Difference Between Water Softeners and Water Conditioners

Salt or Potassium Based Water Softener

Through the ion-exchange process this system removes hard water minerals (dissolved limerock) from the water before the water enters your home. There is an exchange of hard water for salt or potassium ions in the water softener’s resin tank.  As larger volumes of water are softened, the beads become coated with hardness ions. The control valve draws salt or potassium from the brine tank cleaning the beads.  This causes the stripping of the limerock from the beads and then discharges with the excess salt or potassium, into a waste water drain.

Removal of the hard water minerals prevents the formation of unsightly water scum that adheres to surfaces in your home, skin and clothing.  With this Water Treatment system soaps and detergents will lather easily and work more efficiently.  You will use 80% less, which is easy on your budget and safe for your family.  Absence of hard minerals also extends the life of your water using appliances, and prevents your pipes from clogging with limerock scale.

Water Conditioner

In the salt-free process dissolved limerock remains in the water, but its form then changes so it will not cling to surfaces or precipitate into scale. Using Template Assisted Crystallization (TAC), it processes water through a catalytic media.  It then converts hardness minerals to hardness crystals, which do not bind to surfaces.

You do not need a back-wash control valve because the system works as a Conditioner not as a Softener. Since the system does not capture hard minerals it does not need to be purged.  It requires no chemicals, salt, potassium, or valve repair and is easy to install.

On the other hand you still have the dissolved limerock in your water, which means your body is still exposed to it.

In Summary:

A Water Softener REMOVES hard water minerals from the water.   A Water Conditioner only ALTERS the minerals, allowing them to remain in the water.

Now that you know the difference between a Softener and a Conditioner, which one would you choose?  Contact us today for a water test!

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