For all the benefits that softer water offers your home, there are still false beliefs about what it does to your water. In this video, we bust those myths.

Myth No. 1: Water softeners make your water salty and add sodium to your diet.

This is false. There are only about 20 milligrams (mg) of salt found in an 8-ounce glass of water. That’s equal to a few grains of table salt. There are approximately 2,300 mg of salt in a teaspoon, 59 mg of salt in an egg and 120 mg in a glass of milk. Water softeners do not alter the taste of your water or impact your daily diet.

Myth No. 2: Water softeners remove important minerals from your drinking water.

This is false. Water softeners only get rid of minerals your body cannot absorb such as magnesium and calcium. After water is softened, no nutrients are lost that will benefit your health.

Myth No. 3: Water softeners are expensive to operate in your home.

This is false. Your water softener will cost you $10/year on your electric bill — that’s the same as it takes to run your alarm clock. Water softeners can actually save you up to $800/year by extending the life of your fabrics, reducing the amount of soaps and cleaning product you use and improve the performance of appliances such as your dishwasher and washing machine.

To learn more about where it will save you, check out our “The Impact of Hard Water on Your Wallet” video.

The new water softening systems that you can find on EcoPureHome only use 6-8 bags of salt per year — that’s nearly half of the salt it used to take on older systems.

If you’re having troubles finding the right water softener solution for your home, use our water test tool and find what you need.

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Sodium is a naturally occurring mineral and is found in almost everything you consume—from apples and almonds to water and milk. And while sodium is used to soften water, one of the biggest misconceptions is that it makes your softened water taste salty. Luckily, that’s not the case. This article dispels that common myth and provides a practical solution to help reduce the amount of sodium that does exist and ensure you are drinking the healthiest water possible.

How much sodium do you need?

According to the Dietary Guidelines for Americans, the recommended limit for sodium is less than 2,300 mg a day. The average American consumes about 3,400 mg a day, but the vast majority of sodium comes from table salt and processed and prepared foods, like cold cuts, canned soups, fast food, and frozen dinners. Here are the sodium levels of some common food items:

• An 8-ounce glass of low-fat milk contains about 120 mg of sodium
• One egg contains 59 mg of sodium
• An 8-ounce glass of orange juice contains about 25 mg
• A can of soda contains 40-45 mg
• Depending on the brand, a standard 1-ounce slice of bread has between 80 and 230 mg of sodium
• A teaspoon of regular table salt contains 2,300 mg of sodium

Sodium in softened water

The amount of sodium present in drinking water—even after softening—does not represent a significant percentage in a person’s daily intake. During the regeneration process, the resin beads that remove the calcium and magnesium (the hardness ions) in your water are flushed with a brine solution (made from the salt you add to your tank). This releases the calcium and magnesium ions from the beads and replaces them with sodium ions. The excess brine and hardness ion solution is then flushed from the system. This process adds just a little sodium to the overall water supply—and you definitely won’t taste it.

The exact amount of sodium present in soft water will vary based on how much hardness is being removed by the softener. The harder your water is, the more sodium ions that are being exchanged to make soft water. For example, someone with 11 grains per gallon (gpg) hardness would see an additional 20.6 mg of sodium per 8-ounce glass.

Once you have your hard water number, this is how you can calculate the additional amount of sodium that will be added to your water:

How to reduce sodium consumption

You may choose not to drink soft water because of the sodium in it for health reasons or otherwise and seek out the most simple solution available. For example, will a Brita water filter remove sodium from soft water? Standalone Brita filters, like pitcher or faucet filters, are an excellent way to reduce the most common water contaminants and impurities, but unfortunately, sodium is not on that list. There is an additional measure you can take to ensure your drinking water is sodium-free while still enjoying the benefits of soft water, such as reduced stains and limescale, more efficient soap usage and longer appliance life.

Install a reverse osmosis filtration system

Does reverse osmosis remove sodium from softened water?

Yes.

In fact, the most thorough way to remove sodium from soft water—along with a host of other contaminants such as chlorine and lead—is to install a reverse osmosis drinking water system to work alongside your water softener. These systems, like the Brita Total360 Reverse Osmosis (RO) System, use a thorough, 3-stage reverse osmosis filtration process that includes a pre-filter, a post-filter and a semipermeable membrane. This membrane is where the magic happens, as it is specifically designed to remove concentrated substances—like salt—and leaves only clean, healthy drinking water for you to enjoy. In short, reverse osmosis systems remove 95%+ of all common contaminants in water, including sodium.

