Why do you need salt in a water softner and why isn't my water salty?

Answer 1

Yes, indeed, there is salt(sodium chloride) in water coming out of a water softner. The amount is small, (thus you cannot taste it) but it it contains SALT as the water softning process is a replacement ionic process in which Calcium in the hard water is replaced with Sodium or SALT and that is "soft water"

Here is how the softner works: Zeolite crystals, a natural mineral stone, are in the water softner tank. When you "charge" the water softner you load up those Zeolite crystals with SALT. Then as water passes thru that tank, the Calcium in the INCOMING hard water is replaced by the SALT from the Zeolite, leaving the Calcium behind attached to the Zeolite crystals. The water leaving now contains a sodium ion, and not calcium. Calcium is the culprit in hard water.

So when one "backflushes" what happens is a huge quantity of salt is flushed over those Zeolite crystals, dislodging the attached calcium ions and flushing them away down the sewer and " recharging" the Zeolite with SALT or sodium

So you water coming out of the tap, has SALT (sodium ions) attached to it. If you have a high blood pressure problem do not use water softner water. Run a seperate cold water supply pipe directly from the well or from the supply to your kitchen sink

The water softner process is a REPLACEMENT PROCESS wherein SALT (sodium chloride) replaces calcium in the water.

Some facts to remember, are that Detergents are UNAFFECTED by hard water or calcium in the water. Its a falacy that your clothes washer will work better with a water softner, simply not true Chemistry wise. The invention of Detergents was a major step in combating hard water problems in washing clothes because detergents are not effected by hard water.

The benefits of soft water are where "soap" is used because the sterrate in soaps forms a scum with calcium in hard water, thus creating problems. Problems in calcium gummining up fixtures and the like is solved with a water softner.

Water softners contain Zeolite, thus Iron of most sorts is NOT REMOVED in water softners, One needs an Iron Filter to do that. Another tank.

Answer 2

There is a collector element that traps all the calcium and other minerals on it to soften your water. Eventually it could become saturated. To clear the element, you simply wash it with salt water. If your softener was set up correctly, your softener is bypassed probably every other night and bathed in salt water which goes down the drain. That clears the element. This usually happens about 2 or 3 am if the timer is set right. Once the flush is done, the softener is put back on line and you continue to get your soft water. The salt does not flow through the softener constantly.

Answer 3

Water "hardness" is caused by the prescence of certain minerals in your water. A water softener alters the ion charging somehow in your water to keep the impurities from your tap. Evidently salt (or sodium chloride) is crucial to this process. Everything is passed through a brine to draw out the minerals. This keeps your toilets and tubs from turning lovely colors with the deposits from the aforementioned minerals. Evidently, after the process is done, while your water does have sodium ions in it, it is so diluted that you should never be able to taste it. Anyway, I don't pretend to completely understand it but here is an article (you have to look at a pdf) that attempts to explain it to you. I hope this helps.

Answer 4

The salt attracts and bonds with the impurities. Because of this, the salt doesn't attach itself to the water.