This should be much higher in the search results for water softeners. Best & most concise explanation so I've found. Thanks!

Best explanation ever! I've been researching the two different systems for about a week and I still was semi confused. This perfectly explains it! Thank you.

By far this is the best and the simplest yet the most detailed and precise definition explanation on the web

Thank you very much for giving a clear description of both systems.

Thank you so much. Finally I understood what is best. Great help

Thank you. You answered all my questions

Wonderfully presented concise information. Thank you.

Im from india. And ur info really helped a lot after i was searching for this everywhere. Thanks

concise and informative thanks!

Excellently explained, flawless speaking

Excellent and to the point!

Very informative information. Thank you, ma'am.

great presentation, thank you!

For people concerned with heart health, either preventative or due to an existing condition like high blood pressure/hypertension, a water softener adds sodium to your diet if you drink or cook with it. Seems obvious but many people might not consider it. If that is a concern and you still want a water softener, you can either use an alternative source for drinking/cooking water or treat the water at the sink to remove the sodium.

@mularys

2 жыл бұрын

Hard to believe there is no thumbs up on this comment previously. You bring a good point here and I was recommended to add a reverse osmosis filter under the sink to filter out the extra sodium.

@stephenlongere1140

2 жыл бұрын

With a water softener, there is more salt in a slice of bread than in the water that has been treated ! There is a COMPLETE miscomseption regarding this !

@johnmininger7472

2 жыл бұрын

​@@stephenlongere1140 - There are 12mg per cup of treated water. That is a very small amount and it isn't an issue for most people but there are people who due to health issues are severely sodium restricted (including me for stretches). If you drink a gallon of water a day, that is close to 200mg of salt. Again, that doesn't sound like a lot but it is when you are already having a difficult time creating a diet that falls under your sodium limit and you are counting on water to be a freebie. A slice of bread? On a restricted sodium diet, one piece of toast was my limit for a day. To put it in perspective, a quarter pounder with cheese meal at McDonalds has roughly the same amount of sodium as the daily limit of a restricted sodium diet.

@dannelson8556

Жыл бұрын

@@johnmininger7472 someone doesn't understand the difference between sodium and salt.

@johnmininger7472

Жыл бұрын

@Dan Nelson - I'm not sure there is a reason to point out the distinction. Without the sodium, it isn't salt, it's chlorine.

This is the best video about water softeners. It gives all the information directly in 3 minutes without repeating

I've had my Limeblaster filter system since 2017. Since that time I've order replacement filters twice. One time the filter had a blue plastic cap around the filter element, the second time it had a lime green plastic cap? Which one is correct for my hard water issues?

shouldn't RO be on this short list of options to be discussed here? Also, is there some synergy between the three options?

Great video. Bottom line: With a water "conditioner", you'll still have spots. (Car detailer here, all I care about is spot free rinse water, laughs.)

For me, the slick feeling goes away after drying. Then just feel good and not feeling like my skin is dry. 👍

I had to replace my water heater that did not have a water softner and it blew a hole in the water heater. It cost us $2300 and the warranty had already expired. It was only 8 years old. So lesson learned I need a water softer

Good day Which product is effective to install for a high water hardness with PPM exceed 1500, can it reduce it to 50 PPM? Thx for you care

Also, another major con is the added salt to the environment. Either directly to the ground or to the city water treatment centers that do not have the means to desalinate the water, depending on your municipal drainage.

Thanks for the nice explanation. Both systems avoid scale buildup which is very important. The information which I'm not able to get from any of such review videos is about the health pros/cons of both the systems. I'm holding onto buying either of the systems because I'm still looking for the answers to the following questions. Could you please help? 1. Does Softener adds very little amount of salt to the home water? Is this good for health? 2. Conditioner keeps all the minerals within the home water. Is this good for health? 2. I read in manuals that Softener are not good for the in-house water Filtration systems and water Heaters. Is this true? or which one is better for the specified appliances?

@uswatersystems

4 жыл бұрын

1. Soft water does add sodium to the water but health professionals still consider drinking soft water a "low sodium beverage" so in almost every case I would consider it safe. But, if you do have high blood pressure and are concerned then I would just go with a conditioner. Through, my preferred solution in adding a reverse osmosis system to any home so you can get the best of both worlds - soft water and purified drinking water. 2. It's fine for your health as long as the source water is. Again, a reverse osmosis system will give you peace of mind. But if your water is good to begin with then one isn't needed. Check you city's water report online or get a water test done if you are on well water. 3. No, that is not true. Thanks for the questions.

@xokissmekatexo

3 жыл бұрын

@@uswatersystems What about "skin?" We are on the fence about which system to purchase (conditioner vs softener). We live in Saint George UT, on City Water, high calcium and magnesium content.

@uswatersystems

3 жыл бұрын

@@xokissmekatexo Soft water from a water softener is definitely less harsh on your skin.

If the water conditioner still leaves water spots on dishes and film on skin and hair, what's the point?

