to get rid of the ions that make the water hard, which are in most cases, Ca2+ and Mg2+. Now, let us suppose the common salt sodium chloride (NaCl) is introduced in the hard water. The salt will break up into ions Na+ and Cl-. Now these ions would chemically bond with the ions already present in the water. This means Cl- would bond with Ca2+ forming CaCl2 and, also with Mg2+ and for MgCl2 thus, reducing the hardness of the water. What would be left in high quantity would be the Na+ ions thus, raising the sodium content in the water.
Now coming to the water softener salt types, they have been described below:
Rock Salt
This one is known to be the cheapest of all the water softener salts available. It is a naturally occurring mineral, that is normal obtained by mining methods. It is mostly sodium chloride, but also has relatively high composition of insoluble calcium sulphate as well. That is why the softener reservoir would be requiring frequent cleaning sessions.
Solar Salt
This product is obtained from the evaporation of sea water. It is better than the rock salt, as it has lesser insoluble composition. It is normally sold in pellet or crystal form, and contains about 85% sodium chloride. As the salt goes under processing, its price is quite higher than rock salt.
Evaporated Salt
By far, this is rated as the best water softener salt. It is found in underground salt deposits, but in dissolved form. So what is done is, the water is evaporated from the salt, leaving only sodium chloride. Since it is the most purest form of all, it is also the most expensive. As it is highly soluble, there would be less sediments thus, making way for less maintenance of the water reservoir.
Adding too much of salt or the wrong type of salt may result in forming what is known as a water softener salt bridge. Although it is not a serious issue, it might interfere with the working of the water softener. As far as the popular brand goes in this aspect, most people prefer the Morton water softener salt. But what must be known is, water softener salts take some time to dissolve and begin to soften the water. So, do not expect immediate results right after adding the salt to the hard water. Also, ensure that the salt level is half full in the reservoir. As the sodium level in the water would be high, it might not be suitable for babies, and for people who are recommended to follow a low-sodium diet. In such a case, water can be softened using a filter, but that has a price of its own, which is way higher than what is needed for water softener salts.
Water Softener Salt Types
Before I take you to the water softener types, I would tell you how does the water softener salt work to make the hard water soft. Basically, the salt works to get rid of the ions that make the water hard, which are in most cases, Ca2+ and Mg2+. Now, let us suppose the common salt sodium chloride (NaCl) is introduced in the hard water. The salt will break up into ions Na+ and Cl-. Now these ions would chemically bond with the ions already present in the water. This means Cl- would bond with Ca2+ forming CaCl2 and, also with Mg2+ and for MgCl2 thus, reducing the hardness of the water. What would be left in high quantity would be the Na+ ions thus, raising the sodium content in the water.
Now coming to the water softener salt types, they have been described below:
Rock Salt
This one is known to be the cheapest of all the water softener salts available. It is a naturally occurring mineral, that is normal obtained by mining methods. It is mostly sodium chloride, but also has relatively high composition of insoluble calcium sulphate as well. That is why the softener reservoir would be requiring frequent cleaning sessions.
Solar Salt
This product is obtained from the evaporation of sea water. It is better than the rock salt, as it has lesser insoluble composition. It is normally sold in pellet or crystal form, and contains about 85% sodium chloride. As the salt goes under processing, its price is quite higher than rock salt.
Evaporated Salt
By far, this is rated as the best water softener salt. It is found in underground salt deposits, but in dissolved form. So what is done is, the water is evaporated from the salt, leaving only sodium chloride. Since it is the most purest form of all, it is also the most expensive. As it is highly soluble, there would be less sediments thus, making way for less maintenance of the water reservoir.
Adding too much of salt or the wrong type of salt may result in forming what is known as a water softener salt bridge. Although it is not a serious issue, it might interfere with the working of the water softener. As far as the popular brand goes in this aspect, most people prefer the Morton water softener salt. But what must be known is, water softener salts take some time to dissolve and begin to soften the water. So, do not expect immediate results right after adding the salt to the hard water. Also, ensure that the salt level is half full in the reservoir. As the sodium level in the water would be high, it might not be suitable for babies, and for people who are recommended to follow a low-sodium diet. In such a case, water can be softened using a filter, but that has a price of its own, which is way higher than what is needed for water softener salts.
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