When investing in a home water softener, purchasing and adding salt to your system for proper maintenance is essential. It is important to note that not just any salt will keep your water softener running smoothly and in top working order.
A high-quality water softening salt will turn damaging hard water into soft water that is gentle, beautifying, and enriching.
However, not all water softener salts are created equal, and there are several options to choose from, making it challenging to know which salt is suitable for your home’s water softener.
Why Do Water Softeners Need Salt?
Now that you have purchased a water softener, knowing which type of softening salt to buy can make a vital difference in how well it softens your water. Salts come in many forms, including sea salt, crystals, rock salt, and evaporated salt pellets, making it challenging to choose the right salt for your softener.
As it will be necessary to replenish the salt regularly, there are some key factors to consider as you shop for softening salt, such as avoiding salts that could create unhealthy residues in the softener’s brine tank.
Water softeners rely on softening salt as part of the brine solution, which is needed to wash away the minerals causing the water’s hardness and regenerate the resin bed, which is a vital component in the water softening process. Maintaining an adequate softening salt level is an integral part of ongoing maintenance.
How Water Softeners Use Salt
Ion exchange is the process water softeners use to convert hard water into softer water. Hard water contains increased levels of minerals such as calcium and magnesium that carry high amounts of positively charged ions causing undesirable household issues like calcium build-up, laundry staining, soap scum, and dry skin. When hard water travels through a water softener, the calcium, and magnesium are exchanged with the positively charged salt ions of sodium or potassium in the resin beds, producing soft water for your home.
Over time, the sodium or potassium in your water softener resin bed will start to run low. Adding salt is necessary to replenish the brine solution, which washes away hard water minerals and allows regeneration of the positively charged sodium resin beads. Refilling the salt is a vital part of maintaining your system. Once the sodium or potassium levels decrease, you will need to add more salt to your water softener to continue receiving clean, clear, softened water.
Salt is an integral part of your water softener. Without water softening salt or too little of it, the resin beads cannot capture the hard water minerals, and you will be back to having hard water in your home again. So, no salt means no more soft water. Setting a time to check your system and regularly adding salt will keep your softener working efficiently for many years. Some water softeners now provide convenient smart features such as tracking usage and maintenance alerts.
Is There a Difference Between Sodium and Potassium Chloride?
There is a difference between sodium and potassium chloride that is added to water softeners. Sodium chloride is more widely used because it is more readily available and less expensive than potassium chloride. However, adding sodium chloride to your water softener can increase sodium levels in the soft water, which can be problematic for individuals who need to restrict sodium. So, potassium chloride is a wise choice for people with certain health conditions and those with dietary restrictions that need to limit their sodium intake.
Alternatively, for some individuals with renal or kidney issues, it may be necessary to restrict their potassium intake so they can use sodium chloride. Both sodium and potassium chloride pellets soften hard water effectively.
Unfortunately, those who choose to use potassium chloride will find it necessary to add more to your softener than you would with sodium chloride, but it will produce excellent soft water. Cost is also a factor, with potassium chloride pellets costing more than double or triple per bag than sodium chloride, making it a much more costly option but necessary for those who need to restrict sodium.
What Are The Types of Softening Salt?
Some salts are specifically designed to soften hard water, and these should be used in a water-softening system. Many people wonder if table salt can be used as a softening salt. Table salts and dicing salts should not be used in a water softener; the salt crystals are too small, and if used, they may cause damage to your water softener.
Sodium chloride Softening salts come in different forms, including:
- Block
- Crystal
- Pellets
These three types are all forms of sodium chloride, which is highly effective at softening. Sodium chloride is a low-cost option and the most widely used softening salt. Overall, salt pellets are the most used compared to crystal and salt blocks.
The efficiency of your water softener is affected by the type of salt used in your water softener. It may also affect the system’s regeneration process and sodium levels in your softened water. The salt can also impact how often your brine tank will require cleaning.
The size of the brine tank you have and the type of water softening system also determine how much salt to use and how often it will need to be added.
Evaporated salt pellets are the purest form of sodium-based softening salt. Evaporated pellets of up to 99.99% purity form from raw salt that removes all moisture. They are an excellent choice due to their highly effective water-softening capability and will require less maintenance due to the salt’s purity.
With evaporated salt pellets, there is less chance of residue build-up, which can create “mushiness” or “bridging” in the system. Salt bridging occurs when salt sticks together, forming a salt bridge at the top of the brine tank and making it appear full when it is almost empty. The problem of salt bridging can occur from overfilling the softener with salt, using the wrong form of salt, or if there is very high humidity at the softener installation site. Although they may cost slightly more than other sodium chloride options, evaporated salt pellets are a wise choice for a clean, long, smooth-running water-softening system.
Solar salt is another softening salt produced when the sun naturally evaporates salt from seawater. Solar salt crystals or pellets are up to 99.6% pure and can be used for water softeners and other purposes. Although it is highly refined, some contaminants may remain that could cause water softener damage and may not soften as well, with very high water hardness levels.
Solar salt is highly soluble, dissolving more readily than other salts. This makes solar salt beneficial to use in water-softening systems that experience frequent salt “bridging” or “mushing” and may aid in extending the life of the water softener. However, it is not recommended for use in water-softening systems with very hard water and large households requiring large volumes of salt water.
Rock salt is the rawest form of water-softening salt that forms underground from accumulated salt deposits. The rock salt pebbles are mined from underground, and they contain higher levels of other insoluble minerals, making them less pure and less effective at softening. The rock salt pebbles can have high levels of calcium sulfite, which creates problems with dissolving the hard water salts and causes maintenance issues such as frequent system clogs.
Although rock salt is the most economical salt choice, it is a more costly choice that will require more cleaning and repairs and shorten the life of the water softener.
When To Add Water Softening Salt
Knowing when to add salt to your softener is vital to keep the soft water flowing and the water softener running smoothly. Some water softeners have a “low salt” indicator light to let you know it is time to add salt. However, you can establish an excellent refilling routine by checking the salt level in your system at least once each month.
To check the salt level:
- Open the brine tank and observe the salt level. If there is less than half a tank, salt should be added to the halfway mark.
- How much salt you will need to purchase and add depends on your water hardness level and the amount of soft water your household uses.
- Do not let the salt in the brine tank fall below one-quarter full, or risk the water not softening.
Adding too much salt to your softener is also possible, resulting in problems such as a salt bridge forming. When salt bridging occurs, it is essential to break up the crusted salt formations.
Soft water provides many healthy, clean, and economic benefits throughout your home. So, choosing the best water-softening salt will help keep your water-softening system in excellent working order and keep you and your household in soft water for many years.
For more information about Excalibur Water Softeners, please contact us.
