If you're shopping for a water softener, you've probably run into two camps: salt-based systems and salt-free systems. Both have a place. The right pick depends on how hard your water is and what you want the system to do, and in Central Indiana the water usually points one way.
How a salt-based softener works
A salt-based softener uses a process called ion exchange. Water passes through a tank of resin beads that grab calcium and magnesium, the minerals that make water hard, and swap them for a small amount of sodium or potassium. Every so often the system rinses the beads with salty water from the brine tank so they're ready to work again. That rinse is called regeneration.
The result is water with the hardness actually removed. That's why these are considered true softeners.
How a salt-free system works
Most salt-free systems use a media, often called template-assisted crystallization, that changes the hardness minerals into tiny crystals that are less likely to stick to surfaces. The minerals are still in the water, but they form less scale.
So a salt-free system is really a scale reducer or conditioner. It doesn't soften the water in the technical sense, and a hardness test afterward will read about the same as before.
What each one does well
Salt-based strengths
Removes hardness, so scale stops forming in pipes, fixtures and the water heater
Works well even with very hard water
You'll notice it: better soap lather, fewer spots on glass, less crust on faucets
Can be set up to handle some iron, which matters on many wells
Salt-free strengths
No salt to buy or carry
No drain connection or regeneration water
Adds no sodium to the water
Compact, and it keeps the minerals some people like in their drinking water
The trade-offs to know
A salt-based softener needs salt added every so often and a place to drain during regeneration, usually a floor drain, laundry tub or standpipe, plus an outlet for the control head. The added sodium is small, and a drinking water filter at the kitchen sink is an easy add if you'd like to remove it.
A salt-free system has little upkeep, though the media needs replacing after several years. Because the minerals stay in the water, you'll still see some spotting, and in very hard water it may not keep a water heater as clean as a true softener.
Which fits Central Indiana water?
Water across Hamilton County and the surrounding area runs hard, and many wells in the outlying parts of Hamilton, Boone and Hendricks counties are harder still and often carry iron. For those conditions, a salt-based softener is usually the better fit, especially if protecting a water heater is a big reason you're looking.
A salt-free system can make sense where hardness is moderate, where there's no good spot for a drain line, or if you'd rather not deal with salt at all and are fine with some spotting.
Before deciding, find out how hard your water is. Your city utility's annual water quality report lists it, and a simple test tells you for sure. On a well, testing is the only way to know, and it should check for iron too.
When to call us
We're happy to look at your water, your space and what you want out of a system, then give you options and a price before any work starts. Learn more on our water softener and filtration page, and if you're on a well, our well pump service can check the rest of the system while we're there.
FAQ
Why does softened water feel slippery?
That's what water without hardness minerals feels like. Soap rinses off more completely instead of reacting with calcium, so skin feels smoother. It isn't leftover soap or salt.
Is softened water safe to drink?
Yes. The added sodium is small. If you're watching sodium, you can use potassium in place of salt or add a drinking water filter at the kitchen sink.
How often do I add salt?
It depends on your water hardness and how much water your household uses. Check the brine tank monthly and keep it at least a quarter full.
Will a salt-free system stop spots on my dishes?
It can reduce them, but since the minerals stay in the water, some spotting usually remains. A salt-based softener does a better job with spots.
Can I use a softener with well water?
Yes, and many well homes need one. If your well has iron, the system should be sized and set up for it, and sometimes an iron filter goes in ahead of the softener.
Not sure which softener is right for your home? Call or text (317) 731-3028, or visit our water softener page.
