What is the difference between a water softener and an osmosis system?

The main difference that we find between the reverse osmosis system and the softener is that it is first used to improve the water that is drunk or used for cooking while the softener is intended to solve certain problems of the water of the whole house.

The main objective of osmosis is to filter the water so that it is healthier and has a more pleasant taste, the softener is used to fight hard water and thus avoid problems such as corrosion in the pipes, which cause more dirt and more breakdowns.

How does each of them work?

Basically the reverse osmosis system is a staged filtration system that removes minerals and other contaminants dissolved in the water. They are compact and small equipment that are mainly installed under the sink and an additional tap is installed to obtain the water. This filtering system has an effectiveness of between 93 and 97%.

The softener consists of eliminating the hardness of the water through ionic exchanges. The excess of lime in water is due to the abundance of calcium and magnesium, the elements that cause incrustations in the facilities.

The decalcification process consists of, the water circulates through a bed of resin and salt that, thanks to its chemical characteristics, is responsible for attracting and retaining lime without altering the characteristics of drinking water.

Which one should I keep?

Installing a water softener and a reverse osmosis system at home is not incompatible. Simply, we must take into account what each one of them is for, if we have lime problems or our water is hard, you should keep a descaler that will be installed right at the entrance of your home and if you need your water to be mineral free and other pollutants you must install an osmosis in your kitchen.

In summary, a reverse osmosis is not what we need if we are looking to remove lime from the water. And if we want to remove the lime, we must purchase a descaler.

The reverse osmosis system:

- It provides us with water free of chemicals, more beneficial to our health.

- It provides us with better tasting water, useful not only for drinking but also for cooking, or watering plants.

- Eliminates unwanted odors, tastes and colors from the water.

The descaler:

- Reduces breakdowns in electrical appliances.

- Reduces lime stains.

- Reduces corrosion in pipes.

- It is beneficial for the skin and hair as chlorine and lime dry them out. It is also essential for those allergic to these two elements.