What is The Difference Between Salt-free Water Conditioners and Standard Water Softeners?

What is the difference between water conditioners, such as the Scale Stopper, and traditional water softeners that use salt?

Traditional water softeners use salt brine to exchange hardness calcium minerals with sodium ions.

Hardness minerals (calcium and magnesium) are removed from the water so the water is then “soft” or free of hardness minerals.   Soft water is best if you want to eliminate white spotting on fixtures and appliances and improved water for bathing.

Salt-free water conditioners change the composition of the calcium minerals in the water to discourage scale formation that collects on household appliances and in pipes.   No hardness is removed.

Salt-free or “no-salt” water conditioners are best if you wish to protect the interior of pipes, fixtures, and appliances and prevent scale from building up.

Salt-free conditioners do not remove hardness, however, so if the water evaporates on a surface (such as glass shower doors or fixtures, you will still the white deposits.

Advantages to Salt-Free Conditioners over Traditional Water Softeners:

• Consistent scale control:  eliminates problems with calcium scale in pipes and appliances
• No salt required.  No backwash or wastewater is produced.
• Works for both residential and commercial applications
• Economical and energy efficient: Uses no wastewater and requires no electricity.
• No maintenance required.
• Retains beneficial minerals naturally occurring in your water: Salt-less conditioners won't leave your water with a slimy or slippery feel as often happens with salt softeners.
• Compact, uses less space than most water softeners.

It is important to note that Scale Stopper does not lower the actual, measurable hardness in the chemistry of the water after treatment, but rather changes the form of the hardness so that it won't cause problems.

Both no-salt conditioners and traditional water softeners contribute to a longer life for your appliances and pipes, easier-to-clean shower doors and fixtures, and energy savings by increasing the efficiency of water heaters.

There is no way to test the water to see if it is working.  No salt conditioners do not remove hardness so there is no test available to check the system.

Advantages of Water Softeners over No Salt Conditioners:

• Consistent scale control:  eliminates problems with calcium scale in pipes and appliances

• Salt Efficient:  modern well-designed water softener use a lot less salt than before
• Works for both residential and commercial applications
• Fewer spots or no spots on surfaces and fixtures:  fixtures look better and require less cleaning
• Cleaner softer hair, skin, and laundry
• Clothes come out cleaner and whiter
• Much Less Soap is required.  Cut your soap and detergent use by 60%.
• You can easily test a water softener to see how it working with a simple low-cost test kit.
• Track flow rate and water usage, control with your smartphone

If you would like to get a personal consultation for which system would work best for your needs, we are happy to help. We can be contacted through our website support tab, at support@cleanwaterstore.com, or at the phone number at the very bottom of this webpage.

Learn More:  Hard Truths About Soft Water