Water softeners vs water descalers

Hard water is supplied to many homes throughout the US and UK, accounting for 60% of the UK’s water supply and around 85-90% of the US water supply. While hard water itself is not a problem, the high mineral content can cause problems in the form of limescale.

Minerals, such as calcium and magnesium, are dissolved into water from chalk and limescale rocks, creating hard water. The higher the mineral content in the water, the harder the water.

While these minerals are not harmful to humans and can be good for you, the calcium carbonate (or limescale) that forms when hard water is heated can create numerous problems for your plumbing and appliances.

Therefore, households and businesses may wish to find methods to alleviate the problems hard water can cause. Water softeners and water descalers are two methods to reduce the problems associated with hard water.

However, a common misconception is that water descalers and softeners work similarly, which is not the case. The only common feature between the two is they both alleviate hard water problems and limescale deposits.

Otherwise, the two types of filtration systems work entirely differently. Here is a rundown of how they work and the benefits of using each system.

Water descalers

Water descalers are small and convenient devices that can easily be installed to your main water supply. They do not alter the chemical composition of water by removing the minerals that cause scale build-up.

Instead, water descalers create an electromagnetic field to alter the behaviour of the calcium and magnesium ions using electrical currents, thereby preventing them from discharging and solidifying or hard surfaces when heated.

Using a water descaler provides the benefits of soft water, such as preventing corrosion of iron & steel piping and preventing scale deposits, but also keeps health-beneficial minerals.

Installation is simple: find your main supply pipe, attach the coils of wire from the descaler, and fix the unit to a nearby fixture.

Benefits

The main benefit of installing a water descaler is the prevention of scale build-up. Treating the water to prevent scale build-up will allow appliances to work more efficiently and extend their lifespan. However, water descalers will not remove any existing build-up of scale.

Cleaning is also much easier, as the scale does not build up or leave marks, requiring fewer cleaning products. Pipes do not become insulated, nor do they help cut down on heating bills. People suffering from skin conditions have also noted an improvement in their conditions.

Descalers only require electricity to run, and they need very little maintenance. They do not leave salt or other mineral traces in the water, as water softeners do.

Water softeners

Water softeners are designed to reduce water hardness by removing the minerals that cause scale build-up using ion exchange. Unlike water descalers, water softeners remove the minerals in hard water to make the water ‘soft’.

Softeners are available in multiple sizes and styles and can be installed anywhere, including utility rooms, garages, cupboards, or by the main water supply. However, water softeners are not as small and convenient as water descalers and take up much more room.

Water softeners are not as easily installed as a discharge hose, which must be fitted by a drainpipe or water outlet. Therefore, the softener system requires a plumber or professional to be installed.

How they work

Water softeners work in a completely different way from descalers. The inside of the main water softener tank is filled with formulated resin beads. These beads are permanently fitted inside the tank and cannot be removed.

As water enters the top of the softener tank, it is filtered down through the resin beads. Each of these beads has a negative charge, while hard water's calcium and magnesium minerals have a positive charge.

The ion-exchange process mentioned earlier takes place here, where the positive charge found in the minerals is attracted to the negative charge of the resin beads. The negative-charge minerals stick onto the resin, leaving the now-soft water to exit the tank and into the water supply.

A water softener comes with a brine tank connected to the softener tank by a small pipe. Unlike the main tank, the brine tank can be accessed by filling it with salt or potassium pellets.

These pellets are used when the beads have reached their maximum capacity and cannot attract mineral ions. The brine tank is used to regenerate the resin beads, usually automatically detected when the amount of water processed through the softener reaches the pre-programmed setting (set using the control valve).

The pre-programmed setting will be dependent on the gallons of water processed. Regenerating the beads requires the salt or potassium pellets mentioned earlier. The salt or potassium from the pellets is dissolved and filtered through the main tank to wash out the mineral deposits stuck to the resin beads.

The water is discharged from the discharge outlet, allowing the softener to continue working normally. Once the salt or potassium pellets have been used, the brine tank will require refilling. Again, this depends on how much water has been processed through the tank.

It is important to note that using a water softener does leave trace amounts of salt in the treated water. The alternative is using potassium pellets, which are considerably more expensive than salt pellets.

Alternatively, installing a reverse-osmosis water filter at the kitchen sink can remove the salt from any water used for drinking or cooking. Also, some states in the US have banned the use of water softeners due to the high levels of sodium found in water-treatment plants and reservoirs caused by the salty water discharge from water softeners.

Benefits

The main reason for installing a water softener is that it removes the minerals that cause hard water to make it soft, as opposed to water descalers that leave the minerals in the water. The quality of the water is noticeable when washing, as the water feels slippery, leaving skin feeling soft and clean.

Cleaning is also considerably reduced, as scale deposits are no longer left around taps or on surfaces. Soft water also creates a lather more easily, requiring less soap, shampoo, and detergents. Installing a water softener also has the same benefits as water descalers.

Appliances have a longer lifespan and require less maintenance due to the lack of scale build-up, which helps to reduce heating bills. Pipes do not become insulated with hard water deposits, and there is less likelihood that pipes will crack or block. Skin conditions also see an improvement.

Water softeners vs water descalers – the final verdict

When deciding whether a water softener or water descaler is best for treating problems with hard water, it is important to consider what you want to achieve from installing such devices. For example, if you wish to prevent scale build-up, a water descaler may be the more suitable solution, as these are easier to maintain.

These devices are also much more suited for areas with low hard water levels. However, if you are in an area with very hard water, a water softener may be the most logical choice to reduce the problems associated with hard water. Here is a final rundown of water descalers and softeners to help you decide:

Water descalers:

Cheaper than water softeners

Easy to install

Convenient and small

Can be installed anywhere around the water supply

Does not remove the calcium and magnesium minerals

Does prevent the minerals from depositing and solidifying on solid surfaces when hard water is heated

Does not waste water compared to water softeners

Salt or mineral deposits are not left in the water

Treated water does not feel soft and slick

More suited for areas with low levels of hard water

Water softeners:

• Expensive compared to descalers
• Saves money in the long term by using less soap to form a lather
• Not as convenient to fit as descalers
• Cannot be easily installed and requires a professional
• Removes the calcium and magnesium minerals from the water
• Water is wasted through the outlet when regenerating the tank
• Little running cost except for salt or potassium pellets
• Leaves deposits of sodium, potassium, or salt in the treated water
• Water feels soft and slick
• More suited for very hard water areas