# Water softening



## Wombat (Nov 12, 2013)

Hi all,

I know this is a topic that's been done before, so I've done a bit of research before posting this.

I've had it with my water at home (Hartlepool) - it's making a mess of all my tap fittings, every time I wipe anything down it dries all crusty and don't get me started on the bathroom...

I daren't bring tap water anywhere near my espresso machine so I use Volvic bottled.

I've got a plumbed in Cistermiser that came with the house but it's less use than breasts on a fish. I've decided to install a softening solution.

I know a DI or RO will strip out a lot of desirables from the water and I'll need to get some kind of (expensive) filtration system installed to reintroduce things if I intend on drinking or brewing from the water.

My question is, would I be robbing Peter to pay Paul and not solving my scale problem, or is there a solution that would be pleasant to both drink and shower with?

I'm happy enough using bottled water, but two birds...


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## El carajillo (Mar 16, 2013)

Contact your local water authority for information on hardness and constituents of your water. (you can look online)but may not give full details.

This information will give you a baseline to work from for what you need to remove or add back for your coffee.

This will give you a guide to the softner and / or filter you may need.

Ion exchange/ salt regeneration will soften water for washing /showering and reduce limescale forming on fittings but is NOT recommended for drinking

because of increased sodium.

I think you will find the "Cistermiser" is a flow reducer to reduce water usage, not a filter.


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## Wombat (Nov 12, 2013)

Thanks El carajillo.

The Cistermiser is a 'combimate' that's supposed to reduce scale according to the description on Amazon, but it has little effect.

I wonder if adding a softener and then putting something in the kitchen to make the softened water suitable for drinking would be appropriate then, but we're then talking expense. I take it there's no halfway house that will reduce/eliminate scale issues but not strip the water entirely?


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## El carajillo (Mar 16, 2013)

You could fit a "water softner" to supply majority of house, washing , showering etc and a separate filter system to supply a drinking water tap and your coffee machine in the kitchen. Factor in salt purchase if ion exchange and filter replacements depending on quantity of water used / by time exchange.

You are talking expense:whistle:


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## Wombat (Nov 12, 2013)

In which case I wonder if it would be more sensible to just get a standard softener installed and continue using bottled on the coffee...


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## Jumbo Ratty (Jan 12, 2015)

I thought when you had a water softener system fitted they also install a special separate tap on the kitchen sink in addition to the usual one.

The new additional tap is mains fed and not effected by the softener system and has its own independent filter fitted in line under the sink.

Thats what we have.

The softened water stops the annoying build up of scale on the shower screens, taps etc, but is not meant to be drunk or used for cooking with.

The special filtered tap is used for drinking and cooking


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## El carajillo (Mar 16, 2013)

You can have the supply to the kitchen tap taken off before the softner to provide non softened water for drinking / cooking. You do not "NEED" a filter but it would probably improve the taste and depending on type of filter could remove unwanted elements to make it suitable for coffee machine.


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## DavecUK (Aug 6, 2013)

I use a whole house water softener an RO system for drinking water and RO + added sodium bicarbonate (brings TDS to 70-80 acts as a buffer for the coffee machines, passivation layer, but does not form scale). never have to descale, never get problems, taste is good.


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## El carajillo (Mar 16, 2013)

What is the approximate cost of a whole house RO set up Dave ?


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## DavecUK (Aug 6, 2013)

El carajillo said:


> What is the approximate cost of a whole house RO set up Dave ?


I don't know, I soften the whole house water and just use the RO for drinking water (RO systems actually prefer to work on softened water). I use a Harveys twin tank fully mechanical system for the softening and one of the cheapie 5 stage systems for the RO every 4 or 5 years I simply buy a brand new pumped RO system.. (about £135)

I would never use a whole house RO system, because it would rot out the copper pipes. It's why I bicarb treat the water, to raise the ph back towards 7 and it acts as a good buffer to maintain the ph easily. The Harveys softeners are about £750 but last a long time.


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## Wombat (Nov 12, 2013)

Did you have yours professionally fitted Dave?

How long would you say is a long time? I've seen a company claiming that some customers have had 25 years of use from what I think are RO systems.


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