Salt-Based vs. Salt-Free Water Softeners: Pros and Cons

Taking hard water and making it soft is a pretty neat trick. So clever, in fact, that it needs some explanation. Is there magic involved? No, but processes are happening that can make it seem that way. In reality, it is pure science: problem-solving using some basic chemistry.

First, identify your problem or issue, if you find the P word sounds negative. Identify what you are seeking to change, anyway. Hard water is called that because it contains unacceptably high levels of minerals, mainly calcium and magnesium, which make themselves known by forming a crust inside kettles and washing machines (commonly called limescale). This can leave a white deposit on glasses that have been in the dishwasher and can make your hair and skin feel a little crusty, too, when they should be at their best after a shower.

How do you get rid of these excess minerals? There are two ways, one that involves salt (sodium chloride) and one that doesn't. This is significant because salt, while useful for enhancing food flavors, can be bad for health because it raises blood pressure and can cause various kinds of damage to the organs, leading to heart attacks and strokes among other things.

Method 1: Salt-Based

A salt-based water softener uses the scientific fact that calcium and its crusty buddies stick to resin, so you have a tank containing resin beads, and you run the water through it. Sure enough, the resin beads catch much of the unwanted material (the technical term is ion exchange, but don't worry about that). But they can only take a certain amount before they have to be rinsed to maintain their effectiveness. So, there is another tank, containing salty water (brine), and that flushes the resin beads, and the cleansing water containing calcium, etc., is drained away. The resin is ready to go through the whole process again.

Method 2: Salt-Free

The active ingredient in a salt-free system is potassium, tiny pieces of which react with the calcium and magnesium, crystallizing them so they can't do their natural crusting business, and the water continues its journey, the undesirable tendency nullified.

Unfortunately, when the water emerges from the pipe and meets oxygen, the crystallization is reversed, and you've got hard water again.

It could be argued that the salt-free method doesn't soften the water at all, but conditions it temporarily. Most people would agree that the salt-based method is more effective, but how much extra salt are you left with? The happy answer is that it is within acceptable limits. It will depend on the water you are putting through a water-softener, so there are local variations, and it can be affected by how carefully you maintain the system, flushing the resin beads regularly and replacing them when necessary.

If this all sounds rather technical, the obvious thing to do is to put it in the hands of a water purification expert, so find yourself a good company and pass the problem on to them. It's what they do every day, so they can install and maintain your home water softener system, and you can basically forget about it.

The salt-free lobby is often based on insufficient knowledge; they see the fact that salt is involved and immediately mark it down as a bad thing. With what you have learned in this blog, you are better equipped to make a decision, armed as you are now with the facts.

Having a reliable supply of high-quality water is something many people take for granted, particularly if they haven't visited less fortunate countries. Having that supply not just potable (safe to consume) but soft and therefore lovely to drink and cook with, as well as making your skin and hair feel like they should when you emerge from the shower – that is not automatic, but it is easily achievable.