What Is the Best Way to Stop Hard-Water Scale?

Hard water is common throughout much of the United States. It contains naturally occurring minerals, primarily calcium and magnesium, that can leave behind scale on plumbing, fixtures, water heaters and other water-using appliances.

There are two main ways to deal with hard-water scale:

• Remove the hardness minerals with a traditional water softener.
• Keep the minerals in the water but control scale formation with an anti-scale system like Flow-Tech Home.

The best option depends on what you want your water treatment system to accomplish.

Traditional Water Softener

A traditional ion-exchange water softener removes calcium and magnesium from the water.

This may be the better choice if you want:

• Truly softened water
• The smooth, silky feel of soft water
• Less mineral spotting and soap scum
• Better soap and detergent performance

Because the hardness minerals are removed, traditional softeners are especially effective for homeowners who want the characteristics of genuinely soft water.

However, they also require ongoing maintenance, including salt or potassium refills, a brine tank, a drain and periodic regeneration.

Flow-Tech Home Anti-Scale

Flow-Tech Home takes a different approach.

Instead of removing calcium and magnesium, it is designed to change how scale forms so minerals are less likely to create hard, adherent buildup inside your plumbing system.

Flow-Tech Home requires:

• No salt
• No brine tank
• No drain
• No regeneration cycle
• No regeneration water waste
• No routine homeowner maintenance

Flow-Tech controls scale, but it does not soften the water.

Because the minerals remain in the water, some mineral spotting may still occur when water evaporates on surfaces.

Which One Is Right for You?

If you want calcium and magnesium removed, prefer the silky feel of soft water and want the greatest reduction in mineral spotting, a traditional water softener may be the better choice.

If your main goal is protecting plumbing and appliances from scale without salt, regeneration or ongoing maintenance, Flow-Tech Home may be a better fit.

The easiest way to decide:

Want to remove the minerals? Choose a water softener.

Want to keep the minerals but control the scale they create? Consider Flow-Tech Home.