Salt-Free Water Softeners

Some people are concerned about the health effects of the sodium that softeners put in water. Be aware that most health concerns are over intake of sodium chloride, not the sodium bicarbonate that results from softening water. In addition, opinions expressed in the New England Journal of Medicine minimize concerns about the amount of salt introduced by water softeners.

Although the amount of sodium added is minimal compared to a healthy person’s normal diet, people who have been advised by a doctor to reduce sodium intake may want to consider a unit that regenerates with a potassium-chloride salt substitute rather than sodium.

Another option is to bypass one or more cold water faucets in the house that are used for drinking water. Some people connect a standard unit only to the hot water side of the water supply system; unfortunately, with this option, you forfeit all the benefits of having soft water in the shower, laundry, and wherever else cold water is mixed with hot.

Another option is to install a water filter that will remove salt from drinking water.

A more radical—and controversial—option is an electronic or magnetic water softener. According to manufacturers, this plug-in device, which clips onto the incoming pipe, sets up a magnetic field that changes the electromagnetic properties of the calcium-carbonate minerals so they are repelled by pipes and each other.

A study commissioned by the Water Quality Association, however, found that, when such devices were tested against conventional ion-exchange softeners and against claims made by the manufacturers, no significant physical or chemical changes in the water occurred and the units did not reduce scale formation. Despite the effectiveness claims made by manufacturers of these devices, buyers should beware.