Types of water softeners
There are three types of water softeners: salt-based, salt-free and magnetic. Salt-based water softeners remove minerals like magnesium and calcium from the water using a process called ion exchange. In this process, the hard water passes through a tank filled with resin beads, which act as a magnet for the minerals. The ions in the hard water latch onto the resin beads, replacing them with sodium ions. These sodium ions come from table salt that is added to the water softener. The softened water then flows out of the tank and into your home’s plumbing system. Salt-free water softeners use a technology called chelation to soften the water. In chelation, metal molecules are added to the hard water. These molecules bind to the minerals in the water, forming larger molecules that can’t attach to surfaces or pipes in your home’s plumbing system. The softened water then flows out of the tank and into your home’s plumbing system. Magnetic water softeners work by using an electromagn...