Water softener system

[Tabletoppot]

We live in SE London and the water is extremely hard. In addition to damaging our kettle, washing machine etc, DDs both have eczema and I'm concerned that it's irritating their skin.

We're considering having a household water softener system installed and I'd be grateful for people's views on them and ballpark costs (4bed/2bath house), we don't know anyone who has one so difficult to get realistic opinions! Thanks

We got a Harvey’s one about 10 years ago. Also SE and I grew up with soft water so it was a source of constant annoyance.

Love it - really helps with washing hair, we don’t get limescale buildup any more around taps and in bathroom, much easier to keep clean. Tea made with the softened water tastes loads better - this is the main way I notice if the salt has run out!

We have an unsoftened cold tap in the kitchen and all the rest is softened. We drink the unsoftened water apart from in hot drinks.

Cost - was over 1.1k 10 years ago. Not sure about now. About 2 years ago we had a £300 ish repair of some sort to the softener needed. The block salt is cheap enough and we’ve never had trouble getting it - the local corner shop sells it. It’s v heavy to carry! I think you can get it delivered but we never do.

Our house is 4 bed 2 bath, and we have a combi boiler.

Thank you that's really helpful, you're right about the hair washing, I always notice how much softer it is when I've been on holiday to a soft water area!

I think that I'm definitely being swayed

Pretty much same as above pp. Moved in 18 months ago to a new build. Have had the softener that long - brilliant. Would never be without one now in a hard water area. We're in Essex.

Can I ask why you need an unsoftened tap in the kitchen? I grew up drinking soft water so am surprised about that. I also haven’t factored it into my plumbing plans!

We put a replacement water softener into our house just after we moved in. It was about £1k (house is 5 bed, 4 bath with a combi boiler and massive tank), but as it was to replace an old one the previous owners had put in all the plumbing and fittings etc were in place already. Absolutely love it. So much easier to keep the shower screens and taps clean! Don't need to buy calgon or any other limescale remover products.
It's not plumbed into the cold tap - think that's standard and assume it's because you don't want to drink the salt that softens the water. We weren't given an option. (Someone will be able to explain it - I'm just guessing).

I should add this was last year for pricing comparisons. NE London.

Upgraded to a Kinetico one in 1990, it's been going strong ever since.

I would not be without one, I'm just used to it and never think about the horrid London limescale water.

Do get a water filter tap in the kitchen, which runs off the unsoftened. Worth its weight in gold for delicious neutral tasting water.

The latest filters only need to be replaced annually, the softener gets a top up of granulated salt monthly. Buying the salt in bulk makes it considerably cheaper.

We had a Harveys softener fitted in January by a local company in Essex. Cost just over £2k including a new 3 way tap because I didn't want a hole cut in my worktop!
We love it, makes cleaning the bathrooms so much easier!

We have had a very basic one for nearly 20 years. It’s had the resin replaced once but is still going strong, we get tablet salt delivered by the milkman now and use approx 1 bag every 4 weeks or so. We have a separate drinking water tap which is not softened which we use for all cold drinks. All hot drinks and cooking are with softened water. Babies and the very elderly/those with kidney issues shouldn’t use softened water for everything is what we were told and if you just drink water on its own softened definitely takes a while to get used to.

Eczema was one of the reasons we got a softener in the first place and it’s never been an issue since.