The GUIDE for

Water Softening
North American Salt Company knows salt. As a premier salt
producer, we operate the worlds largest salt mine in Ontario, Canada.
Our salt is used in thousands of products across multiple industries
around the globe that help enhance the quality of end-use goods and,
ultimately, the quality of living.
We are especially proud of our complete line of quality water
softener salt products and the important roles they play in helping
make peoples water purer and lives healthier:
SureSoft
Natural Salt
Natures Own
Your success is important to us. North American Salt Company is
committed to serving you one-on-one to hear feedback, answer
questions, solve problems, and provide the best services in the
industry. From our coast-to-coast sales network, on-line ordering
capabilities and toll free customer service hotline, our professional
and knowledgeable staff is ready to help you in any way it can. In
fact, that is the whole purpose behind this comprehensive water
softening guide.
Bottom line? Think of us as your efficient, economical, and reliable
salt partner. Call us today at 1-800-755-SALT.

Toll Free: 800-755-7258

www.nasalt.com

Terms in bold can be found in the glossary

WHAT ARE THE NEGATIVE EFFECTS OF

HARD WATER?
While not a health risk, the presence of calcium and
magnesium makes it harder for soap and detergent to
dissolve in water. And that can mean:
newly washed clothes look dingy & feel scratchy
washed clothes wear out up to 15% faster
skin has a filmy residue after bathing
extra shampoo is needed to get hair clean
soap scum rings on bathroom fixtures

WHAT IS HARD WATER?

Hard water is water that contains more dissolved
minerals than ordinary water. The most common of these
minerals, which results naturally from exposure to rocks and
sediment, are calcium and magnesium.
Because these are the minerals that cause hard water, the
more calcium and magnesium in the water, the harder
the water. Fortunately, the solution is as simple as using a
water softener.

extra detergent is needed to get dishes clean

If any of this is happening, a test for water hardness is
highly recommended.
Hard water can also clog pipes and form water-impeding
scale deposits in plumbing fixtures, hot water heaters and
boilers. This can show up in the form of higher costs from
increased energy and water usage, as well as additional
maintenance charges. Hard water can also shorten
equipment life including washing machines that can wear
out up to 30% faster than normal.

WHERE ARE THE SOFTEST AND HARDEST

WATERS IN THE U.S.?

SLIGHTLY HARD WATER

(1 - 3.5 grains per gallon)*

MODERATELY HARD WATER

( 3.5 - 7 grains per gallon)

HARD WATER

(7 - 10.5 grains per gallon)

VERY HARD WATER

(10.5+ grains per gallon)

Grains of hardness are expressed as calcium carbonate.

*One grain is equal to 17.1 parts per million.

Source: Salt Institute

85% of the homes in the United States

have some level of hard water.

HOW DO YOU TEST FOR HARD WATER?

There are a variety of ways to test for hard water. One of
the simplest and least expensive is a water hardness test
strip. When tested this way, the grains of hardness per
gallon can be measured, which in turn establishes the level
of hardness in water. For example:
Slightly hard water:

1.0-3.5 grains/gal

Moderately hard water:

3.5-7.0 grains/gal

Hard water:

7.0-10.5 grains/gal

Very hard water:

10.5 & over grains/gal

your water. This alternate method is not recommended for

whole house water softening as reverse osmosis can waste
one gallon of water for every one gallon it softens.

HOW DOES A WATER SOFTENER WORK?

Plumbed into a homes water supply, a water softener is a
mechanical appliance that includes a resin tank filled with
a softening bed of resin beads and a brine tank that holds
a salt solution. Water softeners are available in side-by-side
and cabinet styles.
HARD WATER
INTO
SOFTENER

WHAT IS THE BEST WAY TO SOFTEN

HARD WATER?
Because dissolved calcium and magnesium are the causes
of hard water, it is essential to treat water in a way that
effectively removes these dissolved minerals from the water.

