Domestic Water Softeners

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Water softening - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

"The water to be treated passes through a bed of the resin. Negatively-charged resins absorb and bind metal ions, which are positively charged. The resins initially contain univalent (1+) ions, most commonly sodium, but sometimes also hydrogen (H+) or potassium (K+). Divalent calcium and magnesium ions in the water replace these univalent ions, which are released into the water. The "harder" the water, the more hydrogen, sodium or potassium ions are released from the resin and into the water.
Resins are also available to remove carbonate, bi-carbonate and sulphate ions which are absorbed and hydroxyl ions released from the resin. Both types of resin may be provided in a single water softener."

The salt you put into the softener is used to regenerate the resin bed i.e. puts sodium ions back onto the resin
 
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One cost consideration when you back flush the resin column with brine loads of water goes into the drain. This is the equivalent water usage of another person living in the house. If you are on a meter this can be significant but I am sure cost to operate is not a consideration for you. Mine was also plumbed in so that if a fault developed in a valve or whatever, then the unit can be isolated to give mains water until it is fixed. Ideally you need to check how hard the water is by measuring the calcium content. This way you can adjust the refreshing time and frequency which also depends on how much water you pull through the resin column when in use.
Don
 
Umm, yes that's what I'm thinking too, but why is the softened water dangerous if the salt doesn't go into it? What happens to the water?

The 'hardess' in the water that come out of the tap is made of calcium and magnesium minerals, among others - essentially what you see as limescale/watermarks. When a softener is used, these are replaced by sodium, which is less hard, and less likely to scale. You won't taste 'salt', but the sodium level in the water will be high, and the calcium and magnesium low. The salt itself(sodium chloride) doesn't go into the water, but the sodium ion does when it replaces the calcium and magnesium ions. Its the high sodium levels that can be bad for you - blood pressure, heart, kidneys etc - especially kids/pensioners etc.
 
That is why you must have an unsoftened water tap in the kitchen for drinking, cooking, etc.
 
Not good for watering houseplants either.
 
I was once told that the sodium level in softened water is less than in regular cows milk.
I'm not suggesting that you should drink softened water, but that it isn't as bad as is sometimes claimed.
We have our house plumbed so that we have hard water to the kitchen sink, toilet cisterns & outside taps. Fridge has hard water connected too, with an inline filter to give chilled/filtered/hard drinking water. Cold to basins, showers, baths, washing machine & dishwasher is softened, as is all hot water.
 
But it has substantially more sodium than normal water and tastes horrible. Having less than milk is a bit of a red herring - I don't drink two litres of milk a day!

Just plumb in a normal cold water supply to the kitchen and other drinking supplies.
 
I don't drink two litres of milk a day!

Me neither - I also probably don't drink 2 litres of water a day.

I also don't get stressed if I want a couple of mouth fulls of water in the middle of the night & I can't be bothered to go to the kitchen to get it:devil:
 
Just plumb in a normal cold water supply to the kitchen and other drinking supplies.

That, Charles, is the tricky bit. Easier said than done, so some compromise required.
 
Well I've explored the market, having seen the Kinetico local rep, and got a quote from the original Kinetico company who've now gone their own way. Never did I expect an installed softener to cost the thick end of £2,000. Maybe I made the mistake of making the approaches as Joe Public. I've found one of the machines quoted on the interweb supplied at 30% less than supply figure the 'manufacturer' is quoting me. I understand the need for profit but something's up.

Will now try the alternative approach from by day job as a building contractor - just can't help thinking I being taken for a mug. Might get better treatment as a trade enquiry...

Will keep you posted.
 
I've tried them - not convinced about paying £300+ for their offering. I think the electronic solution is not worth £300.

Making trade enquiries about high capacity twin tank resin unit now. Builders Merchants seem to have very good deals.
 
Well I've explored the market, having seen the Kinetico local rep, and got a quote from the original Kinetico company who've now gone their own way. Never did I expect an installed softener to cost the thick end of £2,000. Maybe I made the mistake of making the approaches as Joe Public. I've found one of the machines quoted on the interweb supplied at 30% less than supply figure the 'manufacturer' is quoting me. I understand the need for profit but something's up.

Will now try the alternative approach from by day job as a building contractor - just can't help thinking I being taken for a mug. Might get better treatment as a trade enquiry...

Will keep you posted.

