A water softener (or water conditioner) is the most effective type of whole house water filter to remove calcium and magnesium, the minerals that cause water to be “hard.”
The most obvious effect of hard water is the build-up of scale, or white limestone deposits on faucets, sinks, or in pipes and appliances.
Finding a water softener for your home will prevent scale and even more problems caused by hard water in all of the plumbing in your home.
85% of people in the U.S. have hard water but only 30% of these people use a water softener system.
While hard water and the minerals that cause hardness are not unhealthy, they do cause problems for people who bathe in it, the plumbing system, and appliances.
There are considerable cost savings to installing a water softener and preventing the problems caused by hard water.
Read on to learn about the two types of water softeners, the benefits of water softening, and how to improve your water supply.
Table of Contents
- Our Recommendations
- Why do you need a water softener?
- How does a water softener work?
- Water Softener Reviews
- Compare Top Conditioners and Softeners
- How to test for hard water
- How to size a water softener
- Water Softener Installation
- Water Softener Terms and FAQ
- Trusted Reviews of Water Softeners
- Ready for Softer, Better Water?
Our Recommendations
If you want to jump right into our recommended water softeners now, here are quick links to get more details, ask questions of the manufacturers, and purchase the right water softener for your water.
If not, keep reading to learn about water softeners, the powerful benefits you will get with your own system, and why you can trust our recommendations of the top water softeners.
We review both salt based systems and salt free water softeners, so you are covered no matter what solution you choose for your water supply.
Salt Free Water Conditioners/Softeners
| Product | Top Features | Learn More or Buy |
|---|---|---|
 SpringWell FutureSoft Salt-Free Water Softener |
| 💲 💲 💲 |
 Aquasana Salt-Free Water Conditioner |
| 💲 💲 💲 |
 FilterWater Salt-Free Water Softener Anti-Scale System |
| |
 Tier1 Eco Series Salt Free Water Softener |
|
Jump down the page to find: Salt-free Water Conditioner reviews
Salt Based Water Softeners
| Product | Top Features | Learn More or Buy |
|---|---|---|
 SpringWell Salt Based Water Softener System |
| 💲 💲 💲 |
 FilterWater Whole House Water Softener System |
| |
 Tier1 Advanced Series Water Softener |
|
Jump down the page to find: Salt-Based Water Softener reviews
Why do you need a water softener?
If your tap water is moderately hard (3.5 GPG) or higher, then the plumbing in your home will benefit from a water softener.
High levels of calcium carbonate, magnesium, and iron are common in about 85% of all homes in the United States.
While not dangerous, hard water does cause the following issues:
Scale build-up
Scale is the crusty white build-up of hard minerals on faucets, in pipes, and in appliances.
Over time, this build-up can cause corrosion, decrease efficiency, and shorten the life of appliances. It will also leave water spots on dishes and in showers.
If iron is also present in the water, scale can have a pink, orange, or red color.
Decreased appliance efficiency
Hard water requires more energy to heat and water-using appliances, like water heaters, dishwashers, and washing machines are all less efficient when scale builds up on the heating elements.
Over time the additional wear decreases the lifespan of appliances by up to 50%.
Dry skin
Too many minerals in water can damage your skin leaving it dry and less healthy. Hardness will strip skin of natural oils and can lead to clogged pores and a “squeaky” feeling on your skin after bathing.
People who suffer from psoriasis or eczema will often experience increased irritation. Razor burn is more common.
Combine that with less effective soap and you have to work harder to clean, condition, and moisturize.
Dull/damaged hair
Hard water minerals build up on hair, making it feel dry, weighed down, and limp. These minerals can combine with natural oils on your scalp and leave it feeling greasy, or possibly dry and flaky.
If you have an orange or green tint to your hair, it can be caused by hard water combined with the chlorine in city water.
Hair color and highlights will fade more quickly if you don’t change the way you wash your hair.
