Salt based water softeners

andicole0

andicole0

andicole0

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Joined
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Grundisburgh
My mother in law has moved to just outside Ipswich and has a salt based water softener (a must apparently). She's been told it needs replacing but what with, neighbours say what she has is not the best but can't find what the best should be.

Anyone here use and can recommend one.

Cheers.

Andi.
 
GSXRMovistar said:
Out of interest what are your running costs for the softener (i.e. topping up the salt)?
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We've got one too. The local supplier sells 5 x twin block packs for something like £22 or £24. They normally last a good month or so - it depends how much water you use as a family. We probably get through 13 or 14 a year.
 
GSXRMovistar said:
Out of interest what are your running costs for the softener (i.e. topping up the salt)?
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I always forget I'm running out of salt so forget to buy them as cheaply as Abyss. Two blocks from screwfix are £7 I think and lasts a month.

Money is saved elsewhere though. When British Gas came round to fit a new boiler they were amazed at the apparent lack of scale in my hot water tank. By age they reckoned it should have been scaled up and in need of replacement years ago, but they said it sounded good as new (they knock it and can "hear" how scaled up it is apparently)
 
andicole0 said:
Thanks guys I've found a couple of local companies that can supply and fir twintec stuff. Looks good.
Andi.
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Just seen your mother-in-law is in Ipswich - I should have read the first post properly. We've used Patmore Water Softeners twice now (we're on our second unit - the first didn't survive a second house move very well...).

If it helps then they also deliver the blocks - they're pretty heavy for an elderly lady to lug around.
 
My parents have one, had the same 1 for 20 years and still going strong. Very hard water and does a couple of clean cycles a week. Bag of salt cubes lasts around 4-6 weeks.

PS They have a Kinetico
 
D3K said:
I could so do with one of those. Have to descale my kettle once a month.
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You can't use the softened water as drinking water, as it will be much too salty. If it's that bad, try cheapo bottled water instead to see if it gets any better :)
 
Barry McFungus Pants said:
You can't use the softened water as drinking water, as it will be much too salty. If it's that bad, try cheapo bottled water instead to see if it gets any better :)
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I've read that a glass of softened water has less salt in than a slice of bread. I've also heard that you cant drink it.

Im none the wiser, but sticking with its bad for you as it has salt in it.

Also people say put softened water in you central heating system, but salt increases the rate of corrosion, so some people say dont.

Who knows....for now im not having one, eventhough I like the sound of it as down south the water is readlly hard.
 
Oh, I thought the salt was exchanged for the calcium, hence salt being in the water.

Are you saying it adds zero salt to the water?
 
Well every day's a school day! The guy I used to work for always plumbed in a separate untreated drinking supply, telling me the water was no good to drink. Mind you, he was a rough bugger ^_^
 
The_Abyss said:
Just seen your mother-in-law is in Ipswich - I should have read the first post properly. We've used Patmore Water Softeners twice now (we're on our second unit - the first didn't survive a second house move very well...).

If it helps then they also deliver the blocks - they're pretty heavy for an elderly lady to lug around.
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My parents in Ipswich also have also used patmore, great service.
 
rodders said:
Oh, I thought the salt was exchanged for the calcium, hence salt being in the water.

Are you saying it adds zero salt to the water?
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No salt that can be tasted. It does taste different but not bad and no reason not to drink it.

The ion exchange recharge is done at night so when water consumption is low or nil. The only time I have ended up with salty tea is when there had been a power cut and the timer was wrong.
 
I have a Harvey s Mini Max water softener. Twintank so no pump or overnight regeneration needed.

I do drink the softened water, not really different from Tap water, and its definitely not horrid tasting.

The whole house is softened, although I did put in a Non softened tap in the Kitchen. (But I use softened water most of the time in the kitchen).

It uses block salts which I buy from the forest site. I use 1 pair of block salts per month.
 
rodders said:
I've read that a glass of softened water has less salt in than a slice of bread. I've also heard that you cant drink it.

Im none the wiser, but sticking with its bad for you as it has salt in it.

Also people say put softened water in you central heating system, but salt increases the rate of corrosion, so some people say dont.

Who knows....for now im not having one, eventhough I like the sound of it as down south the water is readlly hard.
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Dunno about anyone else but I can definitely taste the salt in softened water its like diluted sea water. :) Salt water will definitely corrode metal much faster than drinking water. Lived with very hard water all my life other than furred up hot water heaters never had any problems.

Hmm. maybe things have changed re softeners in the meantime. Need to do some more research I think.
 
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Furred kettles and water heaters are inefficient and will most likely fail quicker than a non furred.

Softened water is better for your skin and hair.

With softened water you use less washing detergent in your washing machine.
 
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