How to Know Which Water Softener is Best

Understanding Water Softener Options

It seems like homeowners are constantly faced with new decisions. As soon as one thing is resolved, something else pops up. It almost feels like it would be easier to just guess, pick something, and be done with it. Though this approach might be a quick fix, it can lead to other problems down the road when the available options aren’t weighed by their pros and cons.

For example, a homeowner could choose to buy a new heating unit that isn’t big enough to effectively supply heat to the house. Or they could pick a water softener that doesn’t support their needs and leads to other plumbing problems in the future.

Hard water can cause quite a bit of damage. It’s hard on people’s hair and skin, which can cause irritation, dryness, and redness. It harms the inner workings of the plumbing system, which shortens the lifespan of the water heater, leaves mineral buildup around faucets, and causes sink drains to become sluggish and toilets to flush slower.

Having a water softener is critical to preventing mineral buildup and impurities in order to extend the life of the plumbing system and everything in it.

Option 1: Using Reverse Osmosis

Reverse osmosis is one of those plumbing methods that sounds a lot more complex than it really is. Basically, this water softener method pushes water through a filter to physically remove contaminants and minerals from the water.

Due to its simple nature and the fact that it is more environmentally friendly (aka, chemical-free), reverse osmosis is growing in popularity among homeowners. Though the process itself is pretty simple, the quality of the water and the softness of the water dramatically improves.

Reverse osmosis is highly effective in removing any funny flavors in water, making it truly tasteless. It also removes dissolved minerals, which softens the water and promotes a long-lasting plumbing system with minimal mineral buildup around faucets and within the plumbing pipes.

Option 2: Magnetic Water Softener

A magnetic water softener uses the magic of magnetism to alter hard minerals. In a magnet, there is a north pole and a south pole, where opposite poles attract and similar poles repel.

Surrounding this magnet is an invisible field of magnetism that pulls some things closer and pushes other things away. A magnetic water softener pushes water through a magnetic field, and it uses the force of the magnet to pull and alter the ions of hard minerals.

The purpose of this alteration is to prevent minerals like calcium and magnesium from scaling, which minimizes the hardness of the water. However, it’s important that homeowners recognize that this type of softener doesn’t physically remove the minerals from the water. Many homeowners prefer to use magnetic water softeners because they are low maintenance and are less expensive than some of the other options.

Option 3: Salt-Free Conditioner

When talking about salt-free options, it’s important to make a clear distinction: salt-free is not a true water softener but acts more like a water conditioner. Here’s why. A salt-free water conditioner crystalizes minerals such as calcium and magnesium, which are found in hard water.

The process of crystallization prevents minerals from attaching to the inner layers of the plumbing pipes. This reduction in mineral buildup is a huge benefit to homeowners because it helps to extend the life of the plumbing system.

However, it doesn’t actually remove these minerals. Instead, it simply changes their form. When comparing this to a salt-based water softener, which does remove the minerals themselves to create softer water, it’s clear to see that salt-free options are conditioners.

Trust a Local Plumber

At Charles Krull & Son, Inc. Plumbing & Heating, they offer reliable services and quality customer care throughout the Malverne area. With years of local experience and highly skilled plumbing contractors, they offer personalized water filtration solutions to accommodate any homeowner.

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