Soap doesn’t lather
Soap is not able to properly lather in hard water, which means you use more soap and it doesn’t clean as effectively.
People say that soft water has more of a “slippery” feeling due to the lack of hard minerals.
Washing dishes and laundry requires considerably more soap.
Dull and stiff laundry
Hard water affects the ability of your washing machine to properly clean clothes.
Colors will be more dull and whites will be less white. Towels feel hard and scratchy out of the laundry.
More detergent is needed to counter the effects of hard water.
Food and drink taste is affected
Hard water will change the taste of food cooked in water and drinks such as coffee.
Soft water will produce stronger, more pure flavors.
How does a water softener work?
There are two types of water softeners:
- Salt based water softeners
- Salt free softeners (conditioners)
Although the two types of water softeners work differently, they both produce soft water and are often both referred to as “whole house water softeners.”
Salt Based Water Softeners
Traditional salt-based water softeners use a softening process called an ion exchange system to turn hard water into soft water and are controlled by an electronic “head.”
In a salt based water softening system, the minerals that cause hardness are trapped in a resin tank (brine tank) and then periodically flushed out during an automatic regeneration (cleaning) cycle. The hard mineral ions are replaced with salt ions from the salt that you must add to the water softener brine tank.
A whole house electronic water softener is ideal for very hard water and requires you to routinely replace the salt and to have an electrical connection to the system. They also waste some water when running through the regeneration cycle and leave trace amounts of salt content in your tap water.
Salt Free Softeners
Salt Free or Saltless water softeners (also known as water conditioners) are a newer alternative that use a softening process called Template Assisted Crystallization (TAC) instead of ion exchange to convert the hard minerals in the water into crystals that cannot create scale build-up.
They don’t actually remove the hardness but change it into a different form that does not cause issues in the plumbing.
Despite this difference, salt free water conditioners are often referred to as a type of water softener because they also reduce or remove the effects of hard water and produce soft water.
These water softeners do not require any salt, maintenance, or electricity, which makes them much easier to manage than the traditional salt-based water softening systems.
While saltless water softeners are better for people who are sensitive to extra salt in their diets and cost less to manage in the long run, they are not as effective if you have very high water hardness levels. They are growing in popularity and are the only option available from some of the top vendors that consider them superior water softening systems.
Regardless of whether you choose a salt-based or salt-free water softening system, remember that water softeners only filter out scale-producing minerals and low levels of iron from water supplies.
If there are any other contaminants in your water supply, you can combine a whole home water softening system with a standard whole house water filter, which is a more complete water purification system. We also have dedicated reviews for:
- Whole house water filters for city water
- Whole house water filters for well water
- Whole house iron, manganese, and hydrogen sulfide filters
You could also install an under sink reverse osmosis system that will remove other contaminants and the sodium produced by the salt-based softening process before you drink or cook with it. Whole house reverse osmosis systems are available as well.
Salt-based Softener vs. Salt-Free Softener
Salt Free Softener/Conditioner – Pros and Cons
Pros
- No salt means no ongoing salt purchases and no maintenance
- More eco-friendly without flushing hardness down the drain with salt
- Does not add salt to the water so there are no dietary concerns
- Beneficial minerals in water are not removed
- Salt-free water is better for gardens and pets
- No bypass valve and does not require electricity
- Does not lower the water pH and keeps it more alkaline, which is considered healthier
- Descaling properties of soft water can actually decrease scale inside of pipes over time
- Single tank water softener takes up less space
Cons
- Costs a little more to purchase
- Not as effective for very hard water
- Does not actually remove hard minerals but changes the form so that they don’t bind or adhere to surfaces. Because of this:
- There may not be a 100% reduction in scale
- Soapy water may not feel as slick or create as much lather as a salt-based water softener
- You may see an improvement in laundry colors but it depends on your water
- Dry skin and hair can still occur from altered minerals in the water
Salt Based Softener – Pros and Cons
Pros
- Usually less expensive to purchase than salt-free conditioners
- Great for heavy scale build-up and high hardness levels
- Removes minerals and “softens” water, which leads to:
- Soap lathering more and water feeling “slicker” when cleaning
- Brighter colors in clothes after the laundry
- Less dry skin and hair after bathing
Cons
- Salt must be purchased and added at regular intervals with the water softener properly tuned to use salt efficiently
- Weekly reconditioning or back-wash cleaning stage wastes some water
- Small amounts of salt is added to the water, which may be a problem for people with high blood pressure or low-sodium dietary concerns
- Uses electricity to operate the electronic head or worse, you must manually control the bypass valve to periodically clean the softener
- Lowers the pH of water and makes it more acidic (many consider higher pH/alkaline water to be healthier)
- Even low salt levels left in the filtered water may be bad for gardens and pets
- Dual tank water softener systems take up more space
Water Softener Reviews
Many of our top recommendations for whole house filtration systems already come with a water softener or water conditioner as part of a complete water filtration package.
