Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Protection built in.

Meet the Other Phone.
Protection built in.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
Property/DIY

Join our Property forum for renovation, DIY, and house selling advice.

Original poster

Kinetico installation

36 replies

thereinmadnesslies · 21/04/2013 14:16

We are getting a Kinetico water softener installed tomorrow.

Has anyone else had one put in?

If so did you keep one kitchen tap unsoftened?

Will the installer need to check all the bathrooms etc - I'm not sure if I should be tidying up or not [lazy emoicon]

OP posts:
3littlefrogs · 21/04/2013 14:19

Yes - keep one kitchen tap unsoftened.

No the installer won't need to go anywhere other than the place you have already agreed when you had the survey.

Make sure th softener is in a place that is easy for you to access to put in the salt, and where you can have the salt delivered and store it.

HTH

Original poster
thereinmadnesslies · 21/04/2013 14:35

Thanks 3littlefrogs. The plan is to put the softener unit in the garage - we did an extension a few years ago and the builders put plumbing in with a softener in mind. Phew that I do not need to tidy out the airing cupboard Grin

OP posts:
Original poster
thereinmadnesslies · 21/04/2013 14:35

BTW are you happy with yours?

OP posts:
3littlefrogs · 21/04/2013 15:32

I love it. One of the best things I have spent money on. Smile

FishfingersAreOK · 21/04/2013 16:21

I love my softener too - had it about 3 weeks and is luffely. The engineer had to go into the futility room only (where ours is located). And we have just the kitchen cold unsoftened. Rest is soft

Original poster
thereinmadnesslies · 21/04/2013 17:00

Thanks for the positive feedback 3 and fish - I'm so excited about getting it. I'm just telling myself that there's no point cleaning the shower and bath today cos it will be so much easier after tomorrow Wink

OP posts:
3littlefrogs · 21/04/2013 17:27

It might take a day for the softened water to come through the system.

Original poster
thereinmadnesslies · 21/04/2013 17:31

That's ok I'm in no rush to clean Grin

OP posts:
PigletJohn · 21/04/2013 17:55

I wouldn't be without mine.

The kitchen cold tap is not such a big deal, unless you have kidney damage or a FF baby, as the amount of sodium in the water is very slight.

(and it is not salt, as some people might tell you. It's bicarbonate of soda, as found in indigestion remedies and baking powder)

Take a photo inside your WC cistern before the softener is fitted. In a few months look again and you will be delighted to see the softened water is washing away the old limescale.

Original poster
thereinmadnesslies · 21/04/2013 18:18

I'm hoping to see a big difference in the shower cubicle - the glass door is normally white unless I've scrubbed it with viakil. And we had our hot water tank replaced two years ago and the old one was 3/4 full of lime scale. I like the idea of photos.

OP posts:
Original poster
thereinmadnesslies · 21/04/2013 18:20

Oh and a question - do you buy the salt refills from Kinetico, or elsewhere?

OP posts:
PigletJohn · 21/04/2013 18:29

I get mine from an online supplier. If you google you will find someone nearby who will deliver. Wickes also carry it. Don't carry them in your own car because even a few specks of salt dust will corrode a hole in the steel. Look at the floor of the delivery van when it arrives. I used to get the 20kg bags but they have got increasingly heavy to lug about and pour in, so I get 10kg bags now, which works out a little dearer. Tablets are cleaner to handle than granules, or yours might take blocks. Do not let salt spill on any tools or vehicles in the garage. It might be worth putting down a piece of vinyl flooring to make it easier to clean up any spillage. You will not believe how fast metal is eaten away.

3littlefrogs · 21/04/2013 18:46

My Kinetico takes the blocks. I found a local supplier to deliver them.

FishfingersAreOK · 21/04/2013 21:18

Wow...an inaccuracy from Piglet Grin....I am thinking that the 20kg bags have not become increasingly heavy to carry....they are undoubtedly still 20kg....Wink

PigletJohn · 21/04/2013 21:25

nope, they have definitely got heavier over the last 20 years Wink

Original poster
thereinmadnesslies · 22/04/2013 10:03

Not a good start, the installation engineer was meant to be here at 9.30 but according to the office is running late Hmm I hate waiting around for people.

OP posts:
OrangeSunset · 22/04/2013 10:21

Just as an aside, is it correct that softened water can damage some fittings/appliances?

We are planning to get one, but in a brief conversation with the plumber, he said softened water will corrode some things? Not something I'd heard before Hmm

Themobstersknife · 22/04/2013 10:26

Has anyone had one fitted to help with eczema? I have terrible itchy skin, but when I stayed with a relative who had softened water for a couple of days, I had a bath and a shower and my skin had nearly cleared up. But it might have been a coincedence.?

3littlefrogs · 22/04/2013 10:31

I find softened water does help with eczema. Whether this is because you need to use far less soap/washing powder etc I don't know, but it has made a huge difference to me.

I was advised to get a water softener by my plumber because it stops your pipes getting blocked.

I live in a very hard water area and limescale was a big problem for me.

Themobstersknife · 22/04/2013 10:32

Thanks 3littlefrogs.

PigletJohn · 22/04/2013 11:02

Orange

there is a lot of talk but very little evidence. Older plumbers say that softened water is not good for boilers and radiators. However the manufacturers of corrosion inhibitors for central heating systems say that their prodiucts work with softened water.

There was a [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5sDaExbPCWg

laboratory test]] on water softeners and boilers done within the last year or so to try to find out the truth; and it showed no significant difference in corrosion; it was so slow that it would not be apparent during the life of a boiler. I have been using softened water in my radiators for over 20 years and there is no evidence of corrosion.

However, Aluminium is a metal which is very prone to corrosion, and some boilers, especially combis, used Aluminium for a while in their heat exchangers after cast iron fell out of favour. Aluminium heat exchangers seem to be very prone to corroson and blockage, even without softeners.

My own boiler has a stainless steel exchanger (one reason why I chose it) and no sign of corrosion.

I have not heard any rumours of softened water causing damage in anything else.

BTW it is not true, as some people think, that a water softener adds salt to the water in the taps. The salt is only used to periodically regenerate the resin which absorbs calcium from the incoming water.

PigletJohn · 22/04/2013 11:09

I haven't found the BSI test report yet, but the Softener company's document is here (ignore the marketing hype)

PigletJohn · 22/04/2013 11:12

found it

Original poster
thereinmadnesslies · 22/04/2013 11:21

They definitely claim that the softener helps eczema, it's something we are interested in because DC2 has really bad skin. We will see.

The installation guy is here. We've had to make a big hole in the wall because the plumber who did our extension didn't leave the pipes in the right place, despite us specifying plumbing for a softener installation at a later stage. But the installer seems really nice and willing to find a solution. Fingers crossed it goes well from here.

OP posts:
RunsWithScissors · 22/04/2013 11:47

Sorry to barge in to the thread to ask pigletJohn a question.

So, if the salt is very minimal does that mean its fine for drinking (the health/age issues you mentioned aside), and no need for an additional "drinking water" tap?

Our last house had a water softener installed with a drinking water tap which we were advised to use by previous owner. This meant having to descale the kettle still. Would love to hear the taps could remain as is...

Oh, also, what is the approx cost of getting a softener installed/cost for salt in a year. Looking to do kitchen Reno/extension in next few years and might be a good time to add one in.

Thank you!