There are several different types of salt available for your water softener. You will normally need to use a certain type depending on the water softener that you have. The most important thing to remember when you are choosing a salt for your softening system is to follow the instructions of your manufacturer and the advice of your system expert (that's us!).
Block salt comes in 4kg 'bricks' and, although more expensive than tablets, lasts for longer between refills. Most of the compact, domestic, non electric water softeners (such as the Minimax M3 and the Kinetico Premier Compact) will use this type of salt. The new Minimax Innova water softener also uses block salt but this is in a smaller curved design. This salt has been designed for maximum efficiency and is also easier to handle due to being smaller and lighter than standard block salt.
Water softener salt tablets are very common and are used in a variety of systems, including the domestic electric ranges (such as the Ecowater water softeners) and the larger commercial machines. These small pellets are sold in sacks in 10kg and 25kg sizes. They can be easier to manage than the block salts if heavy lifting is a problem as they can be added to the water softener a scoop at a time.
Additional salt in our diet is not always recommended but it is important to remember that softener salt is used to regenerate resin beads and only added to softened water in tiny amounts. Some people, for example those with hypertension and tiny babies, need to be very careful about the amount of salt they consume but there are ways of dealing with this without sacrificing your softening system. We always fit a seperate filtered drinking water system as standard so that you have the choice of which water to drink.
Water softener salt is safe for pets and as long as you use it according to manufacturer’s instructions. It is not however a safe alternative to table salt and shouldn’t be used for eating or cooking. There are a few types of fish that might have an adverse reaction to softened water so we recommend asking your local aquatic specialist for advice. Salt for the water softener should always be stored safely out of the reach of any pets or children.
Dishwashers that use softened water will produce cleaner, more sparkling dishes and avoid damage from unhelpful mineral deposits. Some dishwashers have their own built in water softener, which requires dishwasher salt. Although in theory you could use softener salt in your dishwasher, you won’t need to because your system will have already softened the water before it enters the dishwasher.
As long as it is stored in a dry place, water softener salt should last for a long time. If you find a hard crust or a thick sludge inside your brine tank, you need to deal with it as soon as possible as it can be a sign of salt bridging, which is effectively a salt barrier that prevents salt and water mixing in the tank. If you suspect that this may be an issue, please contact us and our engineers will be able to help you with advice about how to deal with and avoid salt bridging.
We are proud to be the cheapest online salt delivery service across Kent and stock a variety of salt including both Kinetico and Harvey tablet salt as well as different sizes bags of tablet salt. You can order online or over the phone - just pay a visit to our salt shop for more details.
If you have any further questions regarding water softener salt, please drop us a line!
