Top 6 Questions Answered about Salt-Free Water “Softeners”
Can I replace a traditional water softener system with a salt-free water softener, and what difference in performance should I expect between the two systems?
There is no such thing as salt-free water softeners, as salt-free systems don’t soften the water or remove the hardness minerals. It is best to refer to them as salt-free water conditioners as they condition the water to not scale up pipes or fixtures. City water often contains hard minerals and other contaminants that can impact water quality and the performance of household appliances.
Saltless water softeners can last between 5 and 20 years, depending on various factors, and they do not require salt refills, making them a convenient alternative.
Yes, a water conditioner system can replace a traditional water softener. A big difference will be how the water feels. Traditional softeners often leave the water too soft, causing it to feel slippery and slimy. Conditioners do not remove the hardness but rather crystallize it, resulting in conditioned water that feels different from softened water. Additionally, traditional systems can impact the water supply by introducing sodium, whereas salt-free systems do not.
Better water quality enhances the overall quality of life, providing benefits for skin, hair, and household appliances.
The scale will also not build up on fixtures and pipes. Previous sodium and/or calcium buildup in the pipes from your old traditional water softener will also disappear within a few days of conditioning treatment.
For this reason, during the first few days of conditioning treatment, the water may taste slightly salty as it cleans out the scale buildup in the pipes. After a few days, however, this will go away!
Why is the Scale Stopper system in an up-flow configuration? Why is it not downflow?
The Scale Stopper media is not a traditional downflow filter system. It does not trap the hardness, nor does it exchange anything for the hardness like a traditional water softener.
The media acts as a catalytic medium by causing the crystallization of ions on its surface while the water is in continual upflow.
The inlet water flow in a water conditioning system is always in an upward direction, from the bottom to the top, within the filter housing. The media in the system always remains in a fluid state when water is run through it.
The Scale Stopper does not filter particles out of the water; rather, it pulls the hardness out of the solution. This hardness that is pulled out forms crystals on the surface as they interact with the media.
The crystals grow on the media until they are large enough to break free and flow into the water stream. These new crystals cannot physically attach to material, resulting in scale prevention.
Will I see any change in the laundry with “salt-free water softeners”?
Your laundry likely will come out cleaner and last longer. Your appliances will also likely have a longer lifespan when using the newly conditioned water. Minerals in water can negatively affect the lifespan of a water heater, but salt-free systems help mitigate this issue. Additionally, salt-free systems operate without the need for electricity and require minimal maintenance.
Why does the Scale Stopper media not require backwashing? What keeps the media bed from getting fouled?
This is a crucial component of the Scale Stopper system’s conditioning method. There is no actual filtration happening without media. Rather, we are continuously upflow backwashing. We do not filter out anything from the water.
Therefore, there is no accumulation of anything in the suspended bed of media. The media serves as a catalyst, kickstarting a reaction that allows crystallization to occur.
How can I test the Media to make sure my system is working?
An easy, at-home way to test your system’s effectiveness is to use two saucepans and your stove. Fill one of the saucepans with untreated water and the other with water treated by the water conditioner.
Turn on the stove and bring to a boil. The untreated, unconditioned water will leave a hard, crusty scum on the side of the pan as it boils away. The conditioned water, when working effectively, will not leave that scum.
In the treated water, you will see circulating hardness crystals on the bottom of the pan right before the water boils away. This residue can be easily wiped off once the water has boiled off.
Another simple method is to examine heating equipment and appliances that are often covered in scale. The water conditioner system, when working effectively, will break down the scale buildup within a few days of running. No new scale will appear after installation.
Our customers have noticed that their coffee machines and appliances begin to clean up after years of scale buildup.
Has the media been tested for health effects?
The treated water that comes out of the Scale Stopper system is in compliance with NSF 61 standards, an independent test standard for health effects created by the Water Quality Association (WQA).
Resources
Clean Water Store. (n.d.). Get it straight: Hard truths about soft water. CleanWaterStore.com. https://www.cleanwaterstore.com/blog/get-it-straight-hard-truths-about-soft-water/
United States Geological Survey. (n.d.). Hardness of water. U.S. Geological Survey, Water Science School. https://www.usgs.gov/special-topic/water-science-school/science/hardness-water
