Protect the Environment With An Eco Water Softener

When it comes to solving hard water problems in the home, some homeowners are gravitating away from the traditional salt-based water softener and leaning toward an eco water softener instead.

Anyone who has a well or other mineral-rich water source is familiar with hard water. Water is considered hard when it contains high concentrations of calcium and magnesium. These minerals cause a number of problems in the household. Soaps and detergents don’t work very well in hard water; it leaves a slimy feeling on the skin and laundry just doesn’t seem to get as clean or look as bright.

The minerals harden and adhere to any surface that they touch, such as the insides of pipes, dishwashers, washing machines and coffee machines, forming a hard chalklike substance known as mineral scale. Scale buildup can actually cost you money. It clogs pipes and also shortens the life span of the appliances, meaning that you have to replace them more often.

Another major problem caused by hard water is that scale accumulates inside the hot water heater, particularly on the element, creating an insulating coating that reduces the effectiveness of the heater. The hot water heater has to work harder, consuming more electricity and costing you money.

What exactly is an eco water softener? Essentially, it is a water treatment system that solves hard water issues without the use of chemical reactions or salt.

An eco water softener treats mineral-rich water without actually changing its chemical composition . Because it actually doesn’t remove the minerals from hard water, this type of device is actually referred to as a water treatment system rather than an actual water softener. Water softeners require large amounts of salt to treat water, and that salt needs to constantly be regenerated. Because salt-based water softeners replace calcium and magnesium with sodium, large numbers of these water softening systems are responsible for elevated levels of sodium in ground water.

In small amounts, sodium doesn’t have a negative impact on the environment, but high concentrations can find its way into streams and ponds, changing the natural environment of fish, algae and other water-based life forms. Even a slight upset to the ecosystem can have long term effects on the organisms that rely on a delicate balance for survival.

The most common types of eco water softener are magnetic and electronic. Both operate on the same principle, which is Faraday’s Law of Induction . The way they work is by generating a magnetic or electromagnetic (depending on the device) field through a section of the pipe near the source of the water supply.

When the water flows through this magnetic field, the minerals are transformed so that they remain in liquid form instead of hardening into mineral scale and adhering to the insides of pipes, appliances and hot water heaters. The liquid minerals flow easily through the pipes and down the drain without causing any problems whatsoever.

The magnetic field affects mainly the calcium, which is the mineral responsible for the majority of scale buildup. By keeping the calcium liquefied, the device prevents scale from forming.