- Rock salt is found in underground salt mines and is usually the last choice for water softeners. Although it is a cheap salt for use, this naturally occurring mineral contains a large amount of calcium sulfate, a substance that doesn't dissolve well in water, and it will require homeowners to perform maintenance and clean the water softener more frequently.
- Solar salt is manufactured by the evaporation of seawater and then formed into a crystal or pellet form. It's much more soluble than rock salt, but the price is also higher due to the way it's produced. Because of its solubility, tanks require less frequent maintenance or cleaning, but users with extremely hard water may find it doesn't perform as well as other salts.
- The most efficient salt choice is evaporated salt. This salt is obtained through a combination of mining and evaporation. This is done by mining underground salt deposits and then removing the moisture until only the salt remains. As the purest of the three forms, it's the most soluble but also the most expensive. Due to its solubility level, it will leave the least sediment and require less cleaning and maintenance of the water softener tank.
- There is nothing chemically wrong with mixing salt types in a water softener. Due to the sediment left behind by rock salt, however, most water softeners that use this type of salt should remain solely using that type to avoid sediment clogs. Some types of softeners are designed for use with only one type of salt and will not function well with other types. A good rule of thumb is to always let the unit go empty of one type of salt before adding another.
- Usually a water softener should be checked once each month, and many units are designed to operate best when the salt level is at least half-full at all times. The cost of salt isn't really that much---usually less than $10 for a 40-pound bag, and it can noticeably benefit a household with excessively severe hard water.
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