Talk to me about whole home water softeners/filtration

[samanthasays]

Hi Ladies

I am considering getting a whole home water softener and filtration system. 

Who has one?

Do you love it? Does it make a difference to your hair, skin, anything else?

Any recommendations for someone considering getting one?

[butlerfan]

we have one because we have high iron and well water. So if the water softener doesn't work (and In laws don't want to believe you and get it fixed....) we get yellow stains and the water tastes disgusting.

For us it is a necessity.

[samanthasays]

Jul 20, 2016 13:32:31 GMT -5 butlerfan said:

we have one because we have high iron and well water. So if the water softener doesn't work (and In laws don't want to believe you and get it fixed....) we get yellow stains and the water tastes disgusting.

For us it is a necessity.

I know we have hard water, only because I have heard the neighbors complain about it. I feel so clueless about this stuff! But I am thinking about having a company come out and test our water and give us an estimate. My sister has whole house filtration and I love showering at her house, my skin and hair feel amazing after. 

[BabyStandish]

Be prepared to spend a crap load of money. I forget how much we were quoted for exactly, but it was somewhere around $8000. Not worth it IMO. Maybe if I had no debt lol

[♪♫choppinbroccoli♫♪]

I have a whole home system. I hate the way the water tastes.

[samanthasays]

Jul 20, 2016 13:59:34 GMT -5 BabyStandish said:

Be prepared to spend a crap load of money. I forget how much we were quoted for exactly, but it was somewhere around $8000. Not worth it IMO. Maybe if I had no debt lol

That's good to know! That is pricey :/ 

[BabyStandish]

Jul 20, 2016 14:44:38 GMT -5 samanthasays said:

Jul 20, 2016 13:59:34 GMT -5 BabyStandish said:

Be prepared to spend a crap load of money. I forget how much we were quoted for exactly, but it was somewhere around $8000. Not worth it IMO. Maybe if I had no debt lol

That's good to know! That is pricey :/ 

I didn't shop around so there's probably cheaper. Not as cheap as my brita filter though.

[samanthasays]

Jul 20, 2016 14:12:43 GMT -5 ♪♫choppinbroccoli♫♪ said:

I have a whole home system. I hate the way the water tastes.

Really? I thought it was supposed to make the water taste amazing. That is something good to consider.

I love my sisters system, but she is 3k miles away, so I am not sure I can get the same one or the same results out here. 

[samanthasays]

Jul 20, 2016 14:45:33 GMT -5 BabyStandish said:

Jul 20, 2016 14:44:38 GMT -5 samanthasays said:

That's good to know! That is pricey :/ 

I didn't shop around so there's probably cheaper. Not as cheap as my brita filter though.

I just use the fridge water dispenser normally, that is filtered and tastes fine to me. but it would be nice to get a glass of water from the master bath sink and have it taste clean and good, not like tap water. 

[♪♫choppinbroccoli♫♪]

Jul 20, 2016 14:46:03 GMT -5 samanthasays said:

Jul 20, 2016 14:12:43 GMT -5 ♪♫choppinbroccoli♫♪ said:

I have a whole home system. I hate the way the water tastes.

Really? I thought it was supposed to make the water taste amazing. That is something good to consider.

I love my sisters system, but she is 3k miles away, so I am not sure I can get the same one or the same results out here. 

Well, I don't know much about all of this. It came with the house we bought. But I swear I can taste the salt in the softened water.

It could just be because of our water source, I don't know. I do love the soft water for showers, though.

[samanthasays]

Jul 20, 2016 14:48:44 GMT -5 ♪♫choppinbroccoli♫♪ said:

Jul 20, 2016 14:46:03 GMT -5 samanthasays said:

Really? I thought it was supposed to make the water taste amazing. That is something good to consider.

I love my sisters system, but she is 3k miles away, so I am not sure I can get the same one or the same results out here. 

Well, I don't know much about all of this. It came with the house we bought. But I swear I can taste the salt in the softened water.

