Need water softener info.

[bittermelon]

So I am ready to get a water softener for my house. I am concerned about adding salt to my drinking water. But do non salt water softeners work? How do I evaluate which water softener is best for effectiveness? TIA

[Redwood]

You are not adding salt to your water...
The salt brine is used for regenerating the resin bed in the softener, and is flushed to a drain not run through your faucets....
The amount of sodium added is less than that in a loaf of white bread....
There is a small increase of sodium in the water and if that is objectionable for health reasons you can use Potassium Chloride for a brine solution....

As for the electronic, magnetic, radio frequency coils, etc. they are at best VooDoo that works to enrich the sellers of these devices and in many cases work in the imagination of the customer that buys them....

Water is softened by removing minerals such as Lime & Calcium from the water...
How can wires wrapped around a pipe remove these minerals from the water?
They can't!
Instead what they claim is that there is a magic chemical composition change that occurs and the minerals are transformed rendering them harmless to your plumbing system preventing scale buildup. These devices may have demonstrated some effectiveness at reducing scale buildup in closed multi-pass systems of which your domestic water system is not as it is a singe pass open system.

The Ion exchange method of softening water is the only proven method of softening water.
SpeedBump will be along to tell you more as he is the resident softener expert...

[bittermelon]

Water softener.

Thanks for the quick reply. Now the next question. Is there a big difference between different brands? Should I buy it through a sales person, or just get one from the local hardware store and have someone install it?

[Speedbump]

The biggest difference between brands is basically money. Remember what Redwood said. There is only one proven system that will actually soften water and that is Ion exchange. All the softeners that work use this technology. The difference in brand names is basically money. Proprietary brands like Culligan, Rain Soft and Kinetico are overly expensive. Usually your paying for the smooth tongued salesman that sells it to you over coffee in your living room while schmoozing your wife with all kinds of snake oil tests done with his (sales) testkit.

There are gobs on line marketers and a few of them actually have good pricing and sell quality units that practically any softener company can and will work on. I sell them if your interested, visit my site, give me a call and I'll explain what I need to help you size one for your home.

The softener sales that claim they are salt free are either snake oil or they can (don't have to) use Potassium Chloride instead of salt. More required than salt and much more expensive.

[Redwood]

Another brand you probably want to avoid is the GE softeners sold in the big box stores, my understanding is parts, reliability, and people to service them are degrading issues...

[peoplelover]

Water softener? Try a CONDITIONER instead.

I personally no loner recommend water softeners, all of which use salt which is an annoyance and bad for the environment. We discovered an electronic technology which conditions the hard water using no salt and requires no maintenance. We were doubtful at first, but since they offered a one year money back guarantee we gave it a try. Our experience has proven that they are not "voodoo" but a solid ecofriendly technology. It is called the Scalewatcher and we got ours from Aqua Genesis because they offer a lowest price guarantee and had really friendly customer service. Since we installed it all the limescale is gone and cleaning up counter tops and shower doors is a breeze. If you have any questions then you will appreciate their informative website at aquagenesisusa.com

[Redwood]

I personally no loner recommend water softeners, all of which use salt which is an annoyance and bad for the environment. We discovered an electronic technology which conditions the hard water using no salt and requires no maintenance. We were doubtful at first, but since they offered a one year money back guarantee we gave it a try. Our experience has proven that they are not "voodoo" but a solid ecofriendly technology. It is called the Scalewatcher and we got ours from Aqua Genesis because they offer a lowest price guarantee and had really friendly customer service. Since we installed it all the limescale is gone and cleaning up counter tops and shower doors is a breeze. If you have any questions then you will appreciate their informative website at IGotTaken.com

You are either someone with a vested interest in selling that VooDoo junk or, you have been totally bamboozled....

If you are selling we will see a flood of 1 & 2 post wonders all nodding in agreement with each other and having a good old time talking about how their showerheads stay cleaner and the water tastes and feels better...

Of course we will also have the only study that can be found on this devices effectiveness that was performed at BoughtNPaidfer University by Professor I.M.Scum of the Janitorial Studies Department.....

If you are someone who has purchased this item and you believe it to be effective can I interest you in buying an Ocean Front Property that I'm selling in Montana?

[Speedbump]

I expect the other happy satisfied magnetic customers to be chiming in any moment now, with their stories how their world was transformed into total bliss by simply wrapping a wire around their cold water pipe and plugging it into this cute little metal box.

[Redwood]

I expect the other happy satisfied magnetic customers to be chiming in any moment now, with their stories how their world was transformed into total bliss by simply wrapping a wire around their cold water pipe and plugging it into this cute little metal box.

I'm surprised they aren't here already...

Dressed in their white cotton dhoti suits, banging finger cymbals while they chant in unison....

Oh wait! That was some other cult group back in the 70's....

Actually those wires wrapped around the pipe generate such a strong electro-magnetic field, that it transforms non-ferrous elements, and sucks them right through the wall of the pipe....

But I like the flashing LED's best of all because then you know it is doing something....

[Redwood]

I forgot we were coming into the weekend...

They'll be here Monday once the get into the VooDoo Water Conditioner Sales Office.....

They won't be embarrassed by these posts....

They are quite shameless and they just want your money....

[Speedbump]

Your right about that, they are shameless. We have seen it on several Forums already.