By combining the two types of systems, you multiply the benefits for cleaner, healthier water everywhere in your home.
If you are in a situation where you already have a water filter or only need a water softener to remove scale build-up and staining properties from hard water in your whole house, then read on for our recommendations for water softeners and salt-free water conditioners.
We only select the water softeners that are readily available, easy to research, and have reviews available from actual customers, so you know whether the system will work as you expect it to.
In the recommendations for water softeners below, we have selected some of the most popular and top-rated options from both types of water softeners and that work with city or well water.
When you visit the web sites of these companies, you will find they often offer the systems in different sizes and with different options than the base options shown here. Depending on the result of your water test, you may want or need to customize your filtration system for the most effective results.
All of these vendors offer free guidance on interpreting your water test results and selecting the right options for you and your family, so be sure to reach out to them if you are interested in their water softeners.
Salt-Free Water Softeners (Conditioners)
SpringWell FutureSoft Salt-Free Water Softener
SpringWell Water has been designing, building, and packaging their products in their Central Florida facility for more than 20 years. They strive to ensure the right product for all customers and back it with an industry-leading 6-month money back guarantee.
The highly rated SpringWell FutureSoft Salt-Free Water Softener provides 99.6% scale prevention without the use of chemicals or salt and ensures you have no drop in flow rate or water pressure throughout your home.
Template Assisted Crystallization (TAC) converts the hardness-causing minerals in the water to hardness crystals that won’t stick to any surface in your home, keeping your plumbing, appliances, and hot water heaters free of hard water scale build up.
The SpringWell FutureSoft whole house water softener system was designed to use ActivFlo Technology. It allows the system to operate at any flow rate and ensure you don’t have a major drop in water pressure.
SpringWell has also learned that pre-filtration is extremely important for salt free softening media, so it comes with a pre-filtration system that only needs annual filter replacement.
Our pick for the top salt-free water softener from Springwell is also the only softener on the list to offer a 6 month money back guarantee!
Click below to buy or learn more and be sure to use coupon code “5off” to save an extra 5%…
Buy or Learn More
Aquasana Whole House Descaler System
The Aquasana Whole House Descaler System is a salt-free water conditioner that protects internal pipes and plumbing system from scale build-up without the use of harsh chemicals or salt by reducing scale by up to 99.6%.
Scale Control Media (SCM) uses water flow to naturally alter the structure of hard mineral ions into a crystal structure that prevents the minerals from binding and forming scale build-up. SCM salt-free technology is proven to reduce scale on in pipes and improves water flow rate.
Unlike a salt-based water softener, the Aquasana Salt-Free Water Conditioner will not demineralize your water, harm your pipes with harsh salt, or put excessive amounts of sodium waste into our communal water supply.
Aquasana believes that water is essential for life. They are committed to staying at the forefront of water filtration engineering and innovation at their headquarters and operations facility in Texas, USA.
