As it removes minerals, and helps eliminate other impurities in hard water, salt is an important component for best water conditioners. Salt is used in the best water-softeners. Discover more?
Change of Ions
Most popular are ion-exchange systems that purify hard water by using salt. The water is treated with sodium ions to replace the minerals which cause the scaling. After being treated with sodium, water passes through resin bead in a softener. It is trapped and becomes mineral-free. Once a set threshold is exceeded, the system begins a regeneration cycle that involves flushing out the resin beads in salt water. This removes the minerals from the resin and allows it to perform its ion exchange function again.
Compare and contrast salty and sodium-free
The two main options for water softeners include using salt and not. System that uses salt for mineral removal from hardwater are “salt based”, whereas systems without salt use other methods to eliminate scale, like magnetic fields and carbon filtering. The salt-free system is not as effective as the salt-based systems in preventing scaling because it does not remove minerals.
Different Salts
There are many options available for water conditioners. However, rock salt may damage resin beads, making this a less preferred alternative. The sodium chloride produced when brine or saltwater evaporates in sunlight is more purified than the form that’s created by heating brine until it boils to remove salt.
Use of Salt
Water softeners use salt in proportion to their size, how hard the water is, and how often they run the regeneration cycle. Water softeners usually have an amount of salt they recommend you replenish when it’s low. Watch the salt levels and check your softener to make sure it is working properly.