What Type Of Salt Should I Use In My Water Softener
As a water softener owner, you can see the salt in your brine tank is running low and its time to pick up some more. Like many people, you may be baffled by all of the water softener salt choices you see at the store: crystals, block, table, rock, and pellets. What is better: solar or evaporated salt pellets? What about salt pellets vs. potassium chloride pellets? What should you buy? What is best?
First of all, only salt or potassium chloride specifically designed for water softeners should be used. Do not use dicing or table salt.
How We Chose The Best Water Softener Salts
In building this list of favorite water softener salts, we used our own research and experience to find a selection of products that best address specific issues related to home water systems. We made sure to span the range of reputable brands available to offer shoppers the best selection for their homes. Our list includes natural choices, sodium-free options for those looking to lower their salt intake, and more potent products that can deal with iron and rust problems.
Most of our top picks come in large 40-pound bags. For shoppers looking to avoid any kind of heavy lifting, we also noted a 25-pound option thats much easier to carry while still being just as effective.
How Is Salt Made
Salt forms during the process of water evaporation. For example, our oceans have a lot of dissolved sodium in them, and salt forms from the drying seawater. Sunlight heats the ocean water, and when the water evaporates, it leaves behind elements such as sodium and chlorine. The sodium and chlorine bond together to form salt.
For every gram of salt, approximately 40 percent is sodium, and roughly 60 percent is chlorine. Purity levels of salt refer to how much sodium chloride the salt contains. For example, food-grade table salt is almost pure sodium chloride97% or higherwith most of its impurities and trace minerals removed.
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Morton Potassium Chloride Pellets 40 Lb
- Reduce sodium levels in softened water
- Reduce chlorides discharged into the environment
- Available in 18kg bag with easy-to-carry handle and easy-open tear
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Product Details
Recharge your water softener with nothing but the best thanks to the Potassium Chloride Pellets from Morton. Specially-formulated potassium chloride pellets help you effortlessly soften your water for better showers, laundry days, and dishwasher cycles.
To stay friendly to your kitchen and bathroom appliances, this nutrient-rich formula is 99 percent sodium-free and contains no additives. Stop scale build-up in your heater and pipes and put an end to hard water spots on your faucet, dishes, and tile.
Great for bathtime and clothing, these high-purity crystals help soaps and detergents create a larger lather for ultimate stain-fighting power. Refills have never been easier thanks to this 40-pound bags innovative features.
With a sturdy plastic handle, youre able to comfortably carry this container from room to room without ripping. Simply tear, lift, and pour this packet into your tank once a month for consistently smooth water.
Compatible with softener components and resins, this water-soluble solution works in all designs of brine tanks. Make cleaning easier and get softer water in your home with this 40-pound bag of Morton Potassium Chloride Pellets.
Reviews From Real Customers
Ensure Youre Getting The Most Out Of Your Water Softener With One Of These Top Water Softener Salts
By Tony Carrick | Updated Jan 8, 2023 10:35 AM
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A water softener can work miracles on well water by turning rusty water clear, removing sulfur odors, and eliminating minerals that clog pipes and damage appliancesbut only when its filled with the right softener salt.
The quality of softener salt plays a critical role in how well a softener is able to soften water. Softener salt comes in a surprising number of forms, ranging from evaporated salt pellets, sea salt, rock salt, crystals, and even saltless softeners that use potassium chloride instead of sodium chloride.
With so many options available, it can be a challenge to choose the right product for a homes water softener. This article takes a deep dive into the world of water softeners and lists crucial factors to consider when shopping for the best water softener salt.
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Diamond Crystal Solar Naturals Water Softener Salt 50 Pound
- Reduces Film Build-Up on Shower Door
- Made Naturally with Sun, Wind and Time.
- Reduces Spots on Dishes
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Product Details
Ultraviolet Solar Salt Water Softening Crystals provide an all-natural, high-purity, economical solution for hard water. Harvested from the Great Salt Lake in Utah through natural and environmentally friendly solar evaporation, these crystals help extend the life of your appliances and lessen the strain on your pipes when added to your water softener.
When using the product as directed, you can expect cleaner dishes, a cleaner tub and shower, and more. 100% Certified by the National Sanitation Foundation to NSF/ANSI 60, Ultraviolet Solar Salt Water Softening Crystals are recommended and safe for use in most models of water softeners.
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Keep your shower and appliances running smoothly by transforming your hard water with these Diamond Crystal Bright and Soft Water Softener Salt Pellets. They contain up to 99. 8 percent pure salt to transform your homes hard water into soft water with no unsightly residue.
