Salt Versus Salt-Free

As you start your search for water treatment in your home, one of the first choices you will have to address is whether you want a salt-based system or salt-free. Hardness removal is going to be the key in making that decision. That might lead to your next question, "What is hardness?".

Our water here in the valley coming from the Colorado river, it is extremely hard, meaning there is a lot of calcium and magnesium in the water. That is going to lead to all the buildup you see on faucets, fixtures, spots on dishes, etc.. You have 2 ways of addressing that: salt-based softener systems or salt-free scale control systems.

Salt-based softener systems perform what is called an ion-exchange process. That is going to pull all the calcium and magnesium molecules, hardness, from the water. No hard minerals is what makes the water soft.

Scale control systems are using a different style of media to instead change the structure of those hardness molecules. The calcium and magnesium stay suspended in the water, flow through your pipes and down the drain. It makes that hardness not so "sticky", not so harsh, but you do still have it in the water.

So now we've run through the what each system does, now why would you want one over the other? With our nearly a decade in business and years of experience beyond that in our valley, we recommend salt-based softeners over salt-free scale control systems. Our water is some of the hardest water all across the country. We find that completely removing the hardness from the water gets you the most benefit from a system. The water feels noticeably different and your hair and skin are happier without those harsh minerals.

As far as salt-free systems go, there are typically a few reasons we have customers go that route. For starters, not wanting to deal with salt is a big one. 40 pound bags of salt are big and bulky, not super convenient and for some, truly impossible. The feeling of soft water deters some people as well. When you still have the hardness in the water, albeit treated, it will not have the same "slippery" feeling as soft water. Sometimes, we just don't have a way to install a softener system. A softener requires a drain and power in addition to the water supply. Some home setups have the water supply, but do not have a normal solution to run a drain to a safe location. Our salt-free Guardian system doesn't need a drain or power making it a great solution to still get water treatment in your home.

The previously mentioned "slippery" feeling of soft water or it feeling like it takes forever to rinse soap is a drawback for some and soft water. The reason for that feeling occurs from the absence of the hardness minerals. The calcium and magnesium break down detergents fast. When you remove hardness and use the same amount of soap, it won't rinse away the same way. The solution to this is to use way less soap than you think you have to. Start off with a comically small sized amount of soap, shampoo, whatever and work your way up until you find the right balance.

Dealing with salt might not be the most convenient, but we find it beyond worth it for the quality of water. Our equipment is also super efficient; With metering control heads, they will regenerate and use salt based on water used. We recommend running your salt down to the last 12" before refilling back up. For 2 people in the home, this would mean you are only refilling salt 2-3 times a year. A family of 5 might be refilling 3-5 times a year instead with higher water usage. Another way to simplify the process is utilizing delivery options from local stores. Home Depot/Lowe's have some solid same day/next day delivery options so you would get the salt delivered and then just have to get it into the brine tank.

A downside of a salt-free scale control option is that it won't actually remove the hardness from the water, but that doesn't mean that it won't do anything to the hardness. What the scale control media does is prevent the hardness minerals from crystallizing which is what makes it not so "sticky". Say you leave some water on the counter or shower glass and it evaporates away. It is going to leave behind that buildup, it just doesn't adhere to the surfaces as much so you won't need the heavy duty chemicals to remove it. You can think of salt-free systems like our Guardian as making the water more like water in places with great spring water: tastes way better than our Las Vegas Valley's water, but still has those healthy minerals in the water.

At the end of the day, both systems have their place and it really comes down to what you're looking to get out of your water treatment. We are big believers in salt-based softeners, especially with how hard our water is here in the Las Vegas Valley, but that doesn't mean they're going to be the right fit for every home or every family. Your plumbing setup, water usage, and personal preferences all play a part in finding the right system. If you're still not sure which direction to go, reach out to us! We're always happy to run through the different options, answer any questions you might have, and help you figure out what makes the most sense for your home.