Water Softeners

Yes, water softeners are completely safe for your family. They use a simple, proven process and add only a small amount of sodium to your water. If you’re watching your sodium intake, there are potassium-based options available.

Water ‘hardness’ is caused by the minerals calcium and magnesium in ground and surface water. If either or both minerals are present in your drinking water in high concentrations, the water is considered ‘hard.’ These minerals come from sedimentary rock such as limestone that dissolves into our water. The result of hard water is difficulty making lather or suds for washing and a build-up of minerals on taps and on other fixtures. Water containing low concentrations of calcium or magnesium is called ‘soft’ water.

Common signs of hard water include white scale buildup on faucets, spots on dishes, dry skin or hair, soap that doesn’t lather well, and reduced water pressure from mineral buildup in pipes. You might also notice rough, dingy laundry and poor appliance efficiency. A water test is the most accurate way to confirm hardness levels. Contact us to schedule a free home water quality test!

As water passes through the atmosphere in the form of rain, snow, sleet, hail, dew, or fog, it picks up impurities and gases. And, because water is the universal solvent, it picks up even more impurities as it travels through the earth as ground water. What ever the water comes in contact with it will dissolve a part of it.

A water softener replaces the ‘hardness’ minerals with sodium or potassium. The amounts of these elements added to the water are relatively insignificant in comparison to what is ingested from your food and should not pose a health problem.

Most often, water softeners are regenerated with salt and water. Regeneration is a process by which the softening materials inside the softener can be used over and over again. Once the regeneration is completed, the salt and water solution is flushed into the drain.

Salt is used to recharge the resin inside your softener. Over time, resin beads become saturated with calcium and magnesium and can’t soften further. During regeneration, a salt solution flushes the resin, stripping away the minerals and re‑coating the beads with sodium so they can soften again.

A water softener does not directly add salt to your water. It exchanges hard minerals for sodium ions, but the amount of sodium added is very small.

Yes, softened water is safe to drink. However, people on low-sodium diets may want to add a reverse osmosis system to their home to reduce sodium levels in their drinking water. Customers can also opt for salt-free softener options that use potassium chloride instead of sodium chloride.

Traditional water softeners require salt (sodium chloride) to function properly. Without it, the system cannot regenerate and remove hard minerals.

If sodium is a concern to you, your water quality improvement professional can explain the amount of sodium in softened water. This varies, depending on the hardness of the water supply. Any person on a sodium-restricted diet should follow the advice of his physician. All municipal water supplies contain some naturally occurring sodium. If the sodium-restricted diet is very strict, discuss the use of RO, or some other water quality improvement system to reduce the sodium to meet your requirements.

For the sake of comparison, one slice of white bread contains about 114 mg of sodium, and an eight ounce glass of milk contains 120 mg of sodium. If your water contains 10 grain per gallon (GPG), and if you consumed a total of one quart of softened water a day, your intake of additional sodium would be 75 mg – less than either a slice of bread or a glass of milk.

Yes, there are salt-free water softeners available and other types of water conditioners. Customers can choose softeners that use potassium chloride for ion exchange instead of sodium chloride. Other water conditioners do not use ion exchange at all, and instead change how minerals behave to reduce scale buildup.

The “slickness” felt after a soft water shower is just the “real” you! Hard water does not easily rinse off the residue from cleaning products. When bathing in softened water, the use of less soap is desirable. Use sufficient water to rinse the skin thoroughly and your skin will feel softer and much smoother than it did with hard water bathing.

High-purity salt pellets or crystals are typically recommended because they reduce buildup and keep your system running efficiently. Our team at Futuramic’s Clean Water Center can recommend the best salt type for your system and provide regular salt delivery directly to your door.

Yes, you can use potassium‑type salts (potassium chloride) in most traditional ion‑exchange water softeners, as long as the system is compatible with them and you follow the manufacturer’s instructions. Potassium chloride may cost more and require slightly higher usage.

