Water softener: block salt or tablets

michaels

We have a 'new to us' water softener that takes block salt but I not it could also use salt tablets. Block salt is obviously very easy but I notice that tablets are half the price per kilo. Any one any comments on how easy it is to load tablet salt instead of the blocks.

Also how long is it each pair of block likely to last in 330 hardness water in an unmetered (=high usage) 5 person househild?

Chunks

I am a water softener newbie (but did some research). Google your machine. Mine takes block and tablet and the chances are yours will work using either.

Tablet salt in 25kg bags are heavy to lug about whereas block salt weighs in at 8kg (for two blocks). You have already highlighted the price difference. I have gone for the cheaper option - no regrets - I scoop tablets into machine (using a plastic milk bottle with the top cut off.....). Easy.

Salt usage depends on the machine's efficiency, hardness of water (your water is pretty hard) and volume of water used. You can 'suck it and see' and test your water once you have set up the machine for your new home (hardness test kicks are cheap as). Water 'feel' and absence of lime scale (say on taps) is another test.

cheers

UncleZen

I understand that water softeners that use block salt are more expensive to run that those that use salt tablets. As Chunks says - use tablets if you have the option.

michaels

Thanks for sharing your experience - I guess what I need to do is find out how much I use so I can work out whether the savings of using the tablets are worth the hassle (and also work out how big a bulk to buy in as obviously it gets cheaper the more you buy) the water hardness is from the water company website. We run about 2 or 3 baths a day and same number of showers and that will only go up as the kids get older plus the washing machine runs probably 7-10 times a week so I suspect our usage is on the high side. Do I just stick each pair of blocks in and see how many days until they have dissolved or is that not the correct way of assessing how long a block actually lasts? The softener is a kinetico 2020c high flow.

Chunks wrote: »

I am a water softener newbie (but did some research). Google your machine. Mine takes block and tablet and the chances are yours will work using either.

Tablet salt in 25kg bags are heavy to lug about whereas block salt weighs in at 8kg (for two blocks). You have already highlighted the price difference. I have gone for the cheaper option - no regrets - I scoop tablets into machine (using a plastic milk bottle with the top cut off.....). Easy.

Salt usage depends on the machine's efficiency, hardness of water (your water is pretty hard) and volume of water used. You can 'suck it and see' and test your water once you have set up the machine for your new home (hardness test kicks are cheap as). Water 'feel' and absence of lime scale (say on taps) is another test.

cheers

Chunks

Block salt is very expensive - avoid if you can - 'hassle' factor is very low. According to this link - you can use tablet!

http://www.phsofteners.co.uk/Kinetico_2020c.html

".....Accepts tablet or block salt."

I get my salt from these guys (father and son business - extremely good).

http://www.saffronsalt.co.uk/

tillycat123

I have a harvey's softener that only takes block salt. A pack of 2 blocks costs me £4.20 and this lasts us a family of 3 with showers, washing machine dishwasher on every day for about a month and a half. Much easier to carry!

michaels

This is the crux - at 8 packs a year at 4 quid each it is probably not worth the saving to use tablets at half the price (£16 saving by my maths) but if I use twice as much then the annual saving becomes appreciable.

Out of interest where do you buy the blocks at that price without buying in major bulk?

tillycat123 wrote: »

I have a harvey's softener that only takes block salt. A pack of 2 blocks costs me £4.20 and this lasts us a family of 3 with showers, washing machine dishwasher on every day for about a month and a half. Much easier to carry!

Chunks

michaels wrote: »

This is the crux - at 8 packs a year at 4 quid each it is probably not worth the saving to use tablets at half the price (£16 saving by my maths) but if I use twice as much then the annual saving becomes appreciable.

Out of interest where do you buy the blocks at that price without buying in major bulk?

Are you new to the world of soft water OP?

michaels

Yes - bought a second hand softener off ebay and had my builders put it in whilst doing the extension. GP had recommended this for the kids eczema and DW is all in favour as it keeps the new bathroom shiny and I just have to pay the bills and smile...

Chunks

Ah, right. Your machine uses 0.22kg min/0.3kg max of salt per regen and it will regen as you use water (since it's metered). I am guessing, but with your level of hardness, salt usage is likely to be the high end of the range.

Setting aside the fact that salt tablets aren't that much of a faff, I would get some block salt (two or three bags) and see how long it lasts (the first batch will disappear quite quickly.....). My guess is that you will use a lot more salt that you think. Mines a cheapo timed machine and I get through 0.5kg of tablet salt per day (15p per day).

You will notice the difference after a week or so. I cannot comment on skin conditions but having never had soft water before, I am not going back to hard water now! I have got a thing about shiny taps and not having to use a wall paper scraper to remove scale to keep them servicable gets my vote.