water softeners

[monkey]

Just wondering if anyone knows about water softeners. We're moving to an area that's got very hard water and are thinking of getting a water softener, but can't seem to find any info
eg
are they any good - do they work?
Is there a real noticable difference, eg with kettle, bathroom limescale on tapes, shower doors
is it ok to drink?

If anyone can help I'd be very grateful!

Thought about this ourselves, but have no info to share I'm afraid. Will keep an eye on the thread..

Don't have one ourselves, but know people who do, and thinking seriously about it ourselves.

Yes, they work, and it makes a real difference to appliances and taps etc. You will also notice the difference with eg. washing your hair. The cost of installing a fixed system needs to be offset against the amount you spend on watersoftening products like Calgon, or if you don't use any softening at all, against the severely reduced life expectancy of your white goods.

No, you can't drink it as, unlike naturally soft water, it has a high load of various minerals. One tap (usually the sink in the kitchen) will bypass the system, and this is the tap you will need to use for drinking, cooking and filling the kettle. So you can't fill glasses of water from the bathroom tap. But that's the only downside that I can see.

hth

thanks for the replies. We're seriously thinking of getting one as we're moving to an area with much harder water than where we currently are, and it's already so hard here it's an obsession. Problem is, I think it's fitted in such as way that every tap in the house goes through it, so I'm concerned about yopur comment, frogs, 7 glad you raised it. Can't seem to find out any info tho,

Hi monkey

Your post inspired me to get off my whatnot and actually find out some proper information, since I've been thinking about it for ages. This site contains the answer to pretty much every question I'd been asking myself.

hth

hanks a lot frogs. I'm really in 2 minds but that was useful, thnkas. what are you gonna do?

Wait a year or two till I get round to it, as with most things in my life... Actually I should get on with it, as our kitchen taps have just gummed up again and replacing them is only marginally cheaper than buying a softening unit.