Recommendations for Whole House water filter and/or softner

[riverdees05 Platinum Contributor Find all posts View Profile Close riverdees05]

We are wanting to get a whole house water filter and/or softner. Any experience with these and if so, what are your recommendations?

Thanks,

Eric

[JoAnn Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close JoAnn]

We have a whole house R/O system and we shopped around before we bought one. It may not be what you want, but look for businesses that specialize in the various water systems. Locally we used Aqua Care, but don't know if they are national. Now we don't need a softener system or aerator that they use here. And we pay a monthly maintenance fee so they change the filter monthly and come when there is any problem.

Because of the water in Florida, and ours had a higher than normal salt content, we decided to go the R/O way. Happy we did.

[Sogno Junior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Sogno]

I wanted to provide the name of our whole house system, but the installers co name sticker is covering it. I belive it's called Iron Curtain - it does say Iron ____ System on the front & consists of two large cylinders standing side by side, with a pump at the top. It regenerates every day and has remedied our iron problem. We're on a well, and had rust stains prior to getting this system - not any more. It also filters the water and double duties as a iron remover/filter. We're happy with it. No maintenance at all and it's at least 7 or 8 years old.

[JLB Please excuse me, I'm a Dick. Not a moron just a Dick Find all posts View Profile Close JLB]

We do not drink our (well) water, but have a water softener, which is very common here. They are very reliable and maintenance-free. All we do is dump in a bag of softener salt maybe once a month.

For drinking water we have 5-gallon bottles that we refill at Wal*Mart or any local grocery store. They all have R/O water dispensers. $2 per refill.

No big deal.

I would say the majority just drink the local well water, but why risk it?

[Tommyboy Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Tommyboy]

We have a well and storage tank. Our original problem was with iron dissolved in the water - turned everything orange and tasted real bad. I installed two whole house filters, one sediment before and one charcoal after the Water Boss water softener. I used salt for awhile but changed to potassium chloride - not as efficient as salt but not as harmful to the drinking water and environment. I also installed an RO drinking water tap under the sink which also supplies the ice cube maker. The water softener has been in place for about 18 years and is still going strong with only minor maint and adding the potassium chloride. The only drawback that I can see is that we do not get flouride in the water, which we had with city water in the past and bottled water before the RO system.
Tom

[BoardGirl Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close BoardGirl]

Kinnetico!!!

We have a 1940s house on a well and love our softener, and the service and our general treatment over the past 10 years.

Their equipment is ranked pretty high (I haven't checked such things in years) and was better than the crap that was hooked up here when we moved in. I can tell that by the smell (or lack of smell!!!!) and how the water feels. It's soft enuf without being a major problem in getting soap off of you. Showers without "that smell". You come out clean and not smelling like rotten eggs. Previous system, eh, not so much. Sorry I do not remember what that brand was.

Their service is fabulous. We have a service contract and they call us to make the appt to change filters and check things. We have the drinking water adapter in the kitchen and it's great. We have really good drinking water. It has no taste and no aftertaste. Perfect!

They have spent a lot of time with us on the particulars of our plumbing as they are familiar with this house and were involved in previous Kinnetico installations here. It is that kind of "extra mile" that puts them over the top enuf for me to recommend.

we had the salt delivery going for a while and will probably restart that when I can no longer wrestle the bags to the basement. always on time, always neat and clean, always took the bags all the way down and would refill dispenser. How great is that??

If there are any Kinnetico dealers in your area, give them a chance.

[Sogno Junior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Sogno]

I would say the majority just drink the local well water, but why risk it?

Why risk what? Did you have you well water tested, and find contaminants?

Our well water contains traces of iron, but is absolutely fine for drinking.

[vintner Super Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close vintner]

To me, there are questions that have to be asked. You are asking about filter and softener, both very different.

Filter will remove sediments and some contaminants and off tastes.
I have a whole house filter at my duplex. The 5 micron filter will remove the sediment from the water so the water heaters and clothes washer will last longer. I have had a charcoal filter to reduce the off taste that I may get in the water. Some filters remove higher levels of impurities or bacteria. If this is your concern, I would put in at least a 2 stage whole house filter. First stage removes sediment; second stage is charcoal which improves water quality and taste.

A softener will remove hardness of minerals that have been dissolved into the water, typically done through an exchange process. If you have water that is hard, doesn’t make soap bubbles, doesn’t clean well, clothes are not cleaning, shower has deposits, etc, then you may need a softener. I have water boss softener. I installed it myself in 2005 and find it to be a very good unit. It does have a built in filter, but it is only 20 micron. With any softener, you need to find your total grain hardness and side the softener to the needs of the water and the family.

I also have a single faucet reverse osmosis system for the kitchen drinking, tea, coffee and dog water. It is a multi stage system including sediment and charcoal filters as well as the reverse osmosis membrane.

So back to my first statement, what is it that you need, filtration or softening?

[JLB Please excuse me, I'm a Dick. Not a moron just a Dick Find all posts View Profile Close JLB]

Why risk what? Did you have you well water tested, and find contaminants?

Yes.

Also in DW's family's area, almost all on wells, a high incidence of cancer. Her Dad's a 9-year ordeal.

So, again, why risk it when store-bought R/O water is so inexpensive and relatively convenient.

[Sogno Junior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Sogno]

Yes.

Also in DW's family's area, almost all on wells, a high incidence of cancer. Her Dad's a 9-year ordeal.

I know there's good well water & bad. Not to belabor this, but what form of cancer is prevalent, and was it determined to be caused by well water?