Click below to buy or learn more and be sure to use coupon code “AQRO50” to save an extra 50%…
Buy Or Learn More
FilterWater Salt-Free Water Softener Anti-Scale System
This saltless water softener from FilterWater includes four stages of filtration made up of three 20” filter cartridges for pre and post filtration plus a large softener tank filled with anti-scale media. In the four stages:
- Stage 1: 20” sediment filter removes sediment, silt, sand, and dirt
- Stage 2: Crystal Quest Eagle anti-scale media tank descales/conditions the water
- Stage 3: 20” solid carbon cartridge removes VOCs, insecticides, pesticides, and industrial solvents
- Stage 4: 20” Ultrafiltration (UF) membrane removes colloids, proteins, bacteria, viruses, parasites, protozoa, and other organic molecules larger than 0.2 microns.
You effectively get whole house filtration in addition to the water conditioning in a single 2-in-1 package.
According to FilterWater, one of the benefits of their system is that it can remove existing scale deposits from pipes and heat exchange surfaces, in a process called descaling. Once this process is complete, a protective layer forms inside of pipes that makes it harder for new scale to build up in the plumbing and water flow rate is improved.
FilterWater has the goal to provide clean drinking water, excellent customer experience, and promote healthy lifestyle and clean water supply. Their commercial systems are very popular and installed in an impressive list of government offices, schools, and businesses.
FilterWater offers both residential and commercial water filtration systems, many of which are made by Crystal Quest:
One of the great things about FilterWater is that they offer so many variations of water softening system with additional filtration options. You can get a combination of water softener with any of the following filters in a single system: whole home water filter, iron and manganese filters, acid neutralization, or arsenic removal.
Buy or Learn MoreTier1 Eco Series Salt Free Water Softener
The Tier1 Eco series includes their high-quality saltless water softener/conditioner.
Instead of salt, the Tier1 Water Salt Free Softener utilizes Template Assisted Crystallization (TAC), an innovative, environmentally friendly media technology.
This water softener reduces sediment and scale without harsh chemicals or salt which reduces damage to your home’s plumbing and appliances and improves flow rate.
In addition, the salt free system will not remove beneficial minerals from your water or release excess levels of salt into the water supply.
Most importantly, there is no expensive salt purchases and management!
Tier1 Water is a U.S. based manufacturer of water and air filtration products and services. They pride themselves on the support they offer before, during, and after you purchase a system, make it easy to order online, and can even help with installation, if needed.
Buy or Learn MoreSalt-Based Water Softeners
SpringWell Salt Based Water Softener System
Advertised as one of the most reliable ion exchange softeners on the market, the SpringWell Salt Based Water Softener helps you to use 40% less detergent, extend the life of your appliances, and see less spotting on hard surfaces.
SpringWell uses a state-of-the-art Fleck 5600 valve to manage the monitoring and control of the regeneration cycle. Fleck has set the standard when it comes to ion exchange system technology. The 5600 is a workhorse in the industry for its quality and efficiency.
SpringWell has designed and packaged this efficient compact salt-based dual tank water softener at a great price!
Our pick for the #1 salt based water softener from Springwell is also the only one on the list to offer a 6 month money back guarantee!
Springwell offers 32,000, 48,000, and 80,000 grain capacity water softener options.
Click below to buy or learn more and be sure to use coupon code “5off” to save an extra 5%…
Buy or Learn MoreFilterWater Whole House Water Softener
Available in three sizes for different levels of water usage, the FilterWater salt-based whole house water softener system provides three stages of water filtration for purer water than you’d get with just a dual tank water softener.
The three stages include:
- Stage 1: 20” sediment cartridge removes sediment, silt, sand, and dirt. This also prevents damage to control valves and extends the life of the water softening stage.
- Stage 2: Ion exchange softener tank containing Cation Resin Media and brine tank
- Stage 3: 20” solid carbon cartridge that removes VOCs, insecticides, pesticides, and industrial solvents
This system uses a Fleck 5600SXT automatic backwash controller with LED display to control the bypass valve and salt based ion exchange.