To prevent salt bridging (a hard crust forming in the tank), use high-quality salt, keep the tank clean, and break up any hardened salt if it forms. Regular maintenance also helps prevent this issue.

Water softeners can remove small amounts of iron, but they are not designed to remove chlorine or other chemicals. A filtration system may be needed for these contaminants and other common water problems in the area.

No, properly maintained water softeners are generally safe for septic systems. In fact, soft water can help reduce buildup in pipes and improve system performance.

Several studies have been made to determine the exact nature of water softener recharge waste effluents and their effects on private sewage disposal systems. These studies evaluated three major areas, all dealing with the effect of effluents developed during the recharge of household water softeners. First, it was important to study the effect of dissolved salts in softener recharge effluents on biological action in septic tank systems. These studies demonstrated that recharge effluent from water softeners had no deleterious effect on the biological action in a septic tank and that the recharge waste effluents may actually stimulate biological action.

Second, it was felt important to assess the hydraulic effect of the volume of water softener waste water. These studies demonstrated that the volume of recharge effluent from a water softener is less than that of present day automatic clothes washers. The amount of waste effluent developed by a typical household water softener during recharge is about 50 gallons containing calcium, magnesium, and sodium chlorides. The frequency of recharge is dependent on water hardness, water usage, and recharge salt dosage.

The last area of study concerned the effect of softener recharge effluents on soil percolation in septic system drain fields. This portion of the study is important since much of the literature on irrigation contains references to the adverse effects of high sodium water on soil structure and permeability, particularly in clay-type soils. The study concluded that there was an important difference between water softener effluents and sodium effluents, which has an important bearing on soil percolation and permeability.

The important difference is that water softener effluents contain significant amounts of calcium and magnesium and thus are not really sodium effluents alone. Calcium and magnesium counteract the effect of sodium and help maintain and sustain soil permeability, even in susceptible clay-type soils. Thus, it appears that water softener recharge effluent brine will not affect biological digestion, hydraulic load, or leach field permeability in a septic tank system.

However, if the leach field is composed of swelling clays, permeability will be reduced regardless of the presence of water softener effluent. Moreover, calcium and magnesium contained in recharge effluents actually increased soil permeability. Salts in the waste effluent from recharge of water softeners created no hydraulic conductivity or percolation problems in a properly designed septic tank seepage field. In fact, it was found that soil percolation was increased by water softener recharge effluents, as compared to soil receiving household sewage effluents without the addition of effluents from the recharge of water softeners. In other words, lower hydraulic conductivity (HC) might result if regeneration or recharge wastes from water softeners were not allowed to enter the septic tank seepage field. In this case, the beneficial effects of calcium and magnesium would be lost. This would occur if the regeneration wastes were not discharged to the septic system, but to a dry well, roadside ditch, or other point.

One study was conducted by soil scientists at the University of Wisconsin and dealt solely with anaerobic septic tank systems. The other study, conducted by the National Sanitation Foundation, dealt solely with aerobic tank systems. Conclusions reached in this study were as follows: Water softener regeneration wastes demonstrated no adverse effects on home aerobic waste water treatment plant performance, even when stressed by loading at a use rate simulating ten persons (twice the average use rate). There was no difference in performance between days in which the plant received regeneration wastes and days in which it did not.

Many people notice softer skin and smoother hair after installing a water softener. It helps soap rinse more effectively and reduces dryness caused by hard water minerals.
Does a water softener help appliances last longer?

Yes, by reducing scale buildup, a water softener can help extend the lifespan of appliances like water heaters, dishwashers, and washing machines while improving their efficiency.
Do businesses need water softeners?

Yes, many businesses benefit from commercial water treatment systems. Hard water can damage equipment, reduce efficiency, and increase maintenance costs in industries like restaurants, hotels, and manufacturing. If your business relies on water for daily operations, a custom treatment system can help protect equipment and plumbing, improve performance, and reduce long-term expenses.