How do water softeners work?

Question

What is the purpose of the salt and why does the water feel “smoother” when softened?

In: 2

Answer 1

There’s a second unit to the water softener besides where the salt goes. This contains the actual filtration system. However every now and then the filtration system needs to be cleansed, and a salt water bath is just the ticket. All the filtered crap gets flushed out and just goes down the drain with the excess salt.