Use it to help extend the life of appliances, pipes and fixtures throughout your home. The Bright & Soft Salt Pellets also help to keep your laundry and hair soft and bright. Theyre available in a patented two-handle bag that allows for easy lifting and carrying.
Completely water soluble, these Diamond salt pellets consist of compact pellets that are specially formulated to prevent mushing and bridging.
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How To Choose The Right Type Of Water Softener Salt
When we talk about hard water, were not talking about ice. Were talking about water that contains high amounts of minerals like calcium and magnesium. Hard water isnt harmful, but it has plenty of bothersome side effects, including:
- Impact water taste
- Leave residue in hair
- Clog up your pipes
- Affect your waters ability to lather in the shower, sink, washing machine and other devices
A water softener is the only way to remove minerals from your water and prevent problems like these. After the water softener has been used over and over again, the filter needs to be recharged with more salt to continue working effectively.
When you need to put your water softener through a regeneration cycle, youll need water softener salt, or sodium chloride. You can only use salt that is designed for water softeners, not table salt or deicing salt. Water softener salt is specially designed to work for your water softener and make it efficient.
Water softener salt comes in forms like crystals, blocks or pellets, which enable more effective regeneration. You already know you need salt for your system, but did you know not all salt is created equal? The right type of salt can help your water softener perform better and prevent damage to your appliances and water softening system. Heres a look at various types of water softener salt and what to consider with each one.
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Brine Tank Maintenance Tips
We recommend that you check the salt level in your brine tank at least monthly. The more often your system regenerates, the more youll need to check and add salt to the tank.
For optimal efficiency, we recommend the salt in the brine tank always be at least 3-4 inches ABOVE the water level, but less than four inches below the top of the brine tank.
When salt levels drop too low, you run the risk of not having conditioned water. Regularly check your salt levels and dont let the salt in the brine tank fall below one-quarter full of salt.
Before adding new salt to the brine tank, always be sure to loosen any encrusted salt that may be adhering to the perimeter of the salt keeper and make sure any large pieces are broken up. If the salt has formed one solid mass you can manually break up the mass by pouring hot water over the salt bridging making it easier to break up and remove.
Not sure about the level of hardness in your water? Request a free home water test or download WaterTechs helpful HARD WATER GUIDE to learn more about the signs and symptoms of hard waterand possible solutions.
If you still have questions about water softening, salt usage or the hardness level of your water, contact an authorized WaterTech dealer in your area.
What Types Of Salts Are Available For Water Softeners
When it comes to salts that are usable in your water softener, there are three primary types of salts on the market today: solar salt, rock salt, and evaporated salt. They vary in chemical makeup, processing, and the shape of the final product, and these factors affect how they might perform in your water softening system. Lets investigate each of these in a bit more detail.
Solar salt: Solar salt is the result of seawater that is naturally evaporated by the sun. When the seawater itself dries up, crystalline solar salt is left behind, and it is used for a variety of purposes. Solar salt is highly pure , and it dissolves more easily and readily than other types of salt. Some types of water softening systems can benefit from the use of solar salt, especially those that experience salt clumping in their tank. When it comes to Kinetico water softening systems, solar salt is not recommended because it may still contain contaminants that can damage your water softener and lead to avoidable maintenance issues.
All of these options use sodium chloride to operate, which is the most common compound used in water softening systems. While we recommend evaporated salt pellets or cubes for water softeners, you can then choose between sodium chloride and potassium chlorate evaporated salts.
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What Is The Difference Between Sodium And Potassium Chloride
Some consumers are curious about potassium chloride pellets they may have seen at the store, which is a nearly sodium-free alternative to sodium chloride. Sodium chloride is cheaper and more readily available than potassium chloride, making it a perfectly fine choice for most people. However, some people may choose potassium chloride instead if they are trying to watch their sodium intake due to dietary restrictions or certain health conditions.
Unfortunately, potassium chloride water softening pellets can cost up to five times more per bag than sodium chloride. Additionally, those who choose to use potassium chloride have to add more of it to your softener than you would sodium chloride pellets. This makes it a much more expensive choice, and its simply not justifiable for most families.
Is It Better To Use Salt Pellets Or Crystals In A Water Softener
We know that whether you use salt in pellet or crystal form in a water softener, or a mixture of the two, the salt will still dissolve as normal in water.
But whats better for your water softener: pellets or crystals?
In most water softeners, pellets are better than crystals because they dissolve quickly in water and often contain additional ingredients that reduce scaling, caking, and other issues in the salt tank.
