What Types of Water Softeners Are There?
There are several types of water softeners, and the right one depends on how hard your water is, how much you use and your budget. A water softener protects your pipes, boiler and appliances from limescale. Below we explain the main options, from simple filters to salt-based systems, so you know what to ask an installer.
Water Filter
Strictly speaking, most filters don't soften water, but they're often compared with softeners. A sediment filter catches sand and rust particles from the pipes. A carbon filter improves taste and smell by removing chlorine and some other substances. A reverse osmosis filter removes almost everything, including minerals, and is usually fitted under the kitchen sink for drinking water.
If limescale in your whole home is the problem, a filter on its own won't solve it. Filters do have their uses:
- Practical solution: a water filter can be fitted to a water jug, and filter jugs are inexpensive to buy.
- Portable: some filters are small enough to take camping or on holiday.
- Flexible: point-of-use filters can be fitted to a single tap or appliance.
Cylinder Water Softener
A cylinder (ion-exchange) water softener is the most common type for whole-home softening. Water runs through a cylinder filled with resin beads that swap calcium and magnesium for sodium, which removes the hardness.
Over time the beads fill up, so the softener rinses them with brine from a salt tank. This is called regeneration, and it lets the beads keep working. Ask your installer whether to keep one unsoftened tap for drinking water, as softened water contains a little extra sodium.
The main benefits:
- Softer water throughout: it's fitted on the incoming mains, usually near the stopcock, so it treats all the water in your home. Check with your local water supplier how hard the water is in your area to see how much difference softening will make.
- Adjustable softening: with most softeners you can set the level of softening yourself. So you can soften the water to the level you want rather than removing all the minerals.
- Easy to look after: top up the salt regularly and have the unit serviced as the manufacturer recommends.
Mechanical and Electronic Water Softeners
Salt-based softeners come in two main versions: mechanical and electronic.
A mechanical water softener works on a timer: it regenerates with salt at times you set yourself. It's a simple design, so it's usually cheaper to buy, and some models work without electricity.
An electronic softener usually measures how much water you use and regenerates only when needed, so it tends to use less water and salt.
Tip: whichever you choose, keep the salt topped up and have the softener checked regularly so it keeps working properly.
Magnetic Water Softener
With a magnetic water softener, magnetic fields are claimed to prevent calcium and magnesium from crystallising. A magnet is a budget alternative to a professional water softener, but its effectiveness has not been proven. Read more about magnetic softeners here.
Which Water Softener Is Best for You?
Start by finding out how hard your water is: your water supplier can usually tell you. Then compare quotes from a few installers and ask what's included, such as installation, a bypass valve, the first salt fill and servicing. Request your free quotes with the button below.
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