Water softeners can still leave white spots but is much easier to clean then mineral spots.

Hi, we are thinking of adding a whole filtration to our home. However there are so many variants of these. How does Citric Acid Water Filters compare to your products? Thanks for the great videos.

@uswatersystems

3 жыл бұрын

Not a fan of Citric Acid Filters. They need to be changed annually which gets expensive plus they can corrode your pipes (depending on your plumbing type) which is exactly what you don't want from a water softener. I would recommend doing your own research though as I don't want to seem bias, but I would recommend a water softener/conditioner if you have hard water. Thanks for the question.

@Byrkster

3 жыл бұрын

@@uswatersystems Thank you for your reply.. Guess its back to do more research...

We have a water softener that we’ve had since 2022. We still have orange ring around the tub and grout. The water doesn’t feel soft and my hair is dry and brittle. Also, you can see the salt in the kitchen faucet water. And sometimes there is a cloudy film in the water. We use salt pellets and replace with three bags every 2-3 months as needed. Can you tell me what the problem could be if we are having all these issues even with a water softener??

@uswatersystems

3 ай бұрын

An orange ring sounds like you could have high iron in your water. Are you on well water by any chance?

What works best for water taste, will cleaning my clothes, and best for my hair? I don’t want a system that either strips my hair or leaves chemical build-up. Same with oaundry - I want a system that cleans the clothes without leaving residue. Thank you.

@ewdtrey

3 жыл бұрын

True softener is better for all that.

What's your opinion from kinetoco? Ty. From Tampa

@uswatersystems

3 жыл бұрын

Don't want to disparage a competitor. I'm sure you can find a good system from them. If not, we would be more than happy to help you ;)

We have terrible yellow and hard water stains in our shower/bathroom. Will a water conditioner help deal with that?

@uswatersystems

2 жыл бұрын

With the hard water stains yes. I'm not sure about the yellow stains you mention though. That could be from something else like Tannin if you are on well water. You may want to have a water test done before you purchase a treatment system to see exactly what's in your water.

It should be noted that there are several different types of anti-scale medias that form the basis of a water conditioner, some much better than others. And reputable water treatment companies will only install salt free conditioners that are integrated with one or two additional filter medias that will also remove chloramines, heavy metals, VOC's etc. When combined like this, a good salt free water conditioner will provide many similar benefits to a water softener, plus many additional benefits that a water softener will not.

@pauld3327

Жыл бұрын

Which salt free water conditioner do you recommend ?

@Rotaris1

Жыл бұрын

Examples of water/best suited

how about skin dryness. Can a conditioner fix that too?

@uswatersystems

3 жыл бұрын

The water will still be hard with a conditioner so if your skin is sensitive it may still irritate it.

I have a ‘laundry to landscape’ setup taking washing machine drain water (when unchlorinated) out to a subsurface mulch bed around my trees. Does the poly phosphate used in a water conditioner have any effects (positive or negative) on plants?

@ewdtrey

3 жыл бұрын

It does eventually hurt or even kill your plants.

@Salamcr

2 жыл бұрын

Hi if it's killing trees, why can't kill human

Thanks for watching! Here's a link to the Ask the Water Doctor blog: www.uswatersystems.com/blog

Can I have both a water softner and conditioner set up to address our hard spring water that leaves scaling?

@uswatersystems

3 жыл бұрын

There really isn't a need for both. It should be either one or the other.

@chesshooligan1282

3 жыл бұрын

Once the minerals have been taken out, what do you want to condition, the H2O?

IF that is anything like those Beotron Lifesource things, they basically are water filters and do nothing to soften water. My plumber took one apart and it was sand and carbon granules. Just get a simply salt based unit.

Water contains some necessary minerals that are good for the body. If a true softener does more removal, will it leave the water that contains less minerals and thus not good for the body? I know there is trade-off, but just wanted to see if that's one of the concerns on the cons side for the softener.

@kj4362

2 жыл бұрын

Do you have credible sources for that? “Necessary minerals that are good for the body”. If not, then I believe that is neither here nor there. Bottom line, the benefits on the body and your plumbing system out weigh the latter. If you’re concerned about necessary minerals then consider a multivitamin.

@mularys

2 жыл бұрын

@@kj4362 if you don't believe common sense, no one will stop you

@kj4362

2 жыл бұрын

@@mularys didn’t mean to strike an emotional nerve. I’d like to see credible sources for “necessary minerals in water.” That goes in the same bucket as using lemon peels to freshen up your disposal, or using ice cubes to sharpen the blades. Live in a fairytale or reality. I guess it’s up to you.

@philz6164

Жыл бұрын

You should aim to get your necessary minerals from your diet, not your water. Even a bad diet should get you the minerals you need unless you eat only snacks. Don't make your water be a protein shake, a carb shake, a mineral shake.... just let your water be water.

