If your home has a soft water loop, you’re not alone. These plumbing setups were originally designed to give homeowners the best of both worlds—softened water for most of the home, and untreated water for drinking, cooking, and certain fixtures. But with today’s water treatment advancements, especially salt-free technology, many are wondering:
Are soft water loops still necessary?
Why Soft Water Loops Were Installed in the First Place
- Hard water problems: Hard water causes scale buildup in plumbing and appliances, clogs showerheads, reduces water heater efficiency, and leaves your skin and hair feeling less than fresh.
- Salt-based softeners: Traditional softeners exchange calcium and magnesium for sodium. This solves scale issues—but introduces sodium into your water, which isn’t ideal for drinking, cooking, pets, or plants.
- Protecting your drinking water: That’s where soft water loops came in. They bypassed the softener for certain outlets—like your kitchen sink—so you'd still have access to untreated water.
But Here's the Thing…
- Outdated regulations: In some areas, building codes still require soft water loops based on assumptions from the salt-softener era.
- Modern alternatives: New technologies like Cascadian’s PolyHalt® treat hard water without adding sodium. So, if you're using a salt-free softener, the need for a loop is drastically reduced—or eliminated altogether.
Do You Have a Soft Water Loop?
You can usually identify a soft water loop by looking at your plumbing. If your kitchen sink or fridge dispenser continues running water when the softener is off or in bypass, that outlet is likely on the loop.
What Are Your Options?
- Refrigerator or Pitcher Filters: Quick and simple, but they only treat a small amount of water and won’t help with hardness or scale.
- Under-Counter Reverse Osmosis (RO): RO systems remove nearly all dissolved solids. They’re great for taste and purity—but require separate faucets, take up space, and often waste water.
- Cascadian ICS-TPU: Our compact, whole-home solution that softens without salt and removes chlorine taste. It treats all the water in your home—no extra faucet, tank, or maintenance-heavy RO system needed.
The ICS-TPU is a smaller version of our flagship ICS-TP. It’s designed for city water users who want effective, salt-free water treatment—without the hassle or footprint of traditional systems.
The Bottom Line
Soft water loops served a purpose—back when the only option was sodium-based softeners. But salt-free systems like PolyHalt® now give you clean, gentle water for your entire home, without compromising your drinking water. If you're building or upgrading, there’s a good chance you can simplify your plumbing and ditch the loop altogether.
Want to Know What Works Best for You?
- Take our Filter Finder Quiz to get personalized recommendations in under 3 minutes.
- Explore the ICS-TPU and other whole house water systems to upgrade your water experience.
