School me on whole house water filters and softeners. I need a softener, and have an old whole house (charcoal based) filter.
Got a quote from one company for a TAC based salt free softener/conditioner for $1650 (which seems reasonable and I’ve read some research that suggests TAC systems are probably the best), but then they quoted for a whole house water filtration system that was $6200. Prices are for installed. This seems a crazy price for a filtration system.
There are many filtration systems on the market for much less, although most are delivered uninstalled, so I would need to pay a plumber to install. Anyone know their stuff in this field?
Getting a second quote next week from a different company…
Thanks - is that a salt-based softener? Do you need to add salt or do anything on a regular basis?
Good question re the filter. Maybe I’ll consider the under-sink option for the drinking water. You’re right, we only drink water from the kitchen tap.
Thanks - is that a salt-based softener? Do you need to add salt or do anything on a regular basis?
Good question re the filter. Maybe I’ll consider the under-sink option for the drinking water. You’re right, we only drink water from the kitchen tap.
Yes, I add salt pellets every so often. 40 lb. bag once or twice a month. I think my tank holds around 300 pounds or so. A 40 lb. bag is like $6.
Using the filter like I have doesn’t use the tap. It uses its own little faucet that is installed next to the main sink tap like this.
Go to budgetwater.com. Our DIY was a 1/3rd the price, great customer service and before and after testing. It was arsenic in our case. Most of your water is toilet, showers, washing machine, etc., so give point of use vs whole house some thought. I set up a filter system in basement with access to fridge and kitchen sink, maybe 3 hours not including trip to Lowe’s for extra tubing.
Thanks - is that a salt-based softener? Do you need to add salt or do anything on a regular basis?
Good question re the filter. Maybe I’ll consider the under-sink option for the drinking water. You’re right, we only drink water from the kitchen tap.
Keep in mind it’s not just drinking water. Soft water helps in the shower for both skin and hair. Softer water will also help with laundry. Less corrosive on your plumbing,
If you need to also remove iron, that increases the cost more as that tends to be a two stage process.
My water is rather hard and was real bad to drink, shower, bad on our plumbing. Installed a rather inexpensive Kenmore salt-based water softener years ago - did need to find a plumber to install. he was horrible. All-in I was under $2,500. But, that was a decade ago and I’m located in a rather poor rural area. I did not need to do a separate Iron remover, but I do use the iron remover salt which is a bit higher in cost then what G-man quoted.
For drinking water, we add a Britta to that. We also purchase most of our drinking water from a nearby spring at .25 a gallon.
I also have one line that runs to an outside spigot prior to the softener. We use that line for plant irrigation if we run low on captured rain water.
I grew up on a farm with horribly hard and iron infused water. My dad ended up just leasing the equipment instead of replacing it every few years. We could never drink that water without holding your nose - even with an osmosis unit added at the sink. Even worse was our summer camp - that was sulfur-hard and just reeked like rotten eggs. we never drank that, never did laundry in it, was horrible to shower in - the river water was always preferred. It was mostly just for toilet and washing dishes.
If you need to remove iron or sulfur, spend whatever you need. that will be costly
I always get a kick out of people that come to my house who aren’t used to or never experienced really soft water. The water, for lack of a better term, feels slippery. So people will spend way more time than usual in the shower or washing their hands. They think soap or shampoo is still on them.
Water in my area is really hard, after our city does some treatment we are still at 17gpg/280ppm .
I would call a few plumbers for quotes. typically they will give you a number right off the phone and brand they use. I think I paid $1,500 for a Hellenband mid grade softener and installation. Prior one was a Menards install yourself water softener (water boss) and it crapped out after 4 years. Plumber told me they consider those ‘disposable’ water softeners as the quality is lackluster.
Adding salt is easy. I do it whenever I remember, once a quarter maybe. The softener can hold about 300lbs of salt, so I add 2 40lb bags to keep it topped off.
I always get a kick out of people that come to my house who aren’t used to or never experienced really soft water. The water, for lack of a better term, feels slippery. So people will spend way more time than usual in the shower or washing their hands. They think soap or shampoo is still on them.
The gym I go to has this feeling and I had no idea this is apparently why… TIL.
I always get a kick out of people that come to my house who aren’t used to or never experienced really soft water. The water, for lack of a better term, feels slippery. So people will spend way more time than usual in the shower or washing their hands. They think soap or shampoo is still on them.
The gym I go to has this feeling and I had no idea this is apparently why… TIL.
The first time my sister came to my house she spent like 40 minutes in the shower because she thought shampoo was still in her hair.
