Water Softener Suggestions

[pr3dict]

Yeah this stuff still confuses me. I read that "you cant taste the salt from the water softener" and also that RO water is actually worse for pipes or something...

Filters and air injection etc all this stuff is very confusing.

My issue is that I have a lot of calcium in the water and the white scale is everywhere lol. Right now there is just a string filter and some weird tablet thing that is supposed to keep the calcium from sticking to itself though I think it's BS. Also one of those scale blaster electronic wire things are wrapped around one of the pipes. That all came with the house.

There apparently was a water softener at one point. IT seems the old owners had it piped into the backyard and the waste basically killed a tree and a part of their yard so they ripped it out. I'd like to put one back in because the hard water is just too much. Other thent hat the water tastes fine.

 

[JRC3]

and also that RO water is actually worse for pipes or something...

RO has low pH and low pH will harm metal pipes and fittings. And that's why you use polypropylene tubing and fittings and preferably John Guest branded.

 

[pcmeiners]

"IT seems the old owners had it piped into the backyard and the waste basically killed a tree and a part of their yard so they ripped it out."

My water softener, inherited from the previous owner dumps the backwash in a basement sump, some users have it feed into their septic tanks. If I wash the basement floor the salt comes through the concrete and crystalizes as it dries.
Just imaging the amount of salt which a softener uses over the years, over a lifetime it can be measured in tons. Carthage did not do well after the Romans left. Not a fan of soft water, and the raw water Mg/Ca count is low, so the Culligan system is going once I get my system together.

"I read that "you cant taste the salt from the water softener"

Just moved to PA from NYC, I find the slight salt taste from the softener objectionable. NYC has moderately hard water (65ppm) , to me it tastes great.

 

[a_whale]

<deleted>

 

[gungatim]

LGR

 

[Stevie-Ray]

Kinetico. No electricity needed, regens on gals used. I dump mine into my septic tank, no problems.

Same here, no problems whatsoever with my Kinetico, though initial cost was expensive.

Kinetico was well spoken of in my area but the problem in my area was that I couldn't just buy the kinetico softener, I had to pay for the whole package with install and it was crazy expensive. The last kinetico I had (dual tank, so you always got soft water even during regen) used more salt than any other softener I ever had.

I don't understand that at all. I go through a 40lb bag every 3-4 months.

 

[a_whale]

<deleted>

 

[Max]

Y’all realize that salt usage is demand based, right? How hard your water is, whether you soften hot water only, or all indoor water, or all water, plus how much water you use (2 people? 6 People?) - all effects your use of salt or potassium. Not to mention that your water softener has to be set properly so it recharges only when needed. So comparing my salt usage to yours is pretty much a useless exercise.

To the OP, we had a Kinetico at our last house that was still going strong at 20 years. Pluses to the Kinetico were no electricity needed, dual tanks so you never ran out of soft water, and a demand based system so if you didn’t use water you didn’t regenerate. Most systems are time based, so if you go on vacation your water softener will still cycle...

Negatives were initial cost, and the complexity of the gear system that ran the softening cycles. Over the 20 years we probably had 5 or 6 times when the softener got stuck and didn’t cycle, or it got stuck in a phase of the cycle. Most times a gentle whack with a small 2x4 fixed it, but twice we had to have a tech come out and fix it.

We are on septic now so no softener for us. (YMMV). But if I was going to buy one, I’d buy a dual tank demand based one that used a good valve and electricity.

BTW, neither my wife or I could taste the salt or potassium. But I am willing to believe that some people can, as it is an ion exchange system and you are effectively adding salt to the water.

For a quick overview of softener basics: https://www.ag.ndsu.edu/publications/home-farm/water-softening-ion-exchange

BTW, I would avoid the magnetic ones as they are a scam with no supporting peer reviewed science behind them. Also, even a demand based softener has to be set to the proper regeneration cycle time based on the hardness of your water. Too soon and you are literally flushing away your money, and too late you are getting hard water for part of the time...

 

[JRC3]

you do know the salt is to clean the brine right?

If you taste salt something is broken...this is a common myth debunked many times over the years.

It's not a myth, it's just not a big problem. There is residual salt left behind on a normal backwash, too much backwashing would use up capacity. At max it's usually no more than 12-25mg or so per glass, less than a can of soda or glass of OJ and way less than a glass of milk. A normal healthy daily allowance for sodium is about 2300mg per day and most people get way more than that, a few glasses of softened water doesn't equal much in the grand total.

Personally I don't notice the taste, I RO my drinking water to cut that little bit of salt but mostly because it's well water and who knows what might be in there at any given time. I also like the crisp taste.


------------------------
Here's something funny, I've cut my sodium to lower my borderline blood pressure, I prepare most of my own food and use No-SALT (Potassium chloride) salt substitute...Blood test last week showed my sodium at 135 and the normal range is 136-145, so now I have to put a little more real salt in my diet. LOL

 

[a_whale]

<deleted>

 

[AC-WC]

X2 on the Kinetico. When we bought the house previous owners were renting a water softener so we continued for a few years. DONT DO THAT! All money wasted, we were both city raised and didn't understand about water softeners other than we knew we needed one. We were using about 6 bags a month for just the wife and I. Got lucky and brother in law was replacing his Kinetico because everytime he went to take a shower it was cycling so he got something that would cycle at night. We have not had any issue with cycling with our well. About 10-15 yrs ago we had the beads replaced (close to 20 yrs old by that time). Used to use potassium but after it went above $7 a bag had to quit and go back to standard salt. We go through about 3-4 bags with 3 in the house. Had to buy new one for mom and went with the Kinetico. In 2019 it was around $2500 installed with main line filter and RO going to the kitchen and fridge. Had Culligan quote but it was more expensive and all of theirs are powered by a timer. That was a decision maker for me, no power needed, it's all water pressure and volume going through it. Timers are set to purge for whatever time/day you set up for regardless if it needs purged or not.