Do Electronic Water Softeners Work? Facts, Advantages, and Limitations

The discussion about hard water has been going on for quite some time. As you may know, hard water causes a lot of problems in households all over the country. On the other hand, there is quite a hot debate regarding water softeners. Do electronic water softeners work as a viable alternative to salt water softeners? We will find out today!

Hard Water, Softened Water, and the Available Tech

Clogging your pipes and worsening the effects of dermatitis, eczema, and psoriasis are just a few deal-breakers. It is clear as day that if you have hard water, you need to do something about it.

Salt Water Softeners

Many people choose to solve their hard water issues by using water softeners. In case you don’t know what a water softener is, it’s a device that exchanges calcium and magnesium ions for sodium ions. This process indeed removes hardness from your water but adds sodium to it. Or at least the traditional salt-based water softeners do.

Magnetic Water Softeners

Magnetic water softeners don’t need salt to operate. They work by using a magnetic field to alter mineral crystals inside the water. It is a mostly untested technology that gives mixed results. They are somewhat similar to water descalers in principle. They modify mineral crystals instead of replacing them with salt. But have several limitations.

Do electronic water softeners work? A quick rundown

Electronic Water Softeners: What Are They?

Electronic water softeners have been around for quite some time now. When the hard water enters their mineral tank, it flows through a bed of spherical resin beads. This process is called ion exchange, and it replaces minerals such as calcium and magnesium with sodium.

They have had enough opportunities to prove themselves useful. Unless a manufacturer messes up, the units work just as advertised. But even when they work, it’s not perfect. Let’s go through some of their advantages and downsides:

The Pros of an Electronic Water Softener

• Eliminates limescale deposits by replacing hard minerals inside the water with sodium.
• It makes it easier to wash away soap and shampoo.
• The softened water doesn’t leave soap scum on your skin or bathtub.
• Your washing machine and other water-based appliances are less likely to break.
• You’ll have no more limescale and mineral deposits on your showerhead, toilet bowl, faucet, etc.
• Your pipes are less likely to clog and corrode, which reduces the chances of leaks.

The Cons of an Electronic Water Softener

• Even healthy adults can only drink a limited amount of soft water.
• The sodium within soft water stops plants from growing and can even kill them.
• A high intake of sodium leads to elevated blood pressure. This can damage your eyes, kidneys, and heart.
• Pregnant women, newborn babies, pets, and people with high blood pressure or diabetes can’t drink soft water because of the high amount of sodium.
• Water softeners require buying salt bags and replacing the salt in the filter. This adds a lot to the cost over time.
• They also require a decent amount of electricity to function correctly.

Drinking softened water has quite nasty drawbacks. So you’re going to solve the limescale and clogging issues, but the trade-off is that you can’t drink your water. Get a good filter if you want a salt-based water softener. Or pair it with a reverse osmosis system. Otherwise, your water will be almost undrinkable.

Do magnetic water softeners work? Or is it just speculation?

Now let’s talk about magnetic water softeners. They are usually much cheaper than traditional salt-based water softeners. Unlike water softeners, they’re non-invasive. They are much smaller and because they don’t add sodium or other chemicals to your water. But is it as effective as the other method? Let’s find out.

Pros:

• They are far easier to install than salt-based water softeners.
• They require little to no maintenance.
• They take up very little space.
• Magnetic water softeners require no electricity, sodium, or other chemicals to operate.

Cons:

• There haven’t been many studies made about the effectiveness of magnetic water treatment.
• The studies that have been made are inconclusive.
• Their degree of efficiency fluctuates regularly, depending on water pressure.
• The state of the water reverts after 48 hours. So if you have a water heater and use very little water in two days, the water in the radiator will become hard again.

In conclusion, magnetic water softeners offer little buying incentive. Compared to electronic water softeners, they don’t do much. It doesn’t really matter that you’re saving money as long as the results are debatable at best.

To put it simply, the answer to the question “do electronic softeners work?” is a positive one.

