Water softener
Discussion
Hi all,
I'm going to get a water softener fitted under our kitchen sink, we have fairly hard water and it constantly blocks the shower head.
I have just had a new 250l unvented cylinder fitted. The old Megaflow was about 1/4 full of lime scale.
If you have one, what model do you have or recommend.
Screwfix have the BTW 14l one for £550 but then they also have a 10l one listed as high flow.
We are a house of 4 adults the house has good water pressure and the unvented cylinder has the usual pressure regulator of I think 3bar.
So the showers are very nice lots of water flow, we have a very big shower head in out bathroom, so I dont want to reduce the water pressure if I can help it.
Any suggestions, can these units keep up with a fairly high flow rate for a shower.
Thanks for any information you can offer.
I'm going to get a water softener fitted under our kitchen sink, we have fairly hard water and it constantly blocks the shower head.
I have just had a new 250l unvented cylinder fitted. The old Megaflow was about 1/4 full of lime scale.
If you have one, what model do you have or recommend.
Screwfix have the BTW 14l one for £550 but then they also have a 10l one listed as high flow.
We are a house of 4 adults the house has good water pressure and the unvented cylinder has the usual pressure regulator of I think 3bar.
So the showers are very nice lots of water flow, we have a very big shower head in out bathroom, so I dont want to reduce the water pressure if I can help it.
Any suggestions, can these units keep up with a fairly high flow rate for a shower.
Thanks for any information you can offer.
I was about to recommend a Water2Buy one, but it looks like they’ve gone out of business - Bugger!
My first thought would be get the largest you can accommodate - They tend to have larger input / output pipework, the salt lasts longer, etc.
Depending on how your water runs, I’d say consider other locations - We’ve got a traditional system, with Hot & cold water tanks; only the kitchen tap is fed directly by the mains.
Given that, I’ve setup the (Much larger) water softener in the upstairs cupboard, alongside the storage tanks - It means you have to lug the salt upstairs, but it saves a lot of kitchen cupboard space and salt changes are far more infrequent.
Difficult to comment on the flow rate given the tanked system, but I’d say the refill rates are not noticeably diminished.
My first thought would be get the largest you can accommodate - They tend to have larger input / output pipework, the salt lasts longer, etc.
Depending on how your water runs, I’d say consider other locations - We’ve got a traditional system, with Hot & cold water tanks; only the kitchen tap is fed directly by the mains.
Given that, I’ve setup the (Much larger) water softener in the upstairs cupboard, alongside the storage tanks - It means you have to lug the salt upstairs, but it saves a lot of kitchen cupboard space and salt changes are far more infrequent.
Difficult to comment on the flow rate given the tanked system, but I’d say the refill rates are not noticeably diminished.
I am about to replace my 18 year old Megaflow due to the same problems with limescale. ,
If you are fitting a water softener I hope you are on mains drainage or a cess pit. Because we have a sewage treatment plant modified from a sceptic tank we can't have a water softener, apparently the salt messes up the bacterial action
If you are fitting a water softener I hope you are on mains drainage or a cess pit. Because we have a sewage treatment plant modified from a sceptic tank we can't have a water softener, apparently the salt messes up the bacterial action
Metric Max said:
I am about to replace my 18 year old Megaflow due to the same problems with limescale. ,
If you are fitting a water softener I hope you are on mains drainage or a cess pit. Because we have a sewage treatment plant modified from a sceptic tank we can't have a water softener, apparently the salt messes up the bacterial action
Thankfully on mains.If you are fitting a water softener I hope you are on mains drainage or a cess pit. Because we have a sewage treatment plant modified from a sceptic tank we can't have a water softener, apparently the salt messes up the bacterial action
Sounds like you have a similar setup to ours: large unvented HWC, 4 beds and 3 bathrooms (one has a large fixed rain shower head and separate handset). We’ve got a high-pressure water softener, and there is no noticeable difference in flow from the unsoftened to the softened water. You definitely need a softener that has a high-flow rate with your unvented/pressurised HW system.
Ours is an EMS model (Think is an EMS10 or EM10) from East Midlands Water, we got it on a deal at a home-building exhibition in London, it’s got very inflexible large supply pipes and fitting was a challenge. It electronically meters the usage and re-gens when required, but could have probably had a much more basic timer version – they all do the same thing, our always ends up re-gen’ing every 3 to 4 days. Don’t get sold the con of needing twin-tanks, they re-gen in the middle of the night (or when you set them) so unless you need loads of soft water at that time, simple is best – and a single tank is more than adequate.
