Unlike salt-based softeners which use ion exchange to remove hard water minerals from water, salt free water softener systems use a physical process known as Template Assisted Crystallization (TAC). This process converts the hardness minerals in the water to a hardness crystal that will not stick to any surface in your home. Salt-free softeners are also known as water conditioners because they do not actually “soften” the water; They condition (or neutralize) it. And because these types of systems do not trap any materials, there’s no need for a cleaning cycle to remove captured ions.
However, a major drawback of using a salt-free softener is that it may not work effectively when exposed to other contaminants like lead and chlorine. That’s why we urge customers to have some sort of filtration in front of the system so the media does not foul up. But if you do not want to deal with salts/chemicals, then salt-free softeners are the way to go.