water softner vs water filter

[NYBo]

Re: water softner vs water filter

Did you try the water with just the filter first?

I have had a softener for over 20 years, so, no. My water is too hard to be without one.

 

[CharlieB]

Re: water softner vs water filter

Mid-Missouri, lots of limestone and iron in the well water.

Whole house filter, softener, and an RO under the sink on a separate tap.

Outside taps un-filtered, un-softened.

Note; after reading most of the WHO Water Report, back in the late 60' early 70's Dad's heart Dr advised Dad to add a raw water tap (Filtered, NOT softened) to the sink for cooking/drinking mineral laden water.

Some of my current problems 'could' be related to the years of de-mineralized softened water.

 

[bassman284]

Re: water softner vs water filter

Spigot is one of those weird words I picked up from my dad, like "sportabout" instead of SUV, if that's what you meant.:lol: If you meant I shouldn't use that water on my car, well then it gets worse, I use it to wash my boat in that case adding another outdoor faucet would be the only real cure wouldn't it? I love my plants but giving them softened water would get pretty spendy.

Thanks for all the info. I was hoping to do away with the salt and softener and all that stuff but sounds like I'm stuck with it. If my WaterBoss is dead do you have any recommendations on another brand? I've been considering adding a cheaper pre-filter in front of the softener anyways so I'll go ahead and do that just to cut out some of the Iron. Maybe it would be a good idea to do that then have the water tested to determine exact settings for the softener.

@Glenn, I actually took the RO portion off my undersink filter and just kept the 3 main cartridges. I don't always agree with the World Health Organization but they and others make some interesting points. Maybe I just read too much.

http://www.who.int/water_sanitation_health/dwq/nutdemineralized.pdf

sub, you must be very young (compared to me). Google AMC Sportabout to see what your dad is talking about.It is kind of the original SUV.

You don't need an extra bib (or spigot, as us old guys say) to have soft water outside, just a little plumbing. Long story, so bear with me.

When I moved here in 1998, I knew that North Liberty had extremely hard water, about 32 gr. I held off putting in a water softener until my stainless kitchen sink was almost entirely white. Life improved until 2001 when I bought a brand new BLACK Lund and decided to wash it after a couple of months, using the outside spigot. It had white spots all over it from the minerals. Looked worse than before. I called my favorite plumber and told him I needed soft water to the outside spigot. For about 90 bucks, he plumbed it so that I can have either soft water or straight city water to the outside spigot by turning a couple of valves. Well worth it.

 

[sublauxation]

Re: water softner vs water filter

sub, you must be very young (compared to me). Google AMC Sportabout to see what your dad is talking about.It is kind of the original SUV.

Honestly I'm ashamed to say I never bothered to google it. My dad had an AMC dealership back in the day so it all makes sense, I just always assumed he was losing it and made the word up. In all the AMC catalogs I've looked through I never made it past the AMX's and Javelins.

As for the spigot, I guess all it would really take is a couple shut offs. I have softened water running right up to it. I bet fewer mineral stains would get another 1 MPH and 50 rpm's.

 

[sublauxation]

Re: water softner vs water filter

Mid-Missouri, lots of limestone and iron in the well water.

Whole house filter, softener, and an RO under the sink on a separate tap.

Outside taps un-filtered, un-softened.

Note; after reading most of the WHO Water Report, back in the late 60' early 70's Dad's heart Dr advised Dad to add a raw water tap (Filtered, NOT softened) to the sink for cooking/drinking mineral laden water.

Some of my current problems 'could' be related to the years of de-mineralized softened water.

I've read quite a bit about it since my 9 year old has some weird mineral staining on some of his teeth. Honestly it's one of those topics where the more you read the more confused you get. Having lots of free iron from unfiltered water isn't that good either.

 

[bassman284]

Re: water softner vs water filter

Honestly I'm ashamed to say I never bothered to google it. My dad had an AMC dealership back in the day so it all makes sense, I just always assumed he was losing it and made the word up. In all the AMC catalogs I've looked through I never made it past the AMX's and Javelins.

As for the spigot, I guess all it would really take is a couple shut offs. I have softened water running right up to it. I bet fewer mineral stains would get another 1 MPH and 50 rpm's.

Well that's funny right there. The Sportabout was basically a tricked out Hornet station wagon, they added some woodgrain and some chrome.

I went and checked my water lines and it's not quite as scientific as I thought. I can send unsoftened water to my front bib but have to completely bypass the softener to the whole house to do it. Oh well.

 

[Boomyal]

Re: water softner vs water filter

.......Some of my current problems 'could' be related to the years of de-mineralized softened water......

Not sure what you mean about this Charlie. The body wants pure H2o to perform its functions. Anything that is in the water that is not useful, the body has to process to get rid of. Very little mineral content in well water is useful to the human body, certainly not dissolved rock, ie water hardness.

I think you should look elsewhere to find the source of your health issues.

 

[sublauxation]

Re: water softner vs water filter

Not sure what you mean about this Charlie. The body wants pure H2o to perform its functions. Anything that is in the water that is not useful, the body has to process to get rid of. Very little mineral content in well water is useful to the human body, certainly not dissolved rock, ie water hardness.

I think you should look elsewhere to find the source of your health issues.

Water "hardness" is calcium and magnesium, both are beneficial in the body. Depending on the definition, "pure" water does not exist anywhere in the human body. Read the article from WHO. It is interesting.

 

[16victor]

Re: water softner vs water filter

1st hand experience with filter (undersink, particulate + activated charcoal). My English wife likes tea and hates our water. The electric kettle needed a vinegar boil about every month to remove deposits...exactly what the are I'm not sure.
Water Quality

Since I hate spending $$ on bottled water, I bought and installed the filter, after which neither wife nor inlaws could taste a difference between filtered and bottled water.

Results: the kettle hasn't been vinegar cleaned in years and it's still clean as can be - this is after 8+ years of daily use. Think of that those deposits are doing to my water heater...plus a chemist neighbor says those deposits are also what's causing the shower curtains to get a filmy pink residue at the bottom....says deposits let some bacteria grow.

I'm installing a whole-house filter soon since it's far cheaper than a softener.

I'm no chemist by a long shot, but a filter did the trick for me.

 

[Boomyal]

Re: water softner vs water filter

Unless you can understand the properties of the 'filter' that you are using, you cannot understand the results of water passing through them. Dissolved calcium, that would require cleaning with vinegar, would not be affected by any typical 'filter'. As for the pink stuff, that is a bacteria. This will also not be affected by any 'filter'. If anything a filter cartridge could become an incubator. If you doubt that the pink is bacteria, squirt a little bleach on it and it will disappear.