BYPASS
VALVE
SOFT-WATER
OUTLET

HARD WATER
CONTAINING CALCIUM & MAGNESIUM

ION EXCHANGE
RESIN WITH
SODIUM
ATTACHED
ION
EXCHANGE
RESIN
MAGNESIUM IONS
CALCIUM IONS
SODIUM IONS

BRINE
TANK

SALT STORAGE
CONTAINER
ION
EXCHANGE
RESIN
TANK

PLASTIC
BEADS

SALT

BRINE
SOLUTION

In a process known as an ion (or cation) exchange, the

positively charged calcium and magnesium ions in the hard
water pass through the resin bed and exchange places with
positively charged sodium ions that are attached to the
active sites on the beads. The result is that the water is now
softened.

WATER SOFTENING PROCESS

SOFTENED WATER CONTAINING SODIUM

SOFTENER
CONTROL
UNIT

RESIN
TANK

The best way to remove dissolved calcium and magnesium

from your water is by using a water softener.
An alternative to a water softener is a type of water
purifier called a reverse osmosis system. A reverse
osmosis system uses a semipermeable membrane that acts
as a filter, allowing water to pass through and trapping the
calcium and magnesium, removing these minerals from

OUTSIDE USES
AND KITCHEN SINK

As the resins attract more and more calcium and

magnesium minerals, the active sites decrease and their
ability to soften the water is lessened. At this point, the
softener needs to be regenerated. This means that the
calcium and magnesium minerals need to be flushed
from the resin tank and the beads active sites need to be
replenished with new sodium or potassium ions from the
brine tank.

All this takes place in what is called a

3-phase regenerating cycle:
1. Backwash: The water flow is reversed
to flush collected debris out of the resin
tank.
2. Brining: The sodium or potassium
solution from the brine tank displaces
the calcium and magnesium from the
resin beads active sites, recharges
the resin with sodium or potassium,
and then flushes the calcium and
magnesium down the drain.

WATER SOFTENER RECYCLING

TO
HOUSE

WATER
SUPPLY

DRAIN

MINERAL
TANK

BRINE
TANK

1. BACKWASH

3. Rinse: The resin tank is rinsed with

fresh water and the brine tank is reloaded to begin the
process again.

WHY IS IT IMPORTANT THAT A WATER

SOFTENER REMOVES RADIUM
FROM WATER?
Radium is a naturally-occurring radioactive element
present in varying amounts in rocks and soil within the
earths crust. As groundwater comes in contact with these
rocks and soil, it can pick up high amounts of radium.
Consumed in high doses, radium can cause lymphoma,
bone cancer, and diseases that affect the formation of
blood such as leukemia and asplastic anemia. The National
Academy of Sciences has concluded that long-term
exposure to elevated levels of radium in drinking water does
indeed pose a higher risk of bone cancer for the people
exposed.
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency estimates
that long-term consumption of water containing five pCi/l
radium will cause 44 added cancer deaths for every one
million people exposed. The risk doubles to 88 per million
at 10 pCi/l, triples to 132 at 15 pCi/l, etc.

2. BRINING

3. RINSE

WHY IS IT IMPORTANT THAT A WATER

SOFTENER REMOVES BARIUM
FROM WATER?
Barium is a lustrous metal that exists in nature in ores
containing a mixture of elements.
In water, the more toxic soluble barium salts are likely to be
converted to insoluble salts, which precipitate. Barium does
not bind to most soils and may migrate to groundwater.
In the past, numerous industries regularly released barium
into soil and water. Some examples of this included the
discharge and disposal of drilling wastes, the smelting of
copper, and the manufacture of motor vehicle parts and
accessories.
At high levels in well water used for drinking, barium has
the potential to cause various physical conditions. In the
short term, barium can cause gastrointestinal disturbances
and muscular weakness. In the long term, barium
consumed can result in high blood pressure.
The ion exchange process found in water softeners is a
very effective way of removing up to 99.5% of barium from
drinking water.

An inexpensive way to remove up to 90% of radium from

water is with the ion exchange process in a water softener.

