Water Conditioner vs Water Softener | Benefits and Disadvantages

Have you ever noticed why there are occasional water stains in the sink of the house or it could be even in your dishes and kitchen utensils? Have you ever asked yourself why it is?

If you don’t know, it is usually due to the presence of various substances in the water that we usually call hard water.

One study found that about 87% of homes in the United States contain this hard water. Although we use it in our daily work almost without any problem since it presence most of the time is minimal. However, its magnitude can slowly destroy the pipes in your home and their long-term capacity.

This is where a good quality water softener and water conditioner is needed. Although there are many people who try to combine these two things if they are not the same. Several differences are noticeable in their work and it is also observed in their work, nature and end result.

Difference Between Water Conditioner vs Water Softener

Many people think that a water softener and a water conditioner are the same, but they are not the same.

Along with their names, the nature, type and end of their work are almost completely different. From the following two paragraphs you will get an rough idea of what these are and the differences between them.

What is a Water Conditioner?

The primary function of a good quality water conditioner is to remove various harmful chemicals and substances from the water. These harmful chemicals include chlorine, chloramine and volatile organic compounds, abbreviated as VOCs.

In addition, if the amount of lead in the water is a little higher, it also helps to remove the lead.

If you have an aquarium in your home, its water must be thoroughly cleaned with water conditioner before use. These devices contain a substance called sodium thiosulfate, which largely removes chlorine from water.

What is a Water Softener?

Water softening system is the release of various substances from water such as magnesium, calcium and other harmful substances. This type of substance remains present in hard water which cannot be removed even with water conditioner. In this case, a good quality water softener is a proven and easy solution in this case

The way a water softener works is called ‘ionic exchange’. It removes calcium and magnesium from the water and is replaced by iodine or potassium ions.

Nowadays it can be largely eliminated with the help of nanofiltration and reverse osmosis membranes. Although these are not as perfect as a good quality water softener.

Let’s take a look at its various advantages, differences as well as some drawbacks from below:

Benefits of Water Conditioner

Although the benefits of water conditioner may be slightly different due to differences in work, model, etc. In addition, their performance is more or less due to its size, model and price as well.

Some water conditioner companies claim that their product works like a softener although the issue is controversial. Moreover, due to the different nature of their work, this claim is not entirely justifiable.

Let’s take a look at some of the benefits of conditioner

• Water conditioners usually remove chlorine from the water. If you have high levels of chlorine in your home water, you may want to install a device like this.
• This system does not require the use of any chemicals. It also does not add any organic substances of the water to any alter or anything else.
• This type of device is quite easy to maintain and does not require much expense after installation.
• This device does not consume any extra water and does not have to use any materials separately, so its disposal cost is absolutely negligible.
• Bitter taste and odor are usually caused by the presence of various bacteria in most water. This device removes pungent odors and odors through carbon filtering and uses water for eating, cooking and daily activities.

Disadvantages of Water Conditioner

• It cannot remove substances like calcium and magnesium from water.
• It generally cannot make water slippery.

Benefits of Water Softener and Soft Water

Have you ever noticed why water stains in your home stay in the sink or in your dishes? It happens because of hard water. In this case, a good quality water softener is needed.

Let’s know some more benefits of using it

• The water purified by it does not leave any stains on the basin or dishes of your home. Hard water also damages the water pipes in your home, making it unusable over time. The water made by this device also protects it from corrosion.
• One healthy normal adult needs to consume about 2400 mg of sodium per day. This device removes harmful calcium and magnesium from your water and adds sodium to it which can meet some of our daily needs.
• Using this, water requires very little soap and detergent.
• Hard water makes various clothes unsuitable for wearing very quickly, especially white clothes. This is why it is often seen that white cloth has a light yellow impression which is due to this hard water.
• It softens the hair and your skin and also protects it from roughness.
• Soft water plays a very effective role in increasing the level of metabolism inside your body.

Disadvantages of Water Softener

• It usually costs a little more to maintain.
• To use this device, some chemicals need to be used separately from the outside. That is why it costs a lot here.
• Many do not like to use the water made by it because it is a little slippery.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much can a good quality water softener be?

The price of a good softener can depend on many things. The price depends on a number of factors such as model, size, how much water will be purified, etc.

Roughly it usually costs from 500 dollars to 6000 dollars and this device can be used seamlessly for about 15-20 years.

After how long should I change the salt in the soft water machine?

It depends on how much water you are using or simply how much you are using the device. The best way is to check the amount and level of salt at least once a month. If you see that the amount has decreased, then you must take action accordingly and increase the salt level.

Final Thoughts

Just as many people mix these two devices together, it is difficult to say which one is better as well. Water conditioners and water softeners work differently while maintaining their own individuality.

In addition, many people get into a lot of trouble and confusion about what to buy. But it depends on what kind of water you want. So if you want, you can install both types of devices in your home depending on your choice and water quality.

If you are thinking about water quality, you can use a good conditioner. Otherwise, if you want to drink mineral and light soft water and use it in your daily work, then softener can be a good option for you.

Hopefully after reading this you got a fairly detailed idea on the difference between water softener and water conditioner and the nature of their work.

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