| Conventional Water Softener | Watts Scale Prevention System | |
|---|---|---|
| Requires Salt | Yes | No |
| Requires Drain Connection | Yes | No |
| Requires Electrical Connection | Yes | No |
| Prevents Scale Formation in Pipes and Appliances | Yes | Yes |
| Uses water for backwashing | Yes | No |
| Requires an Electric Control Valve | Yes | No |
| Number of Tanks Required | 2 (or more) | 1 |
| Removes Chlorine | No | No |
| Removes Iron | Yes (a limited amount) | No |
| Removes Calcium and Magnesium | Yes | No |
| Chlorine Tolerant | Somewhat | Somewhat |
| Expected Media life when used with chlorine-free water | 10 years | 3 years |
| Adds Sodium to Water | Yes | No |
| Recommended maximum hardness for standard unit | Many variables to consider, but higher than alternative unit | 30 grains per gallon (with standard media load) |
| Life expectancy of the unit other than the media | Several Years | Many, many years. (No moving parts, nothing to wear out.) |
| Reduces previously existing scale buildup | No | Yes |
| Requires cleaning and chemical additives | Sometimes | No |
| Extends the life of reverse osmosis units downstream | Yes | Probably |
(whole house & well units)