FilterWater offers 32,000, 48,000, and 80,000 grain capacity water softener options.
Buy or Learn MoreTier1 Advanced Series 48,000 Grain High Efficiency Digital Water Softener
With the Tier1 Advanced Series, the filter resin removes calcium, manganese, and hardness minerals from your water to reduce the effects of scale build up that can cause damage to your pipes and clothes as well as the early failure of your water using appliances.
This system features an easy to use LCD display control head which allows maneuverable setting and monitoring of important operational information.
Install it on its own or in combination with one of Tier1’s advance water filters on your water supply line to protect all of the plumbing in your home.
Tier1 offers 32,000, 48,000, and 80,000 grain capacity water softener options for different levels of water usage.
Buy or Learn MoreFleck 5600SXT Water Softener
This Fleck water softener is a very popular and well rated ion exchange salt water softener on Amazon.com.
This Fleck digital on-demand system uses your choice of salts in a brine tank to soften water and remove the effects of hard water from your home. It also comes with the same intelligent Fleck 5600SXT digital metered control box found in other salt based water softeners in our recommendations.
The seller will provide support on installation and setup that reviewers claim can be done without the help of a plumber.
The main softener tank comes pre-charged with resin, which also helps with the setup of your water system.
Fleck offers 48,000 and 80,000 grain capacity water softener options and a separate Fleck Iron Pro 2 combination version that can also remove iron up to 7 ppm from well water.
When purchased through Aplus Water or AFWFilters, the reviews of the seller and support are very good.
Buy or Learn More - 48,000 GrainWhirlpool 30,000 Grain Water Softener
While many of the most popular water softeners are larger (48,000, 64,000, or 80,000 grain capacity), this model from Whirlpool is a smaller 30,000 grain water softener.
In our water softener sizing guide below, we suggest you over-size your water softener so that it doesn’t waste salt. However, if you are in a smaller home, have a smaller family, or don’t use a lot of water, you may only need 30,000 grain capacity.
Good for well or city water, this Whirlpool model is automatic and uses demand-initiated regeneration to only self-clean as needed. This saves you water and wasted salt in your softener tank.
It is also rated to remove up to 8 ppm of iron, if present in your water. However, if your water iron levels are over 3 ppm, a dedicated iron filter will do a better job of removing it than a water softener.
Whirlpool has a helpline you can call with questions and this salt water softener comes with a self-installation kit that helps with DIY installs.
Buy or Learn MoreCompare Top Conditioners and Softeners
Limited Lifetime Warranty
6 Year Limited Warranty
5 Year/10 Year Limited Warranty
Limited Lifetime Warranty
6 Year Limited Warranty
5 Year/10 Year Limited Warranty
Limited Lifetime Warranty
5 Year/10 Year Limited Warranty
Limited Lifetime Warranty
5 Year/10 Year Limited Warranty
How to test for hard water
The ideal way to know exactly what is in your water is to get a professional test of your water supply.
By having your water professionally tested, you will get the exact list of which contaminants are flowing through the pipes, the contamination levels, and where you should be concerned. With this information, you can select the options that will provide the most effective water treatment.
You can either find a local company that does professional water testing or order a kit online that instructs you on how to take a sample and then send to a lab. These DIY kits are quick, easy, and less effort than finding and hiring someone else to take the samples.
If you recently purchased your house, you may already have the results of a water test that was completed with your inspection, regardless of whether you have well water or city water.
If your water comes from a local city or municipal source, the town/city should be able to provide the necessary reports about calcium and magnesium in your drinking water.
Here is a list of options where you can order a kit online, collect the necessary water samples yourself, and then send them back to a lab.
Tier1 Water Testing and Analysis Service
Tier1 will provide a prepaid return envelope with a test sample tube. Once the sample is collected and sent back, they will diagnose the sample and return the test results to you in approximately 7 days.
