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Are You Looking Into A Water Treatment System? Learn About the Difference Between Salt Water Softeners vs Citrus Water Softeners 

Salt water softeners vs citrus water softeners. Hard water is a common problem for residents in Phoenix. Hard water is almost a right of passage in the Phoenix area but salt water softeners and citrus water softeners are used to combat hard water. What you may not know is that hard water is costly. Over time hard water shortens the lifespan of your plumbing, your plumbing fixtures like faucets, shower valves and toilets.

Hard water also shortens the life span of appliances and causes them to be replaced more often. Have you replaced a dishwasher lately or a washing machine? They aren’t cheap! Not only is it hard on your plumbing, it’s hard on our skin and hair.  Life is hard, your water shouldn’t be. So how exactly do you treat hard water in your home? A water treatment system. There are 2 different types of water treatment systems, salt water softeners vs citrus water softeners.

A water treatment system is installed and used in your home to treat your hard water. But what exactly is a water treatment system? Which water treatment system is the best option for your home? There are several different types of Water Treatment systems, too many to list in one blog so today we’re going to cover two: Salt water softeners vs citrus water softeners. Each option has its’ pros and cons. So let’s go over the difference between salt water softeners vs citrus water softeners.

What’s The Differences Between Salt Water Softeners and Citrus Water Softeners

SALT WATER SOFTENERS 

A traditional salt softener is a water treatment system that uses salt to help treat your tap water. Typically, an excess of calcium and magnesium in your tap water is what causes scale and hard water. Inside of the water softener there are resin beads. Resin beads are in the inside of the water softener, packed into a bed. The resin beads have a negative charge which attracts all positively charged ions.

While water flows through the water softener, the calcium and magnesium stick on the resin beads. Next, the system puts a sodium ion back into the water in a process called ion exchange.  

We don’t recommend connecting salt softeners to your cold water line at your kitchen sink.  Salt softeners add a small amount of sodium back into the water through the ion exchange process. We do not recommend drinking this water.  It may also be harmful to your pets and plants. 

Salt Softeners require a drain line to work. Salt softeners through the process of ion exchange need to discharge the wasted water requiring them to have a drain line to evacuate the water.  This process can cause some municipalities concern as the salt added into the water system can be difficult to remove from the recycled water and when used for landscaping in golf courses can kill the grass.   

CITRUS WATER SOFTENERS 

A citric acid water softener is a newer alternative to treating your hard water. Technically, a citric acid water softener doesn’t soften your water.  In a hardness test it will show that the hardness has not changed, just the PH. Unlike the traditional water softeners, a citric acid water softener uses a process called chelation, to treat hard water. Chelation binds the citric acid in the softener to the calcium and magnesium in the water.

The citrus water softener slowly meters citric acid into your water. The citric acid and the minerals causing the hardness bind. Once they bind, it remains in the solution instead of being removed from the water. This means that your water still has minerals, not salt, but the minerals will not hard-bind to your plumbing, your fixtures or your appliances.

Citrus softeners are safe for consumption. It’s safe to connect a citrus softener to the cold water line at your kitchen sink.  It’s safe for your family to drink, safe for your plants and safe for your pets since it does not add traces of sodium to the water in exchange for minerals.  

Citrus softeners do not require a drain line to work because they do not remove minerals from the water that need to be discharged. They don’t require electricity as well. Both salt softeners and citrus softeners effectively stop the issues caused by having hard water. When it is all said and done water treatment systems can help you save money, extend the life expectancy of your pipes and plumbing fixtures, and make your water healthier for general use and consumption. 

Services in Phoenix & Beyond

If you’re in the Phoenix area and would like an in home consultation to see which type of water treatment system is best for your home reach out. At Robins Plumbing we are happy to help. Are you facing issues with your plumbing? Feel free to “Call a Robin” and we will do our best to help. If you live in the Phoenix metropolitan area and need a salt or salt free water softener trust Robins Plumbing!

With over 20 years of experience in the plumbing industry, you can trust our professionals to deliver a professional consultation to see what solution fits best for your home. We also offer a variety of residential and commercial plumbing services, including: drain cleaning, water heater repair and replacement, sewer camera inspection and locating, backflow prevention, commercial and residential jetting, water treatments, and more. Visit our reviews online to see what others have to say about our local plumbing company!