Water softeners - which one?

[movingtokent]

We live in a hard water area and want to install a water softener. Does anyone have any recommendations or ones not to buy. Also how long does the salt last? Thanks

[PigletJohn]

Phone a few local suppliers and ask if they repair softeners. If no, try another. If yes, ask if they deliver salt.

Softeners are quite simple and they mostly use the Fleck valve. There is probably at least one local company that assembles, sells, installs and maintains them. Get Metered Regeneration.

Avoid national suppliers and anyone who advertises in the sunday papers, they will be overpriced.

Avoid cheap ones from B&Q, they will probably be fit for the bin when they go wrong.

Don't carry salt in your own car, a single spilled grain will eat a hole through the steel. Look in the delivery van and you will be shocked how rusty it is.

Have ten sacks of salt delivered, that might last you six months, or half that, it depends on your usage. Unless you are very strong get 10kg bags.

Have the softener where spilled salt will not fall on cars, tools or other metal, and on flooring that you can sweep up and wet-mop. Don't use your vacuum.

[movingtokent]

Thanks so much will get phoning
Do you recommend a water filter for the kitchen tap?

[PigletJohn]

the amount of sodium bicarbonate in the water (there is no salt) is truly insignificant, but feel free to have an unsoftened pipe to your drinking tap.

Cold water to your washer especially, and to bathrooms, should be softened.

[ixos]

I lost nearly a day of my life reading an epic thread on moneysavingexpert about water softeners. I boiled it down to this: you don't need to spend £1300 on a swanky Kinetico type model. This is because having a twin tank is unnecessary and having it wired in is fine. Spend about £500 on a meter controlled Monarch, Tapworks or Atlantis. Sized for the size of your house/family.

[Whatdoiknow31]

We've just put in a Monarch Solo Ultra water softener in and I love it! It's a high flow one as we have an Unvented cylinder.

Ours takes either blocks or granules of salt - we use the blocks as they are much easier to handle.

There are four of us here, inc a teenage girl with long thick hair (takes ages in the shower) and blocks last about 3 weeks. They're about £4 a pack