Anyone use water softeners?

[Go Blue]

I live in AZ, so our water is very hard. Can anyone recommend a good water softener for the house?

[Beta Man]

I thought they were all the same (forgive the ignorance) and you just put the salt pellets in the tank... and water circulates through it)

I actually prefer the water to be hard.... I guess I'm weird.... soft water makes me feel "slimey"

[Go Blue]

Originally Posted by Beta Man

I thought they were all the same (forgive the ignorance) and you just put the salt pellets in the tank... and water circulates through it)

I actually prefer the water to be hard.... I guess I'm weird.... soft water makes me feel "slimey"

Hard water stains the crap out of toilets and sinks and leaves scum all over my glass shower. I usually prefer hard water, but in AZ is is extreme.

[Beta Man]

you got a point there....... plus it "yellows" your clothes in the wash.

[2112]

We got our softener from Culligan. Don't know which model it is though.

[rubberghost]

have you tried wrapping your water in cotton? i like water to be hard. i've experienced las vegas water, i guess that's similar to arizona water.

[blackhawktraffic]

We have one at my mums house, it recently changed so I have no idea what brand it is now, we go through Aqua 2000 or something...they are the one ones I know about they sell it?

[U4K61]

My parents have well-water. Before the water softener, there would be rings left inside the drink glasses and they would be looking at getting a new faucet every 10 years of so. They use potasium cloride pellets in stead of regular salt. It is more expensive, but seems to do the trick.

[Beta Man]

Originally Posted by Craig Ruchman

My parents have well warter. Before the water softener, there would be rings left inside the drink glasses and they would be looking at getting a new faucet every 10 years of so. They use potasium cloride pellets in stead of regular salt. It is more expensive, but seems to do the trick.

Maybe that's what my parents use... not sure... but they've got well-water also..... (I wish I did)

[Ferris]

Originally Posted by Beta Man

I thought they were all the same (forgive the ignorance) and you just put the salt pellets in the tank... and water circulates through it)

I actually prefer the water to be hard.... I guess I'm weird.... soft water makes me feel "slimey"

I'm the same way. It's almost like soap never really rinses off.... weird.

Originally Posted by schultz

Hard water stains the crap out of toilets and sinks and leaves scum all over my glass shower. I usually prefer hard water, but in AZ is is extreme.

We have pretty hard water as well. The best think to use to get the hard water stains (I believe it's calcium) off of things such as glass and stainless steel is vinegar. We have a spray bottle with 50% diluted vinegar. Works like a charm.

[Go Blue]

Originally Posted by FriedEggs

We have pretty hard water as well. The best think to use to get the hard water stains (I believe it's calcium) off of things such as glass and stainless steel is vinegar. We have a spray bottle with 50% diluted vinegar. Works like a charm.

Will vinegar work on toilets rings from hard water?

[Sabian576]

I live in a city with very hard water as well, so I feel you pain. I fixed it using a water softener and whole house filter from Whirlpool. Took me a weekend to put it in and get all the plumbing right and leak free, but it was worth it. I don't have any of the "slimy" issues everyone speaks of. Thats what the whole house filter is good for, it rids you of that slimy feeling and of the bleach/chlorine smell you sometimes get with city water. The Water sofener cost me $375ish, the filter was $50ish, and all the plumbing and stuff was maybe an extra $100ish.

Here is a diagram I made right quick on paint - hope it helps:

[Sabian576]

Originally Posted by schultz

Will vinegar work on toilets rings from hard water?

I would use CLR. I think vinegar would work, but it would take a lot of it, probably cheaper to grab some CLR and use a little than a lot of vinegar.

[phlydude]

interesting...you are not softening the water going to the water heater?

Living in Philadelphia for years, water heaters would blow out every 5-7 years in my parents house because of the hard water. Actually, I just put one in there for them a couple months back...that heater lasted 10yrs but was so filled with sediment that the water was no longer getting hot

[Sabian576]

Originally Posted by phlydude

interesting...you are not softening the water going to the water heater?

Living in Philadelphia for years, water heaters would blow out every 5-7 years in my parents house because of the hard water. Actually, I just put one in there for them a couple months back...that heater lasted 10yrs but was so filled with sediment that the water was no longer getting hot

Check that diagram again, everything is getting Softened water exept the outside spicket, and thats because the grass needs the minerals in the water that the filter takes out. Also not in the diagram I have a spicket that does get soft water and thats for washing cars and stuff.

Yeah 5-7 isn't very long for an expensive item like a WH, with out soft water, those elements will eat themselves away.

[phlydude]

my bad, I saw "to house" and automatically thought "water main to house"