Correct me if I’m wrong... if I have a “water softener” I would have to somehow bypass my outdoor spigots because the salt in the water will harm my lawn and other outdoor plants.

@uswatersystems

3 жыл бұрын

Correct. Most softeners should have a bypass on their valves you can turn on and off for this very reason.

@US Water Systems would a water conditioner eliminate calcium deposits in my tea kettle or can only a softener do this?

@uswatersystems

2 жыл бұрын

It will reduce them. Only a water softener will remove them completely though since the calcium is actually being removed from the water.

@mel1654

2 жыл бұрын

@@uswatersystems Thanks! And you can still have dry hair & skin with the conditioner since only the softener is taking the calcium out. Is this correct?

@uswatersystems

2 жыл бұрын

@@mel1654 Correct. A salt free system will only have marginal improvements for your hair and skin if any at all.

The "conditioner" does NOT stop hard water deposits from forming on your appliances, shower heads, coffee maker etc.

@RJWaynerium

5 ай бұрын

Which is what she said lol

If you like cleaning your tub every week or 2 from hardwater build up than get a water conditioner got it thanks

If Water conditioners does not solve the hardness problem like ca-mg stains or less soap lather, then whats its use? I want to understand please.

@uswatersystems

8 ай бұрын

It will prevent scale build-up in your plumbing.

Will water conditioner still leave calcium residue in your showerhead?

@uswatersystems

3 жыл бұрын

It will reduce the residue greatly. Since it's not technically soft water you may still see some residue but like I said, it will be far less than what you noticed before.

Late comer to the video. Great explanation but I'm curious how each of these systems effects septic system efficiency? I would think that adding salt to the water would be harmful to the bacteria in the septic tank.

@Cynthia_Cantrell

2 жыл бұрын

I've had water softeners at my house for 30 years. So far I have never had a problem with my septic tank.

@jerrygilliam7349

2 жыл бұрын

@@Cynthia_Cantrell Thanks for your input.

@Cynthia_Cantrell

2 жыл бұрын

@@jerrygilliam7349 No problem - enjoy some soft water! A few helpful hints I've learned the hard way over the years... 1. Avoid the cheap crystal salt, and get the (usually a bit more expensive) pellet salt instead - the crystals have a lot of dirt in them that gets sucked up into the bead tank. 2. Only fill the salt bin about half way or a bit less, otherwise you get "salt bridges" where the water dissolves all the salt in the bottom of the tank, leaving a bridge with all of the rest of the salt stuck on top of it. You'll know there's a problem because you have hard water again leaving white deposits on all your fixtures and dishes. You then have to go down with a stick, open up the salt bin, and pound on the salt until you break the bridge. 3. I've tried at least 3 different brands of softener over the years. The one that has worked the most reliably with the least maintenance for me is the Whirlpool brand. 4. If you get your water from a well, chances are you need a sediment filter BEFORE the softener. If you don't have one, the softener becomes a very expensive filter! It may be fine for a few years, but trust me, you'd much rather replace an $8 cartridge filter every few months than a $700 softener every few years!

@eliovi

2 жыл бұрын

@@Cynthia_Cantrell Hi Cynthia, are you draining the "Backwash water" (waste water) from your water softener into your septic tank?

@Cynthia_Cantrell

2 жыл бұрын

@@eliovi Yes. I've been doing it since 1990 - and the previous owners did it for years before that.

Can you use both? Would that be the best of both worlds?

@uswatersystems

10 күн бұрын

That honestly would be redundant and a waste of money. I would recommend either one or the other.

Question How much water is used in the regeneration Process.

@dginta7932

2 жыл бұрын

Roughly 150 gallons.

So, the ideal solution is to install both systems in the house?

@uswatersystems

3 жыл бұрын

No, it's either one or the other based on your preference. There really isn't a benefit to have both.

Is water softener good for ECZEMA ?

@ewdtrey

3 жыл бұрын

Yes

@MericaBack2backWWChampions

3 жыл бұрын

Yes

Do you know anything about using magnets instead of softener or conditioner?

@Cynthia_Cantrell

2 жыл бұрын

Magnets aren't going to do anything to your water.

@boleslawkozlowski2052

2 жыл бұрын

@@Cynthia_Cantrell Thank you

Please clear water conditioners prevent water scaling on faucets.

@RJWaynerium

5 ай бұрын

No they don't.

She is beautiful...isnt she..?

i dont like the salt

So you can soften water without salt. Reverse Osmosis will give you soft water and of course their is deionizing systems. Now granted, I understand what she meant, but saying you can't get soft water without salt is not accurate. Also, the term "Conditioner" is a catch all term for anything that treats the water. A water softener is also a water conditioner. I realize again, for the purposes of comparing salt-free with softener is why she uses the "conditioner" term for the salt-free, but again it's not entirely accurate. The accurate thing is that no salt-free system like she describes should say that it is a softener, that is a flat our lie as she explained and I would avoid giving my money to any product that claims to be a softener when it is not.