It could just be because of our water source, I don't know. I do love the soft water for showers, though.

Some systems do use salt to filter I think! So you might be right. But I put a crystal of pink Himalayan sea salt in my water, so I might not mind as much ha ha!

[butlerfan]

We have to change our filter every 3 month and put salt in our water softener somewhat regularly as well. If we don't do that....see above with the yellow. I wish we could just do a brita pitcher but with the iron issue and well water we HAVE to have this. Trust me...everything was yellow in 2-3 days and that is a pain to clean and keep things nice looking. Do not want.

[nuggetrn]

butlerfan we also have very high iron levels and have the same problems with the water turning everything yellow. We use the Morton's pellets that are iron specific and they do a great job. When the guy came to install all of our stuff he tested the water and determined we were just below the threshold to need the special iron filter.

samanthasays

I am curious about the pink salt crystal... Why/how/what? Lol. Just wondering about it in general.

As to your question...I like knowing that softened water, free of iron and excess calcium are running through our brand new appliances. It is supposed to extend the life of things as you aren't potentially clogging up lines. Can't say I have noticed a huge difference when showering but I do also know it is supposed to make soap sudsier.

We got lucky and we bought a barely used water softener and barrel off of my step dad's sister. A good water softener can cost well over $1000.

I don't love the way our well water tastes but I am ok with it. So I am not much help with the filtration system. It makes me sad because I LOVED our well water growing up. I wish the water at this house tasted that good.

[butlerfan]

nuggetrn...as long as we use the salt for iron and rust we are finr. It was when the water softener quit working that we had issues.

[nuggetrn]

Jul 20, 2016 17:48:16 GMT -5 butlerfan said:

nuggetrn...as long as we use the salt for iron and rust we are finr. It was when the water softener quit working that we had issues.

So dumb question maybe? To what filter are you referring? In your fridge? DH deals with most of this so maybe we have a filter and I just don't know about it.

[butlerfan]

Jul 20, 2016 17:54:36 GMT -5 nuggetrn said:

Jul 20, 2016 17:48:16 GMT -5 butlerfan said:

nuggetrn...as long as we use the salt for iron and rust we are finr. It was when the water softener quit working that we had issues.

So dumb question maybe? To what filter are you referring? In your fridge? DH deals with most of this so maybe we have a filter and I just don't know about it.

We have a house filtration system that needs a filter. We also have a water softener that is a seperate machine but pipes for water go to the filtration system. H changes the filter but I know where it goes. H also adds the salt.

[nuggetrn]

Jul 20, 2016 18:03:24 GMT -5 butlerfan said:

Jul 20, 2016 17:54:36 GMT -5 nuggetrn said:

So dumb question maybe? To what filter are you referring? In your fridge? DH deals with most of this so maybe we have a filter and I just don't know about it.

We have a house filtration system that needs a filter. We also have a water softener that is a seperate machine but pipes for water go to the filtration system. H changes the filter but I know where it goes. H also adds the salt.

Ah gotcha... I did not realize you had a filtration system as well. When you said filter my mind went to the specific iron filter that we dodged.

[ihatepizza]

I considered getting one so that our heating system (in floor heating) works better. For 1000 I'll just chop more wood because I'm cheap, also I'd be so so sad if my water tastes different

[onesweetworld]

Our softener made my hands crack like crazy. We turned it off and I'm so glad. We use a UV light to filter.

[samanthasays]

Jul 20, 2016 21:45:47 GMT -5 onesweetworld said:

Our softener made my hands crack like crazy. We turned it off and I'm so glad. We use a UV light to filter.

You are using the UV light now and it is not making your hands crack? I would be SO unhappy if I paid thousands of dollars and it messed up my skin! 

[samanthasays]

nuggetrn I like to add a drop of essential oil to my water, just one little pink Himalayan sea salt crystal can help disperse the oil throughout the water so it doesn't all float on top.

I cant taste the salt, but I like really salty food, so I am probably not the best judge