OT: Water Softener

[weisan]

We just got a sale pitch from a Rain Soft dealer via Home Depot yesterday under the cover of doing a "water test".

This is a whole new subject matter to us, wonder what my pals' experience had been and what they recommend.

[Schmed]

I'd look up your water quality from your water supplier. It's normally on-line. You are looking for "Total Hardness" on the report. My opinion:

- if you have less than 100 ppm (6 grains) of hardness, I'd skip it
- if you have 100-150 ppm, soften only the water upstream of your water heater
- if you have >150 ppm, soften the whole house

If you do get one, make sure to get one that regenerates based on water usage and NOT a timer. The timer ones regenerate too often and therefore, use too much salt.

I'm in the industry, and don't have one in my house. 50 ppm total hardness in my water.

[Dirtdiggler]

I use to work for a water softener company here in Ohio. Designed, manufactured and assembled here in Ohio. You can pm if you wish to discuss or visit my past employer.. So no spam, you can google water softener in Newbury Ohio.. Its starts with a K.. Benefit of the ''K'' softener is that its non electric and regens when it meters too, so you save salt usage and those bags are 50+ pounds, electricity, because its like a plastic Rolex. They have twin tank system, so you will always have softenerd water and regens its media with softenerd water to increase resin life. If you have a problem with it, which you won't you can call the dealership or someone in Ohio and thats in US of A and speak to a a guy that actually knows and been with the company with years. So feel feel to pm me and i was a designer/r&d person.
Thanks. hope that wasn't a sales pitch. FWIW I now work as a designer with TBMs, which are Tunnel boring machines. Totally different product, but we have a great cycling club and closer to home.
Dirt diggler

[Schmed]

I think it's ok to say "Kinetico" here :)

And.... I tend to agree - rarely see a problem with Kinetico softeners. I'd put their average rep about 10 levels above a Rainsoft dealer. But, I only do industrial, not residential softener work.

[Dirtdiggler]

Schmed. Correct. I was also industrial division before that. Most others are rebranded overseas products. The K products are molded here in Ohio. They test and are WQA and NSF certified. Industrial they had the Fleck and Pentair electric and also now a non electric Hydrus softener.

[johnniecakes]

We had our Kinteco system installed 5 years ago, we also got the drinking water filtration system. Absolutely worth the investment. 2 adults use about 1 bag (40 lbs) every 2 months. Change the drinking water filters every 6 months. Wish we would have done it sooner

[Dirtdiggler]

Their K5 RO systems are made here by great caring ohio employees. The cartridges are also spun welded here, burst tested and tested again. Now the systems are pricey but we'll worth it. Nice thing about non electric softeners is that when a power outage or vacation no need to set or reset any clock. Now they did introduce a single tank softener for affordability, I have a few patents with them before I left. These systems like our bikes are hand made one by one and initialed by the assembler.

[Louis]

Weisan,

Does you water "feel" hard? How easily does soap foam up when you shower?

I have one, but disconnected it about two years ago and haven't had it regenerate in all that time. Probably pretty stupid to do that, and I've probably messed up my resin bed and caused stuff to build up in my WH and pipes. I should probably put it through a regen cycle to see, but the big salt tank has a teeny leak, and needs to be replaced first. BTW, mine is Culligan, and seems to be OK - you can have it regenerate based on water usage or sensed hardness. I set it on water usage, since I don't use much water.

I agree with the comments above, have your water tested to see if you really need one. If you don't really notice anything when you shower or soap up your hands, then your water may not be that hard. (caveat: I'm hardly an expert on this)

[Don49]

My cities water quality report shows an average hardness of 500ppm. Can it possibly be that high?

I do notice mineral buildup on things like coffee pots. We're plumbed for whole house Culligan but haven't used it in years.