water softner help in chosing and is this true

Matt_Filterman

Hi slips.
Don't know anything about this softener.. my only worry is that it sounds like it might have an Enterprise valve fitted to it made by Culligan.. just ask the suppliers which control valve it has fitted?
Regards Matt

silps

My plumber told me that Monarch is truly an independent brand and all the others have been taken over by Culligan. So the monarch does sound okay.

Doc_N

silps wrote: »

My plumber told me that Monarch is truly an independent brand and all the others have been taken over by Culligan. So the monarch does sound okay.

I think your plumber may be exaggerating a little............

Matt_Filterman

I'm a big fan of buying this type of equipment localy so if there is a problem the installer can hopefully sort things out.. it might be worth asking your plumber if they are able to repair the machine if it ever goes wrong. Can you find out the make of the control valve and let me know, I might be able to offer you some advice.
Matt.

Doc_N

On another tack, this time, does anyone have any thoughts on whether an annual service is a good idea, or just a waste of money? I've always taken the view that these are reliable pieces of equipment that rarely need any attention, and that paying out maybe £60 pa for a service is just throwing money away - but I could be wrong.

I've had it suggested that our salt usage (a couple of 25K bags a month for 4 of us in a very hard water area) is way too high, and that it ought to be a quarter of that.

Is that a high salt consumption - I've no idea really. Is lack of servicing likely to be an issue?

Any thoughts appreciated.

joe_t

doc, im not one for services really, they all just seem to be a tuck up really.
not just water softeners but everything.
i was just talking to my dad and he has booked a citroen service for his 4 year old C4 @ £250 ish plus the mot cost.
he has only done 24,000 miles.
im going to have a look around and see about the service prices for him.
ref your salt im now using 25kg 4/5 weeks, there is 4 of us and we have lots of women visitors flushing the bloody toilet every 5 mins, or so it seems lol.

Matt_Filterman

Hi Doc N.
I've been in the industry 16 years and it is my considered opinion that if you have a good quality water softener it will be far more cost effective not to have it serviced and just call someone out if it ever goes wrong.. having said that your salt consumption looks a little high unless you live in an area where the hardness is above 500 ppm (as Ca CO3) i.e. Swindon and Hartlepool (unless they've changed their water supply in the last eight years) ..
Regards Matt

Doc_N

Matt_Filterman wrote: »

Hi Doc N.
I've been in the industry 16 years and it is my considered opinion that if you have a good quality water softener it will be far more cost effective not to have it serviced and just call someone out if it ever goes wrong.. having said that your salt consumption looks a little high unless you live in an area where the hardness is above 500 ppm (as Ca CO3) i.e. Swindon and Hartlepool (unless they've changed their water supply in the last eight years) ..
Regards Matt

Thanks for your expertise, Matt. I'm heartened by your comments! These were my thoughts precisely, but I did wonder about the salt consumption.

My supply is around the 500 ppm mark, so maybe the consumptions not too excessive.

moonrakerz

Matt_Filterman wrote: »

I've been in the industry 16 years and it is my considered opinion that if you have a good quality water softener it will be far more cost effective not to have it serviced and just call someone out if it ever goes wrong.. having said that your salt consumption looks a little high unless you live in an area where the hardness is above 500 ppm (as Ca CO3) i.e. Swindon and Hartlepool (unless they've changed their water supply in the last eight years) ..
Regards Matt

Having had softeners in various houses for about 30 years, I would totally agree with comment about servicing. The only "maintenance" I ever did was to remove the unit and clean out the salt tank when it got a bit yukky !

I'm not a zillion miles from Swindon and my salt consumption is nowhere near that !

HelpMeMove

Matt_Filterman wrote: »

Hi slips.
Don't know anything about this softener.. my only worry is that it sounds like it might have an Enterprise valve fitted to it made by Culligan.. just ask the suppliers which control valve it has fitted?
Regards Matt

I can confirm they have the Aquion/Erie N89 valve fitted.

Any experiece of this valve?

Cheers