WHAT ARE THE ADVANTAGES OF A

WATER SOFTENER?
The advantages of using a water softener can be seen and
felt in many positive ways:
newly washed clothes look cleaner, feel softer, last longer
softer skin and cleaner feeling hair
no filmy residue after bathing
less shampoo needed to get hair clean
no soap scum rings on bathroom fixtures
no film build-up on glasses & dishes

Demand Initiated Regeneration (DIR): Mostly used in

commercial applications, these units handle all regeneration
operations automatically as the demand for softened water
dictates. The need for regeneration is determined by
measuring gallons of water used or a change in electrical
conductivity of the resin bed or by sensing a change in the
hardness of the water. Because regeneration is done only
when necessary, DIR units may require less salt and water.
These units often have two softening tanks and a brink
tank so that one tank can be recharging while the other is
softening.

no form scale deposits in plumbing fixtures, hot water

heaters & boilers

Off-Site Regeneration: With this rental type, the resin tank

is exchanged in the home and then recharged at a central
location.

decreased energy and water usage

Water softeners come in two different styles:

less detergent needed to get dishes clean

fewer maintenance charges and longer equipment life

WHAT ARE THE DIFFERENT TYPES AND

STYLES OF WATER SOFTENERS?
There are four basic types of water softeners:
Semi-automatic: With this type, the operator must
initiate only the regeneration cycle. Otherwise, all the
other functions including all the steps required to return
the system to service after regeneration are performed
automatically by the unit.
Automatic: This is the most popular kind because all
functions occur automatically, including regeneration. This
phase is usually done during periods of low water usage and
is triggered in one of three ways depending upon the unit:

Single cabinet style with all the workings inside and the
side-by-side version. Because the cabinet styles are usually
bulky and hard to move around, manufacturers suggest
using the highest purity salts with these. That way, the unit
can be expected to perform longer at peak efficiency and
require fewer cleanups.
Aside from type, style and price, another factor to consider
when choosing a water softener is the hardness removal
capacity of the unit. The smaller the units capacity, the
more often it must be regenerated. A households softening
needs will depend on how much water is used daily and the
hardness of the water.

Time-clock: Based on a time that the softener owner

program, regeneration occurs on a fixed schedule.
Water meter: Once a fixed amount of water has gone
through the softener, the regeneration process begins.
Sensor detector: The hardness of the water leaving the unit
is monitored and the softener is signaled to regenerate as
needed.

Cabinet Style

Side-by-Side Style

To help choose a unit with the appropriate hardness

removal capacity, a households daily hardness removal need
should be determined.
This simple formula should help:
Multiply the gallons of water a household uses daily by
the hardness of the water.
Example:

350 gallons of water used daily

X 20 grains per gallon hardness

= 7,000 grains of hardness must be removed daily

For example: A typical 17,000 grain water softener
would regenerate at 2/3 capacity or at 12,000 grains
or every two days.

WHAT KINDS OF SALT PRODUCTS CAN BE

USED WITH WATER SOFTENERS?
Water softener salts are made of either sodium chloride
or potassium chloride. Besides size and shape, salts can
differ in solubility (the ease at which they dissolve in
water) and purity (the amount of impurities accumulated
during the mining process).

FORMS OF SALT
Salt comes in several forms:
Blocks that can only be used in specially designed tanks.
For maximum brine formation, blocks must always be
submerged in water.
Cubes are about 3/8 thick and vary in width and length.
Pellets and Pellens are shaped like a cough drop and can
vary in thickness.
Extra Coarse Crystals resemble over-sized grains of table
salt.
Salts with Iron Fighting Additives help to fight rust and to
keep a tank cleaner. Acting as a scrubber for the resin bed,
these additives help limit the clogging of the resins, which
helps make them stay more effective longer.
Salts with Resin-Cleaning Additives can protect the resin
bed against deterioration caused by the accumulation of
iron and other insolubles, as well as oil and fatty deposits
plus other impurities found in local water supplies.

