Can Pool Salt Be Used In A Water Softener

Softener potassium chloride water softeners and conditioners work effectively with either sodium chloride commonly referred to as salt or potassium chloride actually a type of salt also.

Can pool salt be used in a water softener.

Salt crystals can be used to melt ice or snow clean some metals and kill weeds. First of all only salt or potassium chloride specifically designed for water softeners should be used. So pool salt water softener salt and table salt all start with the same grade of salt. On its own or mixed with other ingredients it can t be used in cooking or for consumption but does have a few other uses.

There is no need to use water softener salt that has any additives in it if you are going to use it in your swimming pool. No to soften water you need a water softener. The ion exchange process used by water softeners doesn t work without the sodium ions displacing the calcium and magnesium ions that create water hardness. Water softener salt includes additional components that are very corrosive.

The water softener needs a coarser salt to function properly. Water softeners need a coarser salt to function properly. That means no dicing table salts or any salt of that kind. The salt has to be used in conjunction with a water softening system to produce soft water.

A water softener needs to use salt to regenerate its water softening resin. If you take the same salt that was used for pool salt and press it into pellets you have water softener salt. A salt free water softener does not exist. Every manufacturer has its own opinion on which salt to be used for pools.

A more accurate description of units commonly marketed as salt free water softeners would be a salt free water conditioner or scale inhibitor. These actually soften the water from your well by removing the hard water ions calcium magnesium and iron. Usually when you want to change the salt in your water softener you can choose from either sodium chloride crystals pellets and block salt or potassium chloride. Make sure your system is working correctly and use a water softener cleaner once a year to ensure your system is not using more salt than it needs to.

I recommend using salt that is designed to be used for swimming pools but if you have to use water softener salt in a pinch stick to the salt that is in a blue or blue white bag from a well know manufacturer because it should be pure salt with no additives. The salt used in the brine tank of a water softener does not directly soften the water but is used to regenerate the resin beads in your water softener. The pool salt and water softener salt come from the same grade salt but the difference is the additives added. Ideally water softeners work best with salts that are specially designed for softening water.