Will a Saltless Water Softener Get the job done?
Stuart wrote:
We now have a salt water softener. The salt water softener shortens the life span of the water heater, copper and brass plumbing potable water system and some appliances. We need to know if the salt much less water softeners can eliminate hard water minerals and give excellent top quality water. My water heater was 3yrs old and I have already replaced the anode rod and also the water heater along with the brass check valve for the water recirculating pump . After reading the comments on this blog we are uncertain of what direction to go. I have looked at Simple Water and Equinox for beginners. We would appreciate any guidance you could give on this matter. We live in Las Vegas, NV and our water is 23 grains challenging.
The Water Doctor Replied:
I am sick and tired of businesses who make you think they produce soft water without salt. That’s PURE BS!
Unless you have low pH, a water softener (using salt) will not shorten the life span of the water heater, copper and brass plumbing potable water system and some appliances. Completely not! In fact, it will dramatically improve the life of these things. There is no credible evidence to suggest that a water softener shortens the life of these appliances. However, there’s a recent test from Battelle Memorial Institute, one of the most respected scientific research organizations inside the world where they say precisely the opposite. Read what Contractor Magazine reported about Battelle’s testing results:
For this study, Battelle tested 30 water heaters supplied by WQA over a 90-day period utilizing a Battelle-developed and WQA approved test protocol. Battelle simultaneously studied the effect of water hardness on performance of faucets, low-flow showerheads, dishwashers, and laundry washers. Using the empirical data generated from the water heater testing and the effect on performance of fixtures and appliances, Battelle developed a differential carbon footprint assessment for homes utilizing unsoftened water vs. softened water.
Battelle reported that the electric and gas storage water heaters and the instantaneous gas water heaters on soft water performed well throughout the entire testing period. In contrast, none of the electric or gas storage water heaters or the instantaneous gas water heaters on unsoftened water made it by means of the entire testing period because the outlet piping system consisting of ?-in. copper pipe, a needle valve along with a solenoid valve became clogged with scale buildup. Although the pressure regulators and needle valves had been tweaked throughout the testing to attempt to maintain constant testing conditions, all of the water heaters on unsoftened water were removed from the testing at some point due to the inability to maintain sufficient flow.
Ten low-flow faucets had been also installed on the hot water supply coming from the instantaneous gas water heaters; five were tested on unsoftened water and five were tested making use of softened water. The low-flow faucets on unsoftened water had been also removed from testing as they clogged up to the point of not permitting adjustment to a 1.25-GPM flow rate at any time throughout the test. All of the low-flow faucets on softened water made it by way of the testing with out any issues. The low-flow faucets on unsoftened water clogged after the equivalent of 19 days of water flow by means of the faucets using an average of about 50-gal. of hot water per day, the researchers reported.
Some salt-free systems work, but I doubt that any of the electronic ones do what they say. In our testing (we have an Easy Water in our Lab), we had been much less than impressed. Equinox is now evidently Vitasalus and I do not believe they even claim to de-scale. For a salt free of charge system that has passed DVGW certification, check out Green Wave salt free of charge water systems.
Mark Timmons “The Water Doctor” has been within the water treatment business since 1972. He currently is Certified by The Water High quality Association as a CWS-VI, CI, CSR and has held these certifications because 1980. He writes his “Ask The Water Doctor” column for quite a few newspapers and publications.
Mark is Vice-President of Sales and Marketing for US Water Systems, you’ll be able to discover more about, and get, salt free of charge systems on the US Water Systems salt free water conditioners page.
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