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Water softeners: what are they and how to choose one

Type, size, timer-based dosed regeneration – when you decide to buy a water softener, there are a few things you need to know about when making your choice. After all, you want to choose a system that is ideal for your needs.

Water Softeners: Types

There are different types of water softeners, each with its own pros and cons. On the one hand, we have ion exchange softeners that use salt. This is the most common and popular type; on the other hand, we have salt-free softeners, although these are not softeners in the true sense of the word. Which makes the most sense for you depends entirely on your individual circumstances and personal preferences.

Salt-Based Ion Exchange Systems. Simply put, a conventional salt water softener uses a process called “ion exchange” to remove hardness minerals—primarily calcium and magnesium ions, but also iron and others—from the water and replace them with sodium (Na+) or, in rare cases, potassium (K+). This is by far the most common method for softening household water today.

Salt-free drinking water softeners. Then we have salt-free water softeners, which we shouldn’t call “softeners” but “conditioners” actually. Why? Because no matter what treatment method they use, they don’t actually remove any hard minerals from the water. Instead, they try to stop those minerals from sticking to surfaces and accumulating in pipes and appliances, forming scale. In other words, products from well-known brands like CMA (Italy) with filters like DVA8, DVA12, DVA16 and Krupps (Italy) with models DEP12 , DEP16, DEP20 have a simple scale-removal effect. The general consensus is that salt-free conditioners are better than no water softener at all, but not as effective as traditional salt-based systems. Treatment methods include the use of citric acid or polyphosphate as chelating agents that bind hard water ions so they remain soluble. Other conditioners use catalytic media that cause calcium carbonate to form large crystals that have little surface affinity.

Magnetic water softeners. These devices are somewhat controversial, to say the least. According to their manufacturers, these electronic "plug and play" devices simply wrap around the main water line (ideal for renters) to generate a magnetic field that alters the electromagnetic properties of calcium carbonate. This causes the mineral particles to repel the pipe surfaces and each other, which in turn prevents scale buildup.

What else should you consider when choosing water softeners?

Having discussed the different types of water softeners that you can buy, we would like to talk about a few more options and considerations to keep in mind when choosing the model that you are considering.

1. Price. The cost of a water softener depends on its type, size, brand, and features.

2. Capacity (size) and flow rate. The size or capacity of a water softener indicates how many grains of hardness it can remove before it needs to regenerate.