We have ours on the main coming into the utility with a separate unsoftened kitchen cold (and outdoor tap), everything else is softened throughout the house. We installed when we re-plumbed and the difference was so noticeable, everything still looks like new, very little limescale over many years. The feeling on your skin is not to be underestimated either, along with using far less soap and cleaning products.
5 x 25kg of salt lasts us approx. a year in our very hard water area and costs about £60 a year delivered.
Ours is an EMS model (Think is an EMS10 or EM10) from East Midlands Water, we got it on a deal at a home-building exhibition in London, it’s got very inflexible large supply pipes and fitting was a challenge. It electronically meters the usage and re-gens when required, but could have probably had a much more basic timer version – they all do the same thing, our always ends up re-gen’ing every 3 to 4 days. Don’t get sold the con of needing twin-tanks, they re-gen in the middle of the night (or when you set them) so unless you need loads of soft water at that time, simple is best – and a single tank is more than adequate.
We have ours on the main coming into the utility with a separate unsoftened kitchen cold (and outdoor tap), everything else is softened throughout the house. We installed when we re-plumbed and the difference was so noticeable, everything still looks like new, very little limescale over many years. The feeling on your skin is not to be underestimated either, along with using far less soap and cleaning products.
5 x 25kg of salt lasts us approx. a year in our very hard water area and costs about £60 a year delivered.
x404 said:
Sounds like you have a similar setup to ours: large unvented HWC, 4 beds and 3 bathrooms (one has a large fixed rain shower head and separate handset). We ve got a high-pressure water softener, and there is no noticeable difference in flow from the unsoftened to the softened water. You definitely need a softener that has a high-flow rate with your unvented/pressurised HW system.
Ours is an EMS model (Think is an EMS10 or EM10) from East Midlands Water, we got it on a deal at a home-building exhibition in London, it s got very inflexible large supply pipes and fitting was a challenge. It electronically meters the usage and re-gens when required, but could have probably had a much more basic timer version they all do the same thing, our always ends up re-gen ing every 3 to 4 days. Don t get sold the con of needing twin-tanks, they re-gen in the middle of the night (or when you set them) so unless you need loads of soft water at that time, simple is best and a single tank is more than adequate.
We have ours on the main coming into the utility with a separate unsoftened kitchen cold (and outdoor tap), everything else is softened throughout the house. We installed when we re-plumbed and the difference was so noticeable, everything still looks like new, very little limescale over many years. The feeling on your skin is not to be underestimated either, along with using far less soap and cleaning products.
5 x 25kg of salt lasts us approx. a year in our very hard water area and costs about £60 a year delivered.
Very similar but only 2 baths both have large rainfall heads and separate hand sets with our new unvented cylinder the warer flow is great, such a huge difference from the blocked up Megaflo, although that was installed in 1997 when the house was built.Ours is an EMS model (Think is an EMS10 or EM10) from East Midlands Water, we got it on a deal at a home-building exhibition in London, it s got very inflexible large supply pipes and fitting was a challenge. It electronically meters the usage and re-gens when required, but could have probably had a much more basic timer version they all do the same thing, our always ends up re-gen ing every 3 to 4 days. Don t get sold the con of needing twin-tanks, they re-gen in the middle of the night (or when you set them) so unless you need loads of soft water at that time, simple is best and a single tank is more than adequate.
We have ours on the main coming into the utility with a separate unsoftened kitchen cold (and outdoor tap), everything else is softened throughout the house. We installed when we re-plumbed and the difference was so noticeable, everything still looks like new, very little limescale over many years. The feeling on your skin is not to be underestimated either, along with using far less soap and cleaning products.
5 x 25kg of salt lasts us approx. a year in our very hard water area and costs about £60 a year delivered.
I will have a look at that brand, would it fit in a cupboard under the sing do you think?
The other option is the airing cupboard upstairs but im not sure about the connection, I guess only the downstairs WC needs softened cold water, the kitchen and outdoor tap will remain normal.
Plus no waste up there.
I will search for suitable machines then get someone in to fit it.
Cpl nobby nobbs said:
Very similar but only 2 baths both have large rainfall heads and separate hand sets with our new unvented cylinder the warer flow is great, such a huge difference from the blocked up Megaflo, although that was installed in 1997 when the house was built.
I will have a look at that brand, would it fit in a cupboard under the sing do you think?
The other option is the airing cupboard upstairs but im not sure about the connection, I guess only the downstairs WC needs softened cold water, the kitchen and outdoor tap will remain normal.
Plus no waste up there.
