can this be done with a water softner

bernlyn

i want to install a water softner but the problem i have is that the water mains incoming comes in the kitchen up the wall for +- 200mm [22mm diameter pipe, copper]and then tees off into 15mm copper and runs in the concrete floor to the sink + dishwasher+w/machine.

1 how do i get drinking water and still keep the appilances on the soft water.
2 does the softner have to be installed near a drain

moonrakerz

If you want to keep your kitchen tap on unsoftened water you just need to "Tee" off two lines; one to the the tap and one to the softener.
The softener lines will need a stop valve in both the supply and return; also a bypass to enable you to isolate the softener if you ever need to.
You should get full instructions with the machine.

You will need a drain nearby. The softener needs to discharge the brine when it regenerates every few days. There is also an emergency drain just in case the softener brine tank overfills.

There is a lot of misinformation 'floating' around about the health aspects of drinking softened water.
The softening process does add Sodium to the water, but very little. Eating two slices of bread gives you about 375mg of sodium, drinking four pints of softened water gives you about 310mg.
The only thing to watch is not to use it for mixing baby milk.

I have heard that there may be "by laws" about leaving one tap on unsoftened water - not sure if that is the case. Plumbers ??

bernlyn

the problem is that i cannt run another line to the drinking tap because i would have to dig up the concrete floor and that is a no no. is it possible to just place a filter of some kind on the drinking tap but still using the same line as the softner water

Volcano

Sodium content of softened water depends on the ion content of the unsoftened water prior to softening, which obviously varies from region to region etc. In severe circumstances, drinking 2.5 litres of water per day could lead to the ingestion of over 3,000mg of sodium. If your doctor recommends a low-sodium diet (typically 1,000mg to 3,000mg per day) then you can see how there could be a problem.

If you are on a low sodium diet, then test kits are available and are easy to use to give you an idea of the Na content of your softened water.

kev801

Hi

I have got a water softener and had one for about 5 years. I have been drinking the softened water for that amount of time is this bad for me?

I also have a 3 year old and a baby under one and I have mixed there milk up with the water what problems could this cause?

bernlyn

i dont know what problems that it will cause but alll the information that i have read said that you should not use soften water to make babys milk with

http://www.uk-water-softeners.co.uk/pages/drinking.htm

Lord_Gardener

We had one of these fitted on pipework just before softener connection - does a great job and no plumbing skills needed!!

http://www.emwc.uk.com/Details.asp?ProductID=313

bernlyn

thanks to all but i need to know if there is a way to fliter the softned water into drinking water as all the appliances are fed off the same 15mm copper pipe that runs in the concrete floor in the kitchen. the water softner will conected to the mains inlet on the other side of the kitchen. i dont want to install another pipe that will be visible and dont want to dig up the concrete floor either.

bernlyn

thanks to all

but i need to know if there is a way to fliter the softned water into drinking water as all the appliances are fed off the same 15mm copper pipe that runs in the concrete floor in the kitchen. the water softner will conected to the mains inlet on the other side of the kitchen. i dont want to install another pipe that will be visible and dont want to dig up the concrete floor either.

Volcano

One of those Brita filters will also do the job of filtering softened water so you can drink it.

It's not serious, but it is assumed most people get enough sodium in their diet from salt in their food and too much sodium has been linked to increased blood pressure.

Bernlyn, if you can't fix a tap where the pipe comes up, then it sounds like you'll have to dig up the floor or filter your water.

adchesney

I am worried about Volcano's advise as to Sodium content in water that has been softened.

Does anyone know where I can get a Sodium meter to measure the content in our water? This is so important as my wife makes kidney stones and has high blood pressure.

She will drink about 6 lit of water each day - so her Sodium intake could be causing additional damage?

Thank you for the heads-up

ANDREW