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Does it make a difference what type to use? Feedback appreciated.
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Theoretically, the brine is used to recharge the resin beads and wash the minerals from the resin media in the tank and shouldn't really make any difference what is used.
The pelletized/softener salt has been cleaned so you don't have to worry about getting junk/minerals screwing up the float valve in the brine tank and the valve(s) in the the head unit.
Snow melt salt isn't clean.
Iron removal salt has some sort of binder in it (glue) that helps it collect the dissolved iron and supposedly removes the iron and "most" of it is washed out in the backwash cycle. You will need to fill the brine tank with salt more often because it uses more. Supposedly your resin beads (media) won't last as long. But, your plumbing fixtures will last longer. If you don't have an iron problem or are on city water, it doesn't do anything for you.
Not exactly what your question is but maybe this helps?
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Some of the salt cost more. Is it worth spending more?
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The salt I have been using for 28 years has always been in the price range of $3.75 to perhaps $4.50. Morton pellets had been my choice with zero problems.
Regards,
Bill bob
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I use whatever is the least expensive at the time at Home Depot. Usually comes in a yellow plastic bag. But, not snow melt salt.
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Not sure where you are, but I (northwest Ohio) just received a mailer from Tractor Supply, prices good November 1 -5. They have Diamond Crystal Bright & Soft in 40 lb. bags: buy 4, get 1 free. At a regular price of $4.99, that equals $4.00 per bag. It's all we use.
They run this sale every year and I buy enough for a full year (luckily, I use only one bag a month.)
If no Tractor Supply near you, try any farm-related stores like Rural King, Family Farm & Home, Farm & Fleet, Big R, etc.
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(10-29-2017, 06:23 AM)Gibbcutter Wrote: Some of the salt cost more. Is it worth spending more?
Which salt costs more?
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10-30-2017, 09:31 AM
(This post was last modified: 10-30-2017, 09:31 AM by rwe2156.)
The company we bought our softener from told us to only use the rock type salt.
We recently hired a company that will service & deliver salt.
They basically said "phooey" and put pelleted salt in.
I don't know what the difference is. At first I thought they said that so they can deliver more salt, but the pellets seem to last just as long.
It only cost me about $3/80# bag more to have them deliver on a shedule.
This is something worth considering.
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Once in a while Maynard's will have softener salt on sale. When it is the same brand I will get Home Depot to beat the price by 10%. Then I usually buy 20 bags, 800 lbs. The truck rides better on the way home.
My boss is a Jewish carpenter. Our DADDY owns the business.
Trying to understand some people is like trying to pick up the clean end of a turd.
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When I first moved to my house 20 years ago Culligan called on me and ran tests of the water and told me "You'll save enough on soap and shampoo to pay for the softener".
I got a second analysis done by Sears and they told me that my water was not hard. I learned later that I had town water and the yearly analysis is that the water is not hard.
My guess is that a good 20 to 50 percent of the people using water softener (salt) don't need to do so. And were hoodwinked by service companies. I would always get an independent test done. "Trust but verify". (Ronald Reagan quoting an old Russian proverb.)
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