We get a lot of questions about salt-less water conditioners, and many times these questions are the result of people who want to be as "green" as possible, thinking that a water softener which discharges sodium chlorine into the environment simply cannot be green. I beg to differ. And while we do sell salt-free or salt-less water conditioners, I contend that a water softener is the "greenest" appliance in your home! Think about it for a moment: How much water does your dishwasher waste? How much water does your washing machine waste? Answer: ALL OF IT! A computerized meter-controlled (demand) water softener on 20 grain hard water will deliver about 1,200 gallons of water between regenerations, while only wasting about 40 gallons of water. That's about 97% efficient! Out of 1,200 gallons, it only wastes 3%. How much greener do you want to be? Your dishwasher and washing machine are 0% efficient.

A major new study by the independent Battelle Institute revealed water softeners save significant amounts of money and energy in the home. Gas tank water heaters operated on softened water maintained the original factory efficiency rating over a 15-year lifetime. On the other hand, heaters operated on hard water lost as much as 48% efficieny. Each year an electric water heater would accumulate .4 lbs of scale per every 5 gpg when using hard water. If you have 20 grain hard water, that's 1.6 pounds of dissolved rock in your water heater a year. No wonder it takes 3 men and a wild monkey to carry out an old water heater!

Now, there is one other big thing to think about - Soft water (water softened by salt) enables you to save over 50% on all of the following:

• Soaps
• Detergents
• Phosphates
• Bleach
• Chemical Water Softeners (like Calgon)
• Chemical Lime Removal Agents
• Shampoos
• Conditioners

With 50% or more less chemicals going back into the environment with a "salt-based water softener," how can it not be called "green?"