That is exactly the kind of rip off prices that I was quoted for that product.

Do you actually need a twin tank system? One of the reason I chose the Monarch Midi. (Sub £500 online and maybe £250 for a plumber to install but anyone happy with DIY plumbing would find it easy, all [compression] fittings supplied) was that it is electronic smart system and once set with the local hardness level monitors your water usage over time and then regenerates as required but usually only between 02.00 and 04.00.

If you use vast amounts of water then yes a twin tank system is required but in a domestic environment usually very far from essential
 
Intalled a Harvey's system late last year as I hate tea with scum on the top. We love it. No problems and the Harvey's people seem to know what they are talking about. In Hampshire we live in a v hard water area so a water softener was always going to be on the cards eventually. We have an on/off switch for the outside tap which means the gardener can water with all the normal nutrients.

No brainer as far as I am concerned....
 
That is exactly the kind of rip off prices that I was quoted for that product.

Do you actually need a twin tank system? One of the reason I chose the Monarch Midi. (Sub £500 online and maybe £250 for a plumber to install but anyone happy with DIY plumbing would find it easy, all [compression] fittings supplied) was that it is electronic smart system and once set with the local hardness level monitors your water usage over time and then regenerates as required but usually only between 02.00 and 04.00.

If you use vast amounts of water then yes a twin tank system is required but in a domestic environment usually very far from essential

A twin resin bed softener is much better than a single bed softener.
For one, you have a constant supply of soft water.
When one bed is regenerating, the 2nd bed is in supply mode. Also, no electricity required for the timer.
Also, twin bed softeners only regenerate by water useage - so no unnecessary regeneration and therefore no wasted salt.
I agree a twin bed softener is not essential. But than again any softener isn't.
Its one of those things that is a matter of opinion. Personally, if you are going to go to the expense of installing one, then at least consider the benefits of a twin bed softener and spending a little bit more.
They are more expensive to buy in the first case, but are cheaper to run in the long term (by using much less salt) and can therefore actually work out cheaper eventually.
I wonder how many people go on holiday and forget to turn off their timer controlled softener? While they are away your softener cheerfully goes about regenerating every night using up expensive salt. Whereas you twin bed demand regeneration softener just sits their waiting for you to come back off holiday before doing a thing.
And one further thing.
A twin bed softener uses soft water to flush the dirty bed. So it flushes quicker and better using less water.
 
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Try this site www.scalewatcher.co.uk if you want something basic


I had one of those fitted in my last house. Total disaster. Result - burst mains pressure pipe, emergency plumber, damaged boiler, big mess, big expense. There's not much genuine science behind them.

Invest in the real thing if you really need a soft water(aside from drinking water). Also its not worth investing in a twin cylinder/duplex system - you don't need 24hr/7day soft water that industry might find critical. Its worth getting one that meters the water used, and based upon the hardness on the water, only regenerates when needed. These are cheaper than the electronic ones, and work like clockwork. They're cheap to run as they use less rinse and purge water, and ultimately salt than a timed system.
 
I had one of those fitted in my last house. Total disaster. Result - burst mains pressure pipe, emergency plumber, damaged boiler, big mess, big expense. There's not much genuine science behind them.

Invest in the real thing if you really need a soft water(aside from drinking water). Also its not worth investing in a twin cylinder/duplex system - you don't need 24hr/7day soft water that industry might find critical. Its worth getting one that meters the water used, and based upon the hardness on the water, only regenerates when needed. These are cheaper than the electronic ones, and work like clockwork. They're cheap to run as they use less rinse and purge water, and ultimately salt than a timed system.

I didn't know you could get single bed demand regeneration softeners.
This would indeed be a good economic compromise for a domestic environment.
 
I didn't know you could get single bed demand regeneration softeners.
This would indeed be a good economic compromise for a domestic environment.
Been around for years - I used to sell them. Cheap and handy for businesses where constant soft water wasn't critical.
 
Intalled a Harvey's system late last year as I hate tea with scum on the top. We love it. No problems and the Harvey's people seem to know what they are talking about. In Hampshire we live in a v hard water area so a water softener was always going to be on the cards eventually. We have an on/off switch for the outside tap which means the gardener can water with all the normal nutrients.

No brainer as far as I am concerned....

Exactly the same setup as I have. Cant fault it.
 
Exactly the same setup as I have. Cant fault it.
Sounds like you drink the softened water.
 

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