But what about solving the sodium problem? How can I get drinking water while still efficiently solving the hardness problem? Getting a sodium filter or a reverse osmosis system brings yet another set of disadvantages.

A reverse osmosis system operates by pushing tap water through its membrane using your plumbing’s water pressure. This process takes time, so if you use a lot of water at once, you’ll have to wait a while before it refills. And if you don't do maintenance correctly, the tiny pores of its membrane can get clogged. And filters will add up a lot to the cost over time.

Is there a way to get the benefits of softened water without worrying about the negatives? Yes, there is.

The practical replacement for your electronic water softener

Have you heard about electronic water descalers? These devices bring out the pros of both electronic and magnetic water softeners. Unlike electronic water softeners, they don’t use salt. And unlike magnetic water softeners, they don’t rely on quirky magnetism to achieve visible results.

Instead, the water descaler sends electric signals through your pipe. The computerized microchip controls these currents. By forming a frequency field between the two cables, all of the particles come in contact with the current. And because mineral particles react to electricity, the calcium and magnesium crystals turn into ions.

They stretch out, forming smooth long strings. This way, they no longer attach to anything. That means you’ll no longer have to deal with limescale in your pipes or mineral deposits on your appliances. And guess what? You can drink the water without worrying about sodium.

And to top it all off, almost no maintenance is required. There are no filters to change either. You just need to wrap the coils around your pipe, plug it in, and you’re done - no need to make adjustments either. The descaler’s computerized microchip takes care of all the necessary frequency-tuning. So no matter what pipe, water pressure, or hardness level it encounters, it works without any user input.

Most importantly, this method has stood the test of time. Many people are pleased with their descalers. They quickly found out that their expectations were exceeded.

Frequently asked questions about water softening versus descaling

• If calcium is still in the water, won’t it react with my soap and shampoo?

Water treated by descalers gets rid of soap scum. The calcium crystals are reshaped, so they no longer stick to surfaces. Even though calcium reacts with soap, you’ll no longer have issues with lathering.

• Will I still need to buy softeners such as Calgon if I choose a descaler?

No. As stated earlier, the minerals inside the water (including chalk and lime) don’t stick. In fact, a water descaler can save you up to $1000 per year. How come? You’ll no longer need as much detergent, soap, or water for that matter. You’ll simply use less of it because it cleans better and it flows better because of the lack of limescale buildup.

• Do I need to find a plumber that knows what a water descaler is?

You don’t need to find any plumber. You can easily install our water descaler all by yourself. The simple-to-read instruction manual takes you through all the necessary steps. There aren’t even that many steps to begin with. In short, you just need to wrap the coils around the pipe and then plus the descaler in an electrical outlet. Does it sound simple? That’s because it is.

• How much electricity does the descaler consume?

The power adapter is 24V 1A, meaning that it consumes minimal current. It won’t take much more than your smartphone, for example. However, even if it does consume electricity, it will still save you money on your gas and electric bills. How? You will no longer lose heat due to scaling.

• Is the descaler eco-friendly?

Absolutely! The water descaler doesn’t connect to a drain, so your septic system or the town sewer won’t be affected. And if you’re concerned about water conservation, you can rest assured that the descaler wastes none. Pollution? Zero. No carbon emissions, no smoke, no-nonsense. The only thing it consumes is electricity, and even that’s meager.

• Where can I find a water descaler?

You can check out this page. It shows all the documentation about our water descaler. Note that our 100-day money-back guarantee has you covered. If you’re not satisfied with the results, you can return the product and get back every single penny.

The bottom line

A water descaler is the most inexpensive and advantageous way to soften water. The lack of maintenance and ease of installation make it the perfect fit for any home or small business. And the fact that there’s no pollution, chemicals or sodium makes the water safe to drink for anybody. The only real downside is that the water descaler isn’t a water filter. If you live in a contaminated area, then getting a filter is your only real choice.