There are so many water softener & conditioner products & claims out there… which ones can you believe? Which one do you choose?

Below are water softener facts, comparisons & reviews of the top 5 softeners sought after (Easy electromagnetic & magnetic type conditioner, salt, salt free, Waterboss & Safeway top 2 models). This info will help you save a lot of time, money & grief.

We’ve covered the “most asked” water softener questions & concerns we run into in the field every day. Our goal is to help you to get the results you desire.

Simply glance over each topic to find the info you need:

The primary purpose of a water softener is to counteract the negative effects of hard water. Although hard water can be beneficial to humans, plants, and animals it creates problems with build up of calcium and magnesium in plumbing pipes and appliances as well as hot water heaters which cost Americans hundreds of millions of dollars each year. The negative effect of calcium sticking to your hair, skin & clothing has also created a huge industry for hair, skin and soap products designed to counteract these effects.

– Restores rich cleaning ability of soaps & detergents. Cuts usage & costs by 50-75%. You can use less soap & get better results. This will save you money. Also, you can return to natural chemical free healthy soaps and laundering agents. The harsh chemicals in today's soaps and detergents are there to combat hard water and still have some lather & cleaning ability. With soft water you will not need these harsh chemical based cleaners.

– Hair and skin feels softer , cleaner, smoother & becomes healthier. Soap rinses from your skin & hair thoroughly leaving behind no harsh residues to harm you.

– Fabrics last longer, are softer & whites stay whiter. Detergents easily rinse out of soft water. Tests have been done taking laundry washed in hard water, then taken and “rinsed” in soapless soft water. The “soapless” water soon becomes foamy from residues left in the fabrics washed in hard water. Soft water allows detergents to completely rinse out . Fabrics are also softer without hard 

water minerals trapped in them. Fabrics last longer and whites stay white without the dingy gray caused by hard water.

– No hard water deposits, chalk, orange rings, water spots or soap scum on bathtubs, showers, sinks & toilets.

– Clean shiny silverware and glassware without water spots.

– You save time in house cleaning & embarrassment trying to remove all the hard water deposits.

– Appliances last longer & work better. Soft water increases the life of all water using appliances such as hot water heaters, dishwashers, clothes washers and coffee & ice makers. Hard water wears appliances out quickly and requires more energy use as appliances do not work as well when they are corroded or clogged with mineral deposits. Your hot water heater will heat quicker & more efficiently. You will save money on monthly energy costs & damage to appliances. Some average replacement costs of appliances due to hard water corrosion: $360 water heater, $90 faucet set, $300-$600 clothes washer

– Your plumbing pipes & fixtures will last much longer. Average replacement cost of your entire plumbing system $2000-$4000.

The benefits of a good water softener are more than most people realize initially, and usually involve a cost savings that pays for the softener in about 3-4 years (if you choose the right softener). You can expect a good water softener to last at least 10 years with many lasting much longer. The instant health & quality of life gained are benefits you can’t put a price on…

Salt free water softeners are actually “water conditioners” – not softeners. Salt free water softeners contain a catalytically working filter media using nano-technology developed to first remove already existing scale from pipes and heat exchanger surfaces (de-scaling effect) and further protect the system from future formation of scale (scale protection effect). Salt free catalytic media is used in a process where atoms are placed in a special structure so that an active surface is created. This transforms the dissolved calcium carbonate (temporary hardness) so it cannot attach to any surfaces. The “hardness” is still in the water, but scaling is greatly reduced. The chemical bonds are then rinsed away by the water flow. The size of the bonds is so small (in the range of a nanometer) that they can only be seen with a microscope. Therefore the de-scale effect is the same as if the water was free of temporary hardness (calcium carbonate). The crystals are heat resistant and do not fall apart under high water temperatures or passing through your water heater. This process is actually not true water softening, but “water conditioning.”

Calcium (Ca2+) and magnesium (Mg2+) ions that cause water hardness can be removed by using an ion exchange procedure. Water softeners are Cation exchange devices. Cations refer to positively charged ions. Cation exchange involves the replacement of the hardness ion with a non-hardness ion. Salt-based water softeners use sodium (Na+) as the exchange ion. Sodium ions are supplied from dissolved sodium chloride salt, also called brine. In the ion exchange process, sodium ions are used to coat an exchange medium in the softener. The exchange medium can be natural “zeolites” or synthetic resin beads that resemble wet sand.

As hard water passes through a water softener, the calcium and magnesium trade places with sodium ions. Sodium ions are held loosely and are easily replaced by calcium and magnesium ions. During this process free sodium ions are released to the water. After softening a large quantity of hard water the exchange medium becomes coated with calcium and magnesium ions. When this occurs, the exchange medium must be recharged or regenerated.

To recharge the softener with sodium ions, a salt based water softener is back flushed with a salt brine solution. During a back flush the brine solution replaces the calcium and magnesium ions on the exchange medium with sodium ions from the salt solution. The time between recharging cycles depends on the hardness of the water, the amount of water used, the size of the salt water softener unit, and the capacity of the exchange media to remove hardness.

Softened water from a salt-based water softener is not recommended for drinking, watering houseplants, lawns and gardens due to its sodium content. There are many health risks associated with sodium intake. During the softening process sodium is released from the exchange media into the output water. For every grain of hardness removed from water, 8mg/1 (ppm) of sodium is added. People on restricted sodium intake diets should account for increased levels of sodium in softened water. Your family physician should be consulted. Sodium intake from softened water can be avoided by leaving one kitchen tap un-softened from drinking and cooking. Water used in recharging a water softener may over load or reduce the effectiveness of small septic or sewer systems. Softened water is not recommended for small appliances such as steam irons or evaporative coolers. Salt-based softeners require that salt be added to the system on a regular basis based upon the hardness of the water. Cost of salt is approximately $5 to $7 per 40-pound bag depending on the form.

Here is a study conducted at Arizona State University. This study compared alternatives to salt based softeners, including the methods we list above. Their results also back up our claims: Evaluation of Alternatives to Domestic Ion Exchange Water Softeners

Our mission is to provide you with the best expert water softener advice available… Then, the best softener for you. One that will fit your needs and wants, not ours.

We talk to people every week that have been “sold” on units they are totally unhappy with. You’ll receive a free “no pressure” in home consultation & assessment if you’d like. This allows us to test your water for it’s hardness rating and listen to your concerns & goals.

Again, we do not believe in pressure sales. Only in giving you the facts & information to allow you to make an educated confident decision on a water softener… whether you go with us or not!