The 7 tests in the City Water Service include: chlorine, hardness, copper, lead, nitrates, nitrites, and TDS (Total Dissolved Solids)
The 11 tests in the Well Water Service include: hardness, copper, lead, nitrates, nitrites, and TDS (Total Dissolved Solids), pH, iron, sulfides, bacteria, pesticides
With the results, Tier1 will include your suggested personalized water treatment product solution and their team of water experts is available every step of the process to assist and answer any questions you have.
| Tier1 Water Testing Services | |
|---|---|
 Tier1 City Water Testing Service |  Tier1 Well Water Testing Service |
SpringWell WaterCheck with Optional Pesticides
SpringWell has partnered with National Testing Laboratories to offer this 75 item water test with the option of adding an additional check for 20 common pesticides, herbicides, and PCBs.
This test works for both city and well water.
The 75 tests include:
- Bacteria (presence/absence of coliform and E. coli)
- (15) Heavy metals and minerals (including lead, arsenic, uranium, and mercury)
- (5) Other inorganic chemicals
- (5) Physical characteristics (including pH, Total Dissolved Solids and Hardness)
- (4) Trihalomethanes (THMs)
- (44) Volatile organic chemicals (VOCs)
- Optional: (20) Pesticides, herbicides, and PCBs
FilterWater WaterCheck with Optional Pesticides
FilterWater has partnered with National Testing Laboratories to offer this 83 item water test with the option of adding an additional check for 20 common pesticides, herbicides, and PCBs.
This test can be used for both city and well water.
The 83 tests include:
- Bacteria (presence/absence of coliform and E. coli)
- (19) Heavy metals and minerals (including lead, arsenic, uranium, and mercury)
- (6) Other inorganic chemicals
- (5) Physical characteristics (including pH, Total Dissolved Solids and Hardness)
- (4) Trihalomethanes (THMs)
- (47) Volatile organic chemicals (VOCs)
You can add an additional 20 tests for pesticides, herbicides, and PCBs if you want an even more complete result.
| FilterWater Water Testing Services | |
|---|---|
 FilterWater WaterCheck Test Kit | FilterWater WaterCheck with Pesticides Test Kit |
DIY Water Hardness Tests
If you just want to test for hardness and nothing else, you can do it yourself with any of these simple tests:
How to size a water softener
You will need the measure of your water hardness in either GPG (grains per gallon) or mg/L (milligrams per liter) to properly size and select a water softener.
If there is also lead in the water, you must adjust the hardness value by adding 3 GPG of hardness for every 1 mg/L of iron.
The hardness and iron levels can be found by performing a water test, which is highly recommended. Only by having your water tested, will you know exactly what is in your water, what is a concern, and what types of whole house system will solve the problem.
High levels of iron (usually in well water) causes other issues that are solved with a whole house iron filter.
The other information you will need is your daily household water consumption.
If you are on city water, your bill should show your monthly usage that you can divide by 30 to find your average daily consumption. If you don’t have a water bill, you can get a good estimate by multiplying the number of people living in your home by 75.
To calculate your daily softening requirement, multiply your average daily water use by your water hardness (corrected for iron, if necessary). This will show you how many grains per day your softener will have to remove.
Water softener size example
15 grains per gallon hardness x 4 people x 75 gallons of water per day = 4,500 grains per day
To select a suitable water softener, you also need to figure out how many grains will be removed between regeneration cycles. Water softeners are generally sized so that they regenerate (or self-clean) about once a week.
In our example above, 4,500 grains per day x 7 days = 31,500 grains of total softening capacity needed.
Water softeners are often sized based on this average weekly grain softening capacity and you will see 32,000, 48,000, 64,000, and even 80,000 grain water softener options to cover different home/family sizes and the flow rate needed.
