water softner help in chosing and is this true

Biffer

joe_t wrote: »

dont know if you guys can answer this one, but here goes.
we have a tefal steam generator iron that states use hard water only.
we now have no hard water at all, tefal states.

Don't you have a drinking water tap? That will be hard water.

joe_t

Biffer wrote: »

Don't you have a drinking water tap? That will be hard water.

thanks biffer,
no we have no drinking tap, from all i have read there is no need to have one apart from for young babies, we have a grand-daughter but we will use bottled for her.
our outside tap was moved off the main when we had a conservatory put up so even that being mid system is now soft (or will be after being fitted later today).
joe..........

FakeIrish

joe_t wrote: »

thanks biffer,
no we have no drinking tap, from all i have read there is no need to have one apart from for young babies, we have a grand-daughter but we will use bottled for her.
our outside tap was moved off the main when we had a conservatory put up so even that being mid system is now soft (or will be after being fitted later today).
joe..........

Use the cold water tap in your kitchen!

Doc_N

We used to use softened water for steam irons, but they used to pack up after 2 or 3 years - usually with brown gunk spurting out of the iron. I'm guessing that was the result of using softened water - though I suspect they'd have packed up anyway from some other cause (probably scale).

We now use an Ecowater distiller (http://www.ukjuicers.com/water-purifiers) to produce water for the iron, and that seems to be the answer. Expensive, but picked one up very cheaply on eBay.

I imagine bottled water would do the job just as well, though - most of it's unlikely to have been processed in such a way that it would damage the iron.

Personally, I'd prefer to have the kitchen tap unsoftened, though, if that's at all possible. And as for the outside tap, I'd certainly want that unsoftened, because of the cost - unless you don't use it much, of course.

MateyB

Many thanks Matt. That's very helpful. Thanks again.

Cheers, MateyB

Matt_Filterman

Hi joet.
The manufacturers say their equipment is designed to use tap water because it contains hardness salts such as calcium and magnesium.. so they don't sell these irons in soft water areas like most parts of Scotland and Wales and large parts of England too..
In the last sentence the manufacturers appear to deliver a 'get out' clause for any failure of their equipment.. How hard is very hard water anyway?.. is it anything over 100 parts per million of hardness?.. or 300? or 450?.. or 1000?.. and even if you knew what the definition of what very hard water is, do most people know exactly how hard their tap water is?
Doc N has probably hit the nail on the head when he posted the following about his failed iron spurting out brown gunk..

"I'm guessing that was the result of using softened water - though I suspect they'd have packed up anyway from some other cause (probably scale)."

I probably sound a bit cynical about manufacturers recommendations which I feel are often designed to allow them wriggle out of most situations regarding claims and liabilities.. these are most definitely my own opinions though!
If you are concerned you could use your softened water supply most of the time.. and then occasionally use some bottled water containing hardness salts to try and fulfil the manufacturers recommendations..
Matt

joe_t

thanks matt and doc,

its no big deal really, the irons a few years old but was expensive.
it is one of these tank type irons and there very good.
i phoned tefal and they said dont use anything but tap water, a friend of the wifes iron packed up fairly quickly using water from a softener.
as i say no big deal, just seemed a bit odd that you only use tap water.
i dont want a separate tap on the drainer as we will be changing the kitchen next year and i dont think we will use it anyway, i certainly wont, so it just seems an unnecessary expense.
i would have the garden tap done but it would then have to be in the conservatory which wont look great, any plant watering i do comes from water butts.
the pipe is still there under the sink for the outside tap so if need be it can just have a tap fitted in the cupboard i suppose.
we still have an outside tap but this come off where the toilet backs onto the garden so we still have one when really needed.
i really cant see how bottled mountain water cant be used instead of tap water in the iron as it is full of minerals they say are not in softened or distilled water.
oh and the bloody water softener fitter people didnt turn up yesterday either, the fitter called in sick, "oh please" not that excuse, please try to put a bit of thought into it lol.
i will report back when its fitted.
joe...

thanks

joe_t

hi all,
softener all fitted and all is fine with the machine.
BUT the taste of the water is bloody awful.
i dont really know how to explain it really, i would say it tastes chemically or very slightly soapy.
is the because it is new "im hoping thats the reason".
i was asked do i want the kitchen tap on hard and i said no, ive drunk my dads dozens of times via a twintec and the taste was to me no different to any other water.
any opinions guys please.
joe..................

Matt_Filterman

Give it at least a couple of weeks joe t.. there's a lot of new plastic in contact with the water that can make it taste a bit peculiar..
Matt

joe_t

Matt_Filterman wrote: »

Give it at least a couple of weeks joe t.. there's a lot of new plastic in contact with the water that can make it taste a bit peculiar..
Matt

thanks matt,

thats really what i needed to hear.
i really thought i was going to have to have extra tap fitted for drinking.
i am going to ring them tomorrow just to see what they say.
they do have too come back and swap 2 flexible hoses as the ones they brought were not the right bore for high pressure.
they really do seem like a good outfit.

the chap who fitted it was taking into hospital friday to have wisdom teeth removed as a bit of an emergency, so my mistrust with them not doing it friday was totally wrong.

i will report back soon.

joe..........