Plus, pellets are more adherent and longer-lasting than crystals, so theyre the better option for people who plan to buy in bulk and store their salt for months or years before use in the salt tank.
With that said, you wont notice a difference in your drinking water taste, and your salt usage should be about the same, regardless of the salt form you use.
Find the most affordable water softener salt reviewed by WFG.
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Before You Buy Water Softener Salt
Choosing the right water softener salt involves knowing what the water hardness is, and this is usually determined through testing. Water hardness can be measured by purchasing a soap test kit. This simple kit includes a bottle and vial of liquid soap with a dropper. To test the water, fill to the line, add drops of soap, and shake the bottle until the water produces suds. The more drops of soap it takes, the harder the water is.
Water Hardness And Usage
The type and amount of salt needed for a home depends on the size of the household and the hardness of the water. Small households with two people use about two 40-pound bags of salt in their water softeners every 2 months. Families of four use about three 40-pound bags every 2 months, while large families may go through four bags every 2 months.
Homes with a high level of minerals in their water such as magnesium and calcium will require more salt. A water softener for a four-person home that typically requires three bags of salt every 2 months may need four or more bags every 2 months if the home has particularly hard water. Homes with hard water should use evaporated salt pellets to get the most out of each load of salt.
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Bottom Line: Which Water Softener Salt Is Right For You
The best water softener treatment for most households with hard water is sodium chloride.
Even though it is more expensive than other options, evaporated salt is the best water softener because of its extremely high purity level. If youre looking for an option that offers excellent performance and reduced need for maintenance, evaporated salt is the way to go.
For homeowners on a budget, the most affordable option is rock salt. It is a readily available material that provides good water softening performance. However, rock salt will cause some mineral buildup and require more maintenance.
Solar salt is the perfect choice for an eco-friendly option since it is collected using renewable sunlight and provides a highly pure salt composition thats effective as a water softener.
Or, if you have concerns about sodium intake, consider using potassium chloride as a non-salt alternative. Potassium chloride is effective but is also the most expensive option for water softener salt.
Can You Mix Salt Crystals And Salt Pellets In An All
All-in-one water softeners are water softener systems that have the brine tank and resin tank all in one unit.
Most all-in-one softener manufacturers advise against using water softener salt crystals since theyre known to form a salt crust around the top of the tank, making them unable to reach the water level below.
So, in an all-in-one water softener, you shouldnt use a mix of both salt pellets and crystals stick to water softener salt pellets.
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How Are Salts Used In Water Softeners
Water softeners convert hard water into softer water through a process called ion exchange. City water tends to contain high amounts of positively charged ions from minerals like calcium and magnesium, which can cause lots of household issues like soap scum, laundry stains, calcium buildup, and dry skin. Water softeners contain negatively charged resin beds and salts that contain positively charged ions with soft water properties, like sodium and potassium. When city water or well water runs through your water softener, magnesium and calcium are swapped with sodium and potassium in the resin beds, and this soft water is then used throughout your home.
Eventually, your water softener will run low on sodium or potassium in its resin bed, and you will have to add more salts to ensure that your water continues to be softened efficiently and effectively.
Water Softener Crystals Vs Pellets: Whats The Difference
Salt pellets are made by compacting salt granules into pillow-shaped pellets. Crystals are formed during saltwater evaporation and are the most natural, unprocessed form of salt.
You can usually find all sorts of water softener salts in crystal or pellet form, including evaporated salt pellets, rock salt, solar salt pellets, solar crystals, and more.
Most commonly, solar crystals are the type of salt found in crystal form . Evaporated salt is most commonly found in pellet form.
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Final Word: Should You Mix Water Softener Salts
Its safe to mix water softener salts, whether youre mixing different forms of sodium chloride or youre adding potassium chloride to a brine tank that currently only contains salt.
Regardless of what type of salt you use in your water softeners brine tank, just make sure its as high quality and high purity as possible. We advise against using rock salt due to its increased concentration of impurities.
Although mixing water softening salts is safe, your softener tank and resin bed will remain much cleaner, and with a reduced risk of clogging and salt bridge formation, if you use high-purity salt pellets in the salt tank.
What Are The Benefits Of Solar Salt For Water Softeners
The benefits of solar salt for water softeners are many and varied. Solar salt can be used to regenerate water softeners, making them more effective at removing hard water minerals from water. Solar salt can also be used in place of traditional salt to lower the cost of operating a water softener.
Additionally, solar salt is environmentally friendly and does not contribute to water pollution.
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