SODIUM CHLORIDE
There are three basic types of sodium chloride salts that can
be used with water softeners:
Rock Salts are obtained by the traditional mining of
underground salt deposits, rock salt is the most economical
choice for water softeners. Rock salt usually contains
much higher levels of impurities that eventually settle at
the bottom of the brine tank. Because of this high level of
insoluble matter, more time and energy must be devoted
to cleaning out the brine tank.
Solar Salts are obtained mainly through evaporation of
seawater or inland brine resources, solar salts are more
pure and have considerably less insoluble matter than rock
salt. Though most commonly sold in a crystal form, it is also
available in compressed pellets or blocks.
Evaporated Salts are obtained from underground deposits
with a solution-mining process, moisture is then evaporated
using natural gas or coal. Evaporated salts are the purest
and most water soluble of the three types. They are also
the most expensive. On the other hand, they are the most
convenient because they leave less sediment, which means
less softener cleaning. They are available in compacted
pellets, cubes and blocks.

POTASSIUM CHLORIDE
Potassium chloride and sodium chloride work equally
well in water softeners and possess the very same water
softening advantages. The main reason for choosing
potassium chloride is that it does not add sodium chloride
to softened water.
A secondary but still very important reason is that the added
potassium in the softened water can be helpful in meeting
the average daily requirement for potassium in the human
diet. According to the FDA, the recommended daily intake
of potassium is 3,500 mg. Because potassium is neither
produced nor stored in the body, meeting this amount
everyday can really be a challenge.
Why is potassium important for human health?
Potassium is an element that occurs naturally in the
earths crust. Present in certain fruits, vegetables and dairy
products, it is an essential dietary mineral that aids in the
normal health and functioning of our bodies including
blood pressure regulation, heart function and carbohydrate
metabolism. Not only does it help maintain the water and
acid balance in blood and tissue cells, it assists in muscle
building and transmits electrical signals between cells and
nerves.
A good source for potassium is water that has been softened
utilizing potassium chloride.

PURCHASE CONSIDERATIONS
What should be considered when choosing a
particular salt?
Some of the factors to be kept in mind when choosing a
specific type of water softener salt include:
requirements or recommendations by a particular water
softeners manufacturer
cost considerations relative to each salts specifications
cleanup frequency relative to a salts level of purity and
solubility
sodium chloride or potassium chloride
advantage of salts with additives
What health or environmental factors need to
be considered?
Though the amount of sodium added to water during the
softening process is related to the hardness of the water and
is usually minimal, people on a low or no-salt diet may want
to consult with their physician before choosing to install a
water softener.

Three ways to limit sodium

in the softening process
include:
1. Soften only hot water.
2. For drinking and
cooking purposes, bypass
the water softener with
a cold water line and
separate unsoftened
water faucet.
3. Use potassium chloride
in the brine tank instead
of sodium chloride.
This way, potassium
is exchanged with the
calcium and magnesium,
not sodium.
When using potassium
chloride, the amount of
potassium added is related
to the hardness of the water
and is usually minimal,
however people who have kidney, liver or adrenal diseases
should consult a physician because an increase in potassium
could cause serious heart and health problems. Unless
you have any of the aforementioned conditions it is almost
impossible to ingest too much potassium.
Reclaimed water from showers, sinks, and other sources
eventually ends up in municipal sewage systems, septic
tanks, groundwater and/or surface waters. Because of
this, it is important to consider what effect softened water
might have on the environment. Both sodium chloride and
potassium chloride brine discharge contains calcium and
magnesium. These minerals are actually plant nutrients,
which reduce damaging effects of reclaimed water.
Although potassium is a necessary plant nutrient, it is
only recommended to use water softened with potassium
chloride or sodium chloride every fourth time in your
watering cycle.
Also, as some fish are sensitive to potassium chloride,
consulting your veterinarian or local pet store is
recommended before using water softened with potassium
chloride or sodium chloride in your aquarium.