A win-win solution

When you do the math, water softeners add a very small amount of sodium to your diet. And if you add a reverse osmosis system to remove salt, you will have the most thorough, healthy water treatment solution for your home. You’ll get to enjoy the many benefits of soft water such as preventing damaging scale buildup in your pipes and appliances, using less energy, lotions and soaps, which will save money throughout your home. And perhaps more importantly, you will enjoy the safety and security of having clean, healthy, sodium-free drinking water for you and your family.

Ready to learn more? Explore the Brita Total360 Reverse Osmosis (RO) System on EcoPureHome.

Unsure of your home’s water quality? Contact a local EcoWater expert to get a free water analysis.

The post Myth: Water softeners make your water salty appeared first on HomeWater 101.

A water softener must use a lot of energy

Just because you add another electricity-using appliance to the home doesn’t mean it’s going to be an energy drain. In fact, a water softener doesn’t use as much energy as you might expect. The energy required to run a water softener over the course of one year is the same as what an alarm clock uses in a year, which is about 70 kWh, or less than $10 per year based on US average energy rates (and without that annoying beep). Most new softeners regenerate only when you need them to, so water and energy use are optimized. For an average family of four, the water softener runs fewer than five times a month.

Saving energy through soft water

A water softener is well worth the initial investment because it instantly starts improving the quality of water, saving you money across multiple areas of the home. Because a water softener prevents scale buildup in your home’s pipes, in major appliances and on faucets, it increases their longevity and operational efficiency. In fact, appliances could last 30% to 50% longer when they use soft water. Since the presence of excess scale buildup results in heat loss, it’s twice as hard to get your water hot and plumbed to where it needs to be. With soft water, your water heater doesn’t have to work as hard, saving you up to 27% on energy costs in a single year.¹

How you save more money (and your home)

Aside from energy savings, soft water helps protect the home’s plumbing. If you think about it, pipes are essentially the veins and arteries of the home, and appliances are the major organs. If the arteries are clogged and dirty, then the organs will fail. Over time, hard water minerals accumulate on the insides of pipes, eventually cutting off the water supply. If damaged badly enough, the only solution is to replace your home’s entire plumbing system, and that could cost thousands of dollars. Subsequently, hard water will also cause buildup inside your appliances and clog the valves, which can lead to leaks, costly repairs and premature replacement costs.   The replacement costs of appliances due to hard water corrosion ranges from $400 to $1,500 for a washer and $300 to $800 for a water heater. The addition of a water softener to your home helps you avoid these costly problems.

If not now, when?

With only a minimal uptick in energy use and the ability to save thousands of dollars over the course of its lifespan, a water softener is an ideal solution to have in the home. After purchasing a softener, you’ll see savings across your entire home, and the system will pay for itself in about a year.

Unsure where to begin? Start by requesting a free hard water test strip to learn your water’s hardness number, and then use this easy step-by-step tool to receive a recommendation for the right water softener for you or visit our preferred retailer, EcoPureHome, for your water softening needs.

¹ Based on research conducted by the Battelle Memorial Institute for the Water Quality Association (WQA).

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Despite having unruly water that causes problems all over the home—thanks, calcium and magnesium—some people are a little uncertain about purchasing a water softener. In fact, only an estimated 30% of Americans living with hard water have a water softener. The primary reason? Many believe that a water softening system costs much more than it’s worth. In fact, the opposite is true. Water softeners help you solve many common water-related problems around the home and they save you money.

Doesn’t a softener require a lot of energy?

A water softener doesn’t use as much energy and salt as you might expect. The total energy required to run a water softener over the course of one year is the same as an alarm clock uses in a year. And because most new softeners regenerate only when you need them to, water and energy use are optimized. For an average family of four, the water softener runs less than five times a month.

As for the salt, most families use fewer than 10 bags of salt over the course of a year to get the soft water they want. Newer water softener models are highly efficient, using much less salt than their predecessors.

Does soft water really make a difference?

The short answer? Yes. Soft water makes a huge difference when it comes to the longevity and performance of your appliances. Using soft water with your everyday appliances helps reduce wear and tear on them. Because a water softener prevents scale build-up in the pipes and on faucets, it increases their longevity and working power. Because your hot water heater doesn’t have to work as hard, you could save up to 27% on energy in just one year. Plus, water-using appliances last up to 30% to 50% longer when used with soft water, so you won’t have to replace pricey water heaters, dishwashers and washing machines as often.

Another bonus of using soft water? Better cleaning power. Soaps lather better and other cleaners are more effective, so you can use less and get cleaner results. Not to mention, you’ll spend up to 40% less time on tasks such as washing dishes and cleaning the bathroom.

Soften water for saved time and money

With a newer, more efficient water softener, you’ll see how it will pay for itself. You’ll use less of your cleaning products and enjoy longer-lasting appliances and lower energy bills. To find the best water softening solution for your home, visit EcoPureHome.

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