If your home has hard water, you know how much it can affect your life. Hard water can wreak havoc on your plumbing system and leave hard-to-clean deposits in your sinks and tubs. Your drinking water can develop a bad taste as well. While there are many water-softening products developed to combat hard water problems, some rely on harsh chemicals or an excessive use of salt. These methods for water softening are not eco-friendly, and they require the homeowner to perform regular maintenance which can be a hassle when it involves lifting heavy bags of salt.
Fortunately, there are now salt free water conditioners available on the market. These products are a wonderful alternative to traditional water softeners. Salt free conditioners are eco-friendly and require very little maintenance. If you are looking for a hard water solution for your home, consider one of these alternative water conditioners.
How Water Conditioners Work
The limescale buildup from hard water is mainly caused by an abundance of calcium carbonate in the water. The calcium carbonate molecules have the property of sticking to each other and to other hard surfaces, such as the inner walls of the water pipes. Over time, the calcium crystals form a large buildup on the pipes, affecting the quality of the water and the water pressure, and degrading the pipes themselves.
There is some variation in how different salt free water conditioners work. One of the most popular methods actually uses an oscillating electric field to prevent limescale from building up in pipes. This type of water conditioner is a computerized system installed on the incoming water line of a home. It produces a signal that changes frequencies extremely quickly over a large range. Modulating the frequency of the signal produces a disrupting wave that modifies the calcium molecules, changing their shape, size, and electrical charge. This change in the structure of the calcium molecules prevents the calcium crystals from sticking to the pipes, and thus prevents new limescale buildup in your pipes.
This method also has the added bonus of cleaning pipes of existing limescale. The chemical change in the calcium deposits of the water means that the “clean” water molecules are free to attract and accept new calcium molecules. The water leaves the conditioning system and picks up calcium molecules from the pipe walls as is continues on its way. This cleans your pipes of any existing buildup.
How to Install a Water Conditioning System in Your Home
Salt free water conditioners are actually quite simple to install. Most homeowners can install the system themselves, provided there is easy access to the home’s incoming waterline. The system should be installed on the mainline, prior to the line entering the home’s water heater. This ensures all your home’s pipes will be clean and free of limescale deposit, drastically improving the quality of your water and the lifespan of your plumbing infrastructure.