The other way that water softeners are sized is by cubic feet (cu. ft.) of resin. You can see how grains compares to cu. ft. in the following table:
| Grains | Cubic Feet (cu. ft.) |
| 32,000 | 1 cu. ft. |
| 48,000 | 1.5 cu. ft. |
| 64,000 | 2 cu. ft. |
| 80,000 | 2.5 cu. ft. |
For the highest efficiency, you should always get a water softener with grain capacity larger than your requirements because it will take less salt to regenerate.
This will save you money on salt in the brine tank over the long run.
Water Softener Installation
When you decide it’s time to improve the quality of your water and protect your home from the problems of hard water, you have several choices:
- You can call a plumber and have them provide the system and install it. This requires the least effort but does not provide you with any choice about what hardware is installed, if it is well-rated, or if you would have chosen it yourself.
- You could also go and pick out a system at Home Depot, Lowes, or Costco and either have it installed or install it yourself. Again, you are very limited to the brands and features the store will offer and may not get good options or a water system that is well-rated.
- The ideal solution is to use the information on this page and the knowledge you gain to pick the water softener from those we have already researched and recommend here.
By picking something that is popular, well-rated, and already researched and recommended, you can be sure you are picking an option you can count on.
As a bonus, you are often getting a better system at a better price since there is much more competition online.
Once you have selected the ideal system from the options here and placed an order, you still have to install it.
You can either hire a plumber and have them set it up or if you are comfortable with some simple plumbing, most of these systems can be installed by someone with DIY skills.
Many of the recommended water softeners here even come with DIY installation instructions!
Water Softener Terms and FAQ
What is hard water?
Hard water refers to water that has a high concentration of the minerals calcium and magnesium.
These minerals are not dangerous to drink but they will build up over time in faucets, pipes, and appliances in the form of white “scale” deposits.
Hard water will also prevent soap from foaming properly and will dry out skin and hair.
Hard water scale
- Soft water: Less than 1 Grains Per Gallon (GPG)
- Slightly hard water: 1-3.5 Grains Per Gallon (GPG)
- Moderately hard water: 3.5 – 7 Grains Per Gallon (GPG)
- May cause spotty dishes and dry skin
- Hard water: 7 – 10.5 Grains Per Gallon (GPG)
- Some crusty limestone build-up on faucets and pipes, with possible reddish iron staining
- Very hard water: 10.5 – 15 Grains Per Gallon (GPG)
- All of the signs of hard water are present
- Extremely hard water: 15+ Grains Per Gallon (GPG)
- All of the signs and some may be severe
What is soft water?
Soft water is water that has low concentrations of minerals such as calcium and magnesium.
While most water in the U.S. is hard, soft water is most often achieved by installing a water softener that changes or removes these minerals from the water.
Grains
Water test results will be reported in either GPG (grains per gallon) or mg/L (milligrams per liter). Grains per gallon is the industry-standard method to report water hardness.
A “grain” of water hardness is equal to 1/7000th of a pound. You can divide mg/L by 17.1 to convert it to GPG.
How does a water softener work?
A salt-based water softener uses ion-exchange resins to remove hard calcium and magnesium from the water and replaces it with sodium ions from salt.
Salt-free (or saltless) water conditioners use a ceramic media to attract and neutralize the hard minerals in the water so that they can’t bind together to form scale or to other surfaces.
Water softener capacity
Water softeners are measured by grain capacity, gallons, or cubic feet. See our section on how to size a water softener for more info.
Water softener resin
Water softeners have a tank of resin beads that filter the water. Hard minerals break down and are attracted to the resin where they stick until they are later removed by the salt regeneration process.
Resin does not need to be replenished often like the salt, but if your system is not working as it should over time, it may need to be replaced or serviced.
Water softener salt
Salt-based water softeners use a brine tank of salt pellets (sodium chloride or potassium chloride) to clean the system and flush out hard minerals.