WATER SOFTENING GLOSSARY OF TERMS

BACKWASH: One of three steps involved in the water

softening regeneration process, this is when the water

flow is reversed to flush collected debris out of the resin
tank. The other two steps are brining and rinse.
BARIUM: Barium is a lustrous metal that exists in nature

in ores containing a mixture of elements. At high levels

in drinking water, barium has the potential to cause
gastrointestinal disturbances and muscular weakness in
the short term and high blood pressure in the long-term.
BRIDGING: This is what happens when salt sticks together

in the brine tank of a water softener, thereby limiting

its contact with the water and diminishing the water
softening process.
BRINE: A concentrated solution of salts (sodium chloride

or potassium chloride) that help replaces calcium and

magnesium ions during a water softeners ion exchange
process.
BRINE TANK: One of two tanks that make up a water

softener, this tank is filled with the salt solution. The

other tank is filled with resin.
BRINING: This is the process in the water softener where

the sodium or potassium solution from the brine tank

displaces the calcium and magnesium from the resin
beads. The resin is then recharged with sodium or
potassium ions and the calcium and magnesium is flushed
down the drain.
CALCIUM: One of two positively charged minerals that

are the main causes of hard water. The other mineral is

magnesium.
CATION (ION) EXCHANGE: The process by which positively

charged calcium and magnesium ions in the hard water

pass through the resin and exchange places with positively
charged sodium or potassium ions that are attached to the
beads. The result is that the water is now softened.
CYCLE: This includes all the steps involved in a water

softeners ion exchange process.

DEIONIZATION: Using ion exchange resins in a water

softener, this is the process by which ionized salts,

including calcium and magnesium, are removed from
water.

EVAPORATED SALTS: A type of salt used in water softeners

that is obtained by solution-mining underground-bedded

deposits of dissolving salt to form a brine whose moisture
is then evaporated using natural gas or coal. Evaporated
salts are the purest and most water soluble of the three
types. They are also the most expensive. On the other
hand, they are the most convenient because they leave
less sediment, which means less softener cleaning. They
are available in compacted pellets, sheeted salt or cubes,
and blocks.
FILTER: A device that cleans water before it reaches a

consumers water softener or supply lines. It helps

remove iron, silt, salt, odors, tastes and colors.
FILTRATION: With this process, water passes through a

porous filter to remove solids.

FLOW RATE: Expressed in gallons per minute per cubic foot

of resin, this is the amount of solution that goes through a

bed of resin within a certain time.
GRAINS OF HARDNESS: This is the measurement used in

expressing the hardness of water relative to the amount of

magnesium and calcium that is present. The more grains
of hardness in the water, the harder the water. One grain
equals 17.1 parts per million.
GROUND WATER: All water found in natural reservoirs

below the earths surface (aquifers).

HARDNESS: A condition of water that contains amounts of

dissolved calcium and magnesium.

HARD WATER: Water that contains more dissolved minerals

than ordinary water. The most common of these minerals,

which results naturally from exposure to rocks and
sediment, are calcium and magnesium. Because these are
the minerals that cause hard water, the more calcium and
magnesium in the water, the harder the water.
INSOLUBLE: The amount of a substance that cannot dissolve

in water.
ION: Atoms in a solution that have a positive or negative

electrical charge because of the gain or loss of an

electron.
ION (OR CATION) EXCHANGE: The process by which the

positively charged calcium and magnesium ions in the

hard water pass through the resin and exchange places
with positively charged sodium or potassium ions that are
attached to the beads. The result is that the water is now
softened.

MAGNESIUM: A naturally-occurring metallic metal that

along with calcium is responsible for the hardness in

water.
MINERAL: An element or chemical compound that is

normally crystalline and that has been formed as a result

of geological processes.
MUSHING: This is what happens when salt in a water

softener collapses to table salt-sized crystals and bonds

together in the brine tank into a thick mass, thereby
limiting the production of soft water.
OPERATING PRESSURE: This is the range of pressure

(30-100 per square inch) at which a water conditioning

appliance functions properly.
OSMOSIS: The tendency of water to pass through a

semi-permeable membrane into a solution where

the solvent concentration is higher, thus equalizing
the concentrations of materials on either side of the
membrane.
PARTICULATE: A minute separate particle such as with a

granular substance.
PH (POTENTIAL OF HYDROGEN): This is the level of acidity

or alkalinity in water.
POTASSIUM CHLORIDE/POTASSIUM: An alternative to

sodium chloride for use in water softeners, potassium is

an element that occurs naturally in the earths crust.
PPM (PARTS PER MILLION): This measurement is a way of

stating the level of a particular element in water.

