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Water softener talk

16,512 854 December 3, 2018 at 03:43 PM in Chat (3) Amazon
My new home doesn't have a water softener yet. I see there are less traditional options now, such as this [aquasana.com] as compared to this [amazon.com]. Have any of you gone to something besides the traditional "dump salt in a bin and let the soft water magic happen"?

Not well water, but I am sure I'll want a softener. I won't say money isn't am object, but I am not opposed to spending a little more now and saving more later.
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Joined Jan 2007
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> bubble2 16,512 Posts
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uniquename
12-09-2018 at 03:53 PM.
12-09-2018 at 03:53 PM.
Quote from z2g :
I thought you were planning on getting it installed and haven't got it yet....hence, you posted this thread?

Switching houses.
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Joined Jul 2005
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> bubble2 10,159 Posts
z2g
12-09-2018 at 07:09 PM.
12-09-2018 at 07:09 PM.
Quote from komondor :
I don't have an issue with shower spots at all, do you have your softener adjusted properly?
That's what I thought too when we just had it installed. But according to online Google sources, it's pretty common even with water softeners because it's Na residue which is very soluble. It can vary depending on how bad the hard water is in your area.

If you live in an area that isn't too bad, then the water softener is only replacing very little hard minerals with the Na or K. With very hard water, it's replacing a lot with Na or K, which will leave a little residue.

Just curious though, what hardness level do most ppl here have their water softener set at?
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Last edited by z2g December 9, 2018 at 09:44 PM.
Joined Sep 2006
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> bubble2 10,138 Posts
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larrymoencurly
12-16-2018 at 03:30 AM.
12-16-2018 at 03:30 AM.
The only effective methods of softening water are ion exchange (traditional water softener with zeolite bed and salt), reverse osmosis, and steam distillation, and the last 2 cost a lot more than ion exchange. Some companies advertise "salt-free" softeners that use potassium chloride instead of the more common sodium chloride, but potassium chloride is salt. Ion exchange increases the corrosion of water heaters, and one of the big manufacturers, either Rheem or A.O. Smith, said annual replacement of the anode rod may be necessary with it. Hard water can clog up steel or iron pipes but doesn't seem to be a problem with copper pipes (only a thin layer of deposits, even after several decades), and plastic pipe isn't bothered by it.

Get a traditional water softener with demand metering, meaning it recharges according to how much water has been softened. Some include a timer to delay the softer recharge period occur when everybody is asleep, but this isn't the same as the very cheapest softeners that recharge only according to a clock; those should be avoided because to make them provide soft water all the time, they have to be set to charge too often. There softeners sold by Home Depot, Lowe's, and Sears are OK. Install a bypass valve, even if the softener has one built in.
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