Since a small amount of salt ends up in the filtered water and some people are sensitive to high sodium levels, they may prefer to use potassium chloride in their system instead. Potassium chloride is more expensive than sodium chloride but does not contain sodium.
Water softener brine
Water softeners have a brine tank that holds the sodium or potassium chloride salt pellets.
When it’s time for the water softener to regenerate (or self-clean), salty water from the brine tank fills the system and cleans the mineral deposits from the resin beads. A bypass valve in the electric head controls the regeneration system.
Regeneration
Regeneration is the self-cleaning or recharging process of a salt-based water softener.
Usually scheduled for once a week, the system will wash the resin chamber with salty water from the brine tank. The process takes 1-2 hours and then cleaning water will be flushed down the drain and the system will return to normal processing.
During regeneration, the system can’t perform the softening process and a bypass valve allows unfiltered water to flow to the house. Regeneration can be a manual process or automated, with the help of an electronic water softener control head.
Timer-based regeneration
These water softeners regenerate on a schedule that you will set but these aren’t the most efficient. If you underestimate your water usage, the softener will regenerate too infrequently, leaving you with hard water at certain times.
Overestimating your water use will result in unnecessary regeneration that wastes energy and water.
Demand-initiated regeneration
This is the right option if you want an efficient system. Sensors monitor water usage and when the resin is full of hardness minerals, the system regenerates on its own.
This type of softener works on an as-needed basis, and some advanced models can learn your water use patterns to further optimize the regeneration frequency of salt systems.
Electronic head
The “head” is the control box mounted on top of a salt-based electronic water softener. Its job is to monitor the state of system and manage the regeneration process that must occur to backwash the system and flush out the accumulated minerals.
In better water softeners, the electronic head also manages the bypass valve, which allows the system to continue working even during the regeneration process.
Bypass valve
In a salt-based water softener, a bypass valve controls the flow of water and allows the system to still supply water to your house even if the system is working through a regeneration cycle.
The bypass value can be manual or ideally, electronic and automatic so you don’t have to be involved with the regeneration system.
What is GPD?
GPD stands for “gallons per day.” Water filters are often rated based on how many gallons of water they can filter per day in ideal conditions. While not perfect, it is a good way to compare the flow rate of competing whole house systems.
GPM (gallons per minute) refers to the throughput of the system per minute.
Filtration stages
The “stages” of a water filtration system refer to the number of different filters water passes through before it is considered clean.
No one filter type removes everything well, so separate stages work together to remove multiple contaminants.
KDF (Kinetic Degradation Fluxion)
Filtration media made of a copper-zinc formulation blend that is highly effective at reducing chlorine, lead, mercury, iron, and hydrogen sulfide from water. KDF is inorganic and 100% recyclable.
Ion exchange system
Ion exchange is a water treatment method where one or more ionic contaminants are removed from water by exchanging them with another ionic substance that is less problematic. The process will remove minerals from the water.
Trusted Reviews of Water Softeners
We have done the research, written these water softener reviews, and provided recommendations of excellent whole-house water softener options.
The brands reviewed provide great products that are popular, proven, and well-rated.
In addition to the information here, check out these manufacturers for even more information and specific help with selecting the right filtration system for your home.
Most of them have free pre-purchase support agents to help guide you through the process of finding the water filtration options that will protect your family from the contaminants in your water.
Ready for Softer, Better Water?
85% of American households have hard water, which means you are likely to be affected by these problems:
- Scale build-up in plumbing systems and appliances
- Decreased efficiency and life of appliances
- Dry skin
- Dull/damaged hair
- Soap that doesn’t lather or clean as well
- Dull and stiff laundry
- Less flavor in food and drinks
- Money wasted on replacing appliances too often, buying extra detergent, or more skin and hair care products
When you add it all up, lots of money is spent every year to deal with these issues that are hiding in your water!
When you invest in the right water softener for your home, you not only reverse the effects of these frustrating effects, but quickly pay for the new water softener with the savings you get by not dealing with these problems going forward.