I will search for suitable machines then get someone in to fit it.
Ours sits inside a 1000mm sink cupboard, but we cut out a section of the bottom of the cupboard out so it sits directly on the floor, it's incredibly heavy (especially full of salt) and the inflexible pipes behind just wouldn't fit without cupboard alterations. Softeners need a waste connection and an overflow with a fall on in case they fault. Our also needs power as it has a low voltage adapter powering the electronics (which many don't have), so I ran an additional socket nearby. Smaller ones would fit with far less faffing, we went with a size that was recommended for the property and water pressure.I will have a look at that brand, would it fit in a cupboard under the sing do you think?
The other option is the airing cupboard upstairs but im not sure about the connection, I guess only the downstairs WC needs softened cold water, the kitchen and outdoor tap will remain normal.
Plus no waste up there.
I will search for suitable machines then get someone in to fit it.
richatnort said:
I'm curious to know, do these have any impact on the taste of water? Friends say that the water tastes worse after having one fitted.
You don't drink softened water, it's very high in Sodium. You always leave the kitchen cold tap unsoftened.I had a Monarch midi in my last house. Works really well. If you do a bit of research you'll find quite a big disparity with the amount of salt different units use. The Monarch units are amongst the best in that regard.
I brought it with me when we moved 6 months ago but, as above, I cant use it because we are not on mains drainage., so it's for sale if anyone wants it. It's a bit over 3 years old i think.
I understand that softened water has trace amounts of sodium so is safe to drink except for use in making baby formula.
All our hot and cold taps run softened water but we have a hard water feed to the water dispenser in our fridge for drinking water. For cooking and the kettle we use softened water.
FWIW we use a BWT WS555 14 litre single tank softener. I measured the flow rate from our kitchen cold tap:
With softener is 10.2 litres per minute
Without softener is 12.6 litres per minute
So there is a measurable reduction in flow but whether that causes anyone a problem depends on the local water pressure and usage.
All our hot and cold taps run softened water but we have a hard water feed to the water dispenser in our fridge for drinking water. For cooking and the kettle we use softened water.
FWIW we use a BWT WS555 14 litre single tank softener. I measured the flow rate from our kitchen cold tap:
With softener is 10.2 litres per minute
Without softener is 12.6 litres per minute
So there is a measurable reduction in flow but whether that causes anyone a problem depends on the local water pressure and usage.
Wombat3 said:
You don't drink softened water, it's very high in Sodium. You always leave the kitchen cold tap unsoftened.
The sodium content depends on the original water hardness and is a maximum of around 75 to 80mg/l. The safe limit is 200mg/l set by UK Drinking Water Inspectorate. Moderately hard water, after softening, has a sodium content of around 35 to 40mg/l.For comparison, cow's milk has a sodium content of around 400mg per litre!
All the taps in my house are softened and drinking it has never bothered me.
Cpl nobby nobbs said:
Hi all,
I'm going to get a water softener fitted under our kitchen sink, we have fairly hard water and it constantly blocks the shower head.
I have just had a new 250l unvented cylinder fitted. The old Megaflow was about 1/4 full of lime scale.
If you have one, what model do you have or recommend.
Screwfix have the BTW 14l one for £550 but then they also have a 10l one listed as high flow.
We are a house of 4 adults the house has good water pressure and the unvented cylinder has the usual pressure regulator of I think 3bar.
So the showers are very nice lots of water flow, we have a very big shower head in out bathroom, so I dont want to reduce the water pressure if I can help it.
Any suggestions, can these units keep up with a fairly high flow rate for a shower.
Thanks for any information you can offer.
Hague 410, or Ecowater 200 is a more suited premium branded machines.I'm going to get a water softener fitted under our kitchen sink, we have fairly hard water and it constantly blocks the shower head.
I have just had a new 250l unvented cylinder fitted. The old Megaflow was about 1/4 full of lime scale.
If you have one, what model do you have or recommend.
Screwfix have the BTW 14l one for £550 but then they also have a 10l one listed as high flow.
We are a house of 4 adults the house has good water pressure and the unvented cylinder has the usual pressure regulator of I think 3bar.
So the showers are very nice lots of water flow, we have a very big shower head in out bathroom, so I dont want to reduce the water pressure if I can help it.
Any suggestions, can these units keep up with a fairly high flow rate for a shower.
Thanks for any information you can offer.
Its all in the running costs, budget machines tend too ues more salt.
We do softeners every day, if we can help let us know.
Gassing Station | Homes, Gardens and DIY | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff