Salt-Free Water Softeners or Conditioners
Expert advice about salt-free water conditioning systems, including what they are and when you might want to choose one. Includes discussion of electronic or magnetic water softeners. In This Article: Salt-Free Technologies Electronic or Magnetic Water Softeners Some people are concerned about the health effects of the sodium that softeners put in water. Be aware […]
How to Install a Water Softener
In This Article: Where to Install a Water Softener Plumbing a Water Softener Problems with hard water? Here’s expert advice on where and how to install a water softener. A water softener removes minerals from water, making a home’s water kinder to bodies, hair, appliances, pipes, and more. Hard water—that is, water with lots of […]
How a Water Softener Works
An expert explanation and diagram of how a conventional water softener softens hard water. A standard whole-house water softener works on the principle of ion exchange, called “cation exchange.” It conditions, or “softens,” hard water by substituting sodium chloride (salt) for hard minerals such as calcium, magnesium, and iron. This video uses animation techniques to […]
How to Test for Hard Water
In This Article: How a Water Softener Softens Water How to Determine Water Hardness A guide to testing your water for hardness to determine whether you need a water softener If you suspect that your home’s water is so “hard” that it is causing problems with mineral deposits in pipes and appliances and issues with […]