You may have heard about magnetic water conditioners and wondered if they were a viable alternative to having a water softener. Whilst a magnetic water conditioner can certainly look like the lower cost and maintenance option, there are quite a few areas where they will fall short. Read on to find out more about water softeners vs magnetic water conditions and why the former is always the better choice to make.
As you will be aware from reading our previous blogs, hard water is water that contains high levels of magnesium and calcium minerals which form limescale when they come into contact with heat. A magnetic water softener uses electromagnetic coils to separate the magnesium and calcium particles from the water. This can only happen when the water comes within the reach of the magnets. Unlike a water softener, magnetic water softeners do not use salt to soften your water.
Magnetic water softeners don’t actually remove minerals from your water. Instead, they alter the chemical composition of the water to prevent scaling. The hard water passes through a filter which has magnetic coils imbedded in the sides. These coils produce a powerful magnetic field which will pull or alter the mineral ions found in your water before it enters your home's plumbing system. The water must pass within range of the magnetic coils otherwise nothing will happen.
Magnetic water softeners are a low-maintenance option to help soften your water and high quality systems can last up to 40 years. Due to the way they work, they also don't need salt to be added and are generally less expensive than a water softener.
There are many reasons however why a water softener is always the better option over a magnetic water conditioner. Unlike a water softener which has proven scientific evidence to back it up, there is actually little scientific evidence to suggest that magnetic water softeners are effective at softening water. A magnetic water conditioner will not offer any where near the same rate of efficiency as a water softener. As already mentioned above, the water must pass within range of the magnetic coils embedded in the sides of the filter to be softened by a magnetic water conditioner. With a water softener, all of the water passing through the water softener will be softened and in a dual tank design, you won't even have a short period of hard water when the resin beads are being regenerated. In very hard water areas a magnetic water softener will just not be sufficient to handle the levels of the magnesium and calcium ions. While they do prevent some scaling, magnetic water softeners won’t help prevent scaling in places where water sits for more than 48 hours, including your hot water heater. Of course price and maintenance will always be the argument against a water softener but this too is not necessarily a valid point. Water softeners are also very low maintenance appliances only needing to be kept topped up with salt and have the occasional service. The average family will only use around one pack of block salt a month which, at a little over £5 a bag, is still very cheap. Plus, the efficiency of a water softener also means that the average family can save around £600 per year on their energy and shopping bills. Cost savings which really do stack up pretty well against the initial cost. We also have a water softener to suit all budgets so they can be more affordable than you think.
Get in touch to arange your free, no obligation home survey to find out more about water softeners Vs magnetic water conditioners and make the right choice!
