In order for your water softener to work as well as it should, your system needs to be maintained on a regular basis. Part of this upkeep involves keeping your softener topped up with salt; an essential component in the water softening process.

If you’re all out of specialist salt, it can be tempting to throw some normal table salt into your water softening system. However, this can damage your system and could spell the end of your unlimited supply of soft tap water.

What is water softener salt?

Water softener salt is an essential part of your home water filter. It’s a naturally occurring chemical that removes the ions from your water. It’s these ions that make your home supply ‘hard’, so the more that are removed, the softer your water will be.

When your water softening salt comes into contact with positively charged ions from hardening minerals like calcium and magnesium, it bonds with them, removing them from your water supply and leaving you with fresh, pure water. Your water softener will have a dedicated tank or space for softener salt. You’ll need to top up the salt level every so often as the granules get used up by the system.

Can I use regular table salt?

In general, it’s not a good idea to use everyday table salt in your water softener. The small granules will dissolve quickly and there’s a good chance your water softener will become less efficient. Instead of using table salt, it’s better to use specialist water softener salt in your system.

Specialist salt generally comes in the form of pellets, blocks and crystals. The type of salt you choose will depend on your budget, the amount you use your softener and how regularly you want to replace salt levels. Whichever form of salt you use, you’ll need to check the level at least once a month to ensure there’s enough salt in the system. If the salt falls below a certain level, your softener could start to work less efficiently and you could end up with harder water in your home.

If you’d like to learn more about the benefits of water softeners and the types of softener that are available, have a look around our website or get in touch with a member of our team.

[Photo by LoggaWiggler]