Are water softeners worth it?

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We live in an extremely hard water area and the constant furring and limescale is getting me down. Would you recommend one? Any tips?
Thank you

Yes, they're absolutely fabulous- you won't regret it! Once it's installed you just need to replace the salt blocks about once a month, but that's about it really; they're very low maintenance. You'll also find after a month or so it will start reducing the furring and limescale which is already present in your house, which is definitely a bonus!

We inherited one with the house, and boy do you notice when it runs out of salt, or you need to replace it. We had to replace the first one pretty quickly, and then have just had to replace again after 10 years. They are about £1k!!

absolutely.

First thing we did when we moved in, its makes so much difference!

And yes, you notice when the salt blocks need replacing. So glad i don't have to fanny about with filter jugs now!!

100%. Very hard water area here. We’ve just finished our second house renovation in the years, and put a softener In both houses. Much better for my appliances, much better for my 6-year old chronic eczema-sufferers skin, and much better for all our our hair. Plus I don’t have to throw so many chemicals at the shower screens etc anymore.

Thank you for your quick responses. If we install one we were thinking not to include the kitchen tap, plumbed in fridge freezer ice maker or the garden tap - does that sound right?
There seem to be so many different types - block salt or not, electric or not - its getting confusing. I do like the bonus of the limescale reduction in existing pipework though.

So glad i don't have to fanny about with filter jugs now!!

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You shouldn't have it plumbed to the kitchen fresh water, that should come off a bypass straight from the mains.

We had a salt pellet one, marvellous.

The sodium amount is tiny so we had a mains brita filter tap but beyond that everything else was softened!

We inherited one last year and had the kitchen tap taken off it although apparently it was supposed to be ok but I didnt like the taste. Definately worth having one - makes dish washers and washing machines last longer too.

@Baaaahhhhh

So glad i don't have to fanny about with filter jugs now!!

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You shouldn't have it plumbed to the kitchen fresh water, that should come off a bypass straight from the mains.

we had the kitchen tap included specifically as we drink a lot of water.

We had ours installed when we had an extension and I don't regret it for a minute. Very hard water area and it makes lots of difference to washing anything and the life of your appliances.

Thank you all, I am persuaded. Now I just need to choose which one

We moved from a soft water area to a very hard water area, a softener was the very first thing I had done in the house. I have a 3 way kitchen tap supplying hot water, cold softened water, and hard cold water directly from the mains. The outdoor tap is hard water as well.
Ours was from Kindwater .

We had an Atlantis AT210 only one our independent plumbing supply recommended.

Companies that advertise on TV or colour supplements are the most expensive.

If you live in a hard-water area, there will be at least one local water-softener company. Phone them and say "do you repair water softeners"

If yes, engage with them and see what they sell, and the prices. I am currently using a reconditioned one from such a company.

They may refuse ones they did not supply, especially budget brands from DIY sheds.

The technology is very simple, and they may have an "own brand" with an industry-standard control head. Fleck is AFAIK the most common and parts are easy to get. IME it is only the control head that ever goes wrong and needs servicing as it contains all the moving parts including the valves, meter and timer. When you have seen a few you will recognise it.

Unknown electronic brands may not be repairable.

Salt blocks are much more expensive than pebbles or granules, but are convenient. You can get sacks of salt pebbles delivered by the local firm. Don't ever carry salt in your own car as any specks of spillage cause terrible rust and corrosion. Look inside the delivery van and you will be shocked.

I agree that a water softener makes a HUGE difference in a hard water area.

The softened water is drinkable, but it's healthier not to drink it, especially for babies, elderly, or people with high blood pressure or kidney problems. We fitted ours so that only the kitchen cold tap isn't softened.

Our plumbers recommended a non-electrical softener, as they are cheaper, more reliable and easier to maintain. Also block salt rather than loose, again because it is easier to manage.

Word of warning, though. If you have an older property, think carefully before installing a water softener. The softened water dissolves existing limescale deposits in your system. In older systems there may be so much limescale that it is virtually holding the joints together, and removing it could result in leaks. Our plumbing would have been about 30y old when we installed the softener, and we had no problems. I know people who installed a water softener in a pre-2ndWW house, and at least two of them had multiple leaks within months.

@Theteapotsbrokenspout We also have one from Kindwater. We actually rent it because we never got round to buying one properly and it’s brilliant. They service it, come out if I think there’s any issue and replace it with a new one when the resin needs renewal. We have a separate tap for drinking water but the main kitchen taps and everything else is softened. A bag of salt every 3 weeks or so keeps it running nicely and no way would I go back to unsoftened water. It’s better for our skin, hair, appliances and makes cleaning much easier. Kindwater will deliver salt too if you can store it. If you’re in their are I would totally recommend them. They are really helpful and never ever try and up sell.

We have a separate hard water tap for drinking. All other water in the house is softened.
I demurred because of the price but caved because dh wanted one.
I would never be without one now.

I bought rather than rented mine from Kindwater, but I paid for it over 10 months with no interest charges. I use the salt blocks and have them delivered, they also gave me 10 bags of 2 salt blocks free when they installed it.
Ours was quite expensive as the plumbing was a bit of a nightmare, it turned out we had 2 rising mains, but the guy from Kindwater sorted out all the problems.
Apparently the previous owners of our house had been told by another company that it wasn’t possible to install one here.

@Theteapotsbrokenspout I'm curious- why do you want cold hard water coming to your kitchen tap?

We're about to fit an extension (hard water area), and I would like to know what kind of filter I should be thinking about - confused!

Ah ok- crosspost!

@HBGKC ideally your drinking water shouldn’t be softened, as mentioned above it is drinkable but not ideal for people in certain categories.

If I remember correctly Kindwater can also fit a filter to the hard water tap so it’s not actually softened but is more pleasant to drink.

You have to leave out a tap like a kitchen tap or you will have no un-softened water to drink.
Softened water tastes vile and is not good for you.

The best way to do this is a three way tap in the kitchen. Hot and cold softened on the right . And on the left is drinking water.
Also if you have an american style fridge with water/ice, that will have to be left out of the softened water circuit too.

Is there a way that such a system can be combined with a boiling water tap...?

Our proper taps in the kitchen run soft water. We have a new thin trap installed for the hard drinking water. Looks a bit like a hot water tap but don't know if they can be combined. Would look a bit strange to have two extra traps.

Re having one tap that remains hard water for drinking - so you wouldn't use softened water for kettle or coffee machine.
Essentially the softened water would be for shower and washing machine then.