PURITY: The amount of impurities in a water softening salt

that is accumulated during the mining process.

RADIUM: This is a naturally-occurring radioactive element

present in varying amounts in rocks and soil within the

earths crust. As groundwater comes in contact with these
rocks and soil, it can pick up high amounts of radium.
Consumed in high doses, radium can cause bone cancer.
RAW WATER: This is water in its natural state before it has

been treated to make it acceptable for drinking.

REGENERATING CYCLE: As the resins attract more and

more calcium and magnesium minerals, their ability to

soften the water is lessened. At this point, the softener
needs to be regenerated. This means that the calcium
and magnesium minerals need to be flushed from the
resin tank and the beads need to be replenished with new
sodium or potassium ions from the brine tank. All this
takes place in what is called a 3-phase regenerating cycle
that includes: backwash, brining and rinse.

RESIN BEADS (BED): Located in the resin tank of a water

softener, this softening bed of resin beads is the place

where positively charged calcium and magnesium ions in
the hard water pass and exchange places with positively
charged sodium or potassium ions that are attached to the
beads. The result of this process, known as an ion
(or cation) exchange, is that the water is now softened.
RESIN TANK: The part of a water softener that is filled with a

softening bed of resin beads.

REVERSE OSMOSIS: This is a process for the treatment of

water that incorporates a membrane filter to eliminate

mineral particles.
RINSE: Part of the regenerating cycle, this is when the

resin tank is rinsed with fresh water and the brine tank is
reloaded to begin the process again.
ROCK SALTS: Obtained by the traditional mining of

underground salt deposits, rock salt is the most

economical choice for water softeners. Rock salt is mixed
with a lot of impurities that eventually settle at the
bottom of the brine tank. Because of this and because
rock salt has a high water-insoluble level, more time and
energy must be devoted to cleaning out the brine tank.
SCALE DEPOSITS: A result of hard water, this is the

accumulation of calcium and magnesium minerals water

can clog pipes and impede water in plumbing fixtures, hot
water heaters and boilers.
SODIUM CHLORIDE/SODIUM: An alternative to potassium

chloride for use in water softeners, sodium is an inorganic

compound of sodium and chlorine, a salt in which ionic
bonds hold the two components in the familiar white
crystals known as salt.
SOFTENED WATER: This is the result of hard water that has

been softened by the removal of calcium and magnesium

minerals.
SOLAR SALTS: Obtained mainly through evaporation of

seawater or inland brine resources, solar salts are more

pure and water soluble than rock salt. Though most
commonly sold in a crystal form, it is also available in
compressed pellets or blocks.
SOLUBILITY: The amount of a substance (water softener

salt) that can be dissolved in water.

SOLVENT: A substance, such as water, that dissolves another

to form a solution.
SOURCE WATER: This is water that has not yet been filtered

or cleaned in any way.

SURFACE WATER: Water that is above ground (rivers, lakes,

reservoirs) that is pumped and treated.

TOTAL HARDNESS: The total amount of components in

water responsible for its hardness.

TREATMENT: The process necessary to reduce or eliminate

particular contaminants in drinking water.

WATER HARDNESS TEST STRIP: A coated paper strip that

quickly and simply measures the hardness or the grains of

hardness per gallon of water.
WATER PURIFIER: This is a filtering process where water

passes through a filter bed that traps calcium and

magnesium particles. This process removes only particles
and cannot remove dissolved calcium and magnesium.
Therefore, a water purifier cannot soften water.
WATER SOFTENER: Plumbed into a homes water supply, a

water softener is a mechanical appliance that includes a

resin tank filled with a softening bed of resin beads and a
brine tank that holds a salt solution. In a process known
as an ion (or cation) exchange, the positively charged
calcium and magnesium ions in the hard water pass
through the resin bed and exchange places with positively
charged sodium or potassium ions that are attached to
the beads. The result is that the water is now softened.

10