Expensive water filters!

Maz1963

My home has a water softener (was here when I moved in and works really well). The kitchen tap has an extra control to provide drinking water (ie separate to the softened water supply). This has a filter cartridge which apparently has to be changed every six months, which I have generally done. They cost between £25 and £35 a time, depending on whether you buy a branded Franke one, or an unbranded type. I'm just about to order another replacement (just under £25, found with another supplier).

Has anyone found a cheaper way around this - cheaper filter supplier, or maybe some other way around having to use one of these pricey filters? I'm tempted to get a plumber to remove the filter loop for the drinking water supply and just go back to using a filter jug and much cheaper filters for drinking water.


The filter is supposed to remove anything harmful from the water and make it more suitable for drinking, but unfortunately it doesn't remove limescale, which still clogs up my kettle!

coffeehound

Would a jug filter be much cheaper? A pound a week that you are paying now sounds pretty reasonable, to be honest!

martinthebandit

I use these in my drinking water tap https://www.finerfilters.co.uk/finerfilters-in-line-fridge-filter.html no idea if they'll fit yours though.

Maz1963

coffeehound wrote: »

Would a jug filter be much cheaper? A pound a week that you are paying now sounds pretty reasonable, to be honest!

Yes, I guess that doesn't sound too bad! It is convenient not having to use a jug filter, it's just a shame the current filter doesn't remove the limescale. Well, I think it does a bit, but not as well as a jug filter used to.

Maz1963

martinthebandit wrote: »

I use these in my drinking water tap https://www.finerfilters.co.uk/finerfilters-in-line-fridge-filter.html no idea if they'll fit yours though.

That's helpful, thanks. Much better prices, and I'm sure I can adapt the current set up to incorporate something like this (without engaging a plumber!).

coffeehound

I guess you've looked for cartridges that fit your system that also remove hardness? There are a few specialist companies out there.

Maz1963

coffeehound wrote: »

I guess you've looked for cartridges that fit your system that also remove hardness? There are a few specialist companies out there.

I've had a scan of the website that martinthebandit recommended and they sell a filter which is compatible with my Franke cartridge case/fittings and claims to 'reduce' limescale, so have ordered one to try. The pipes/cables I have look like they need more work than I'm capable of, so perhaps more cost effective to stick with what I have!


Thanks again for good advice.

silvercar

Looks like your set up could be improved.

My water softener works on all the water, then there is a reverse osmosis filter that supplies water to the drinking water tap, So the water is softened then filtered for drinking and softened alone for all other taps in the house.

Fire_Fox

Maz1963 wrote: »

My home has a water softener (was here when I moved in and works really well). The kitchen tap has an extra control to provide drinking water (ie separate to the softened water supply). This has a filter cartridge which apparently has to be changed every six months, which I have generally done. They cost between £25 and £35 a time, depending on whether you buy a branded Franke one, or an unbranded type. I'm just about to order another replacement (just under £25, found with another supplier).

Has anyone found a cheaper way around this - cheaper filter supplier, or maybe some other way around having to use one of these pricey filters? I'm tempted to get a plumber to remove the filter loop for the drinking water supply and just go back to using a filter jug and much cheaper filters for drinking water.


The filter is supposed to remove anything harmful from the water and make it more suitable for drinking, but unfortunately it doesn't remove limescale, which still clogs up my kettle!

Why? What is in your tap water that is allegedly harmful? The minerals in 'hard' water are not.

Would be more MSE to purchase a new kettle. :money:

Belenus

Fire_Fox wrote: »

Why? What is in your tap water that is allegedly harmful? The minerals in 'hard' water are not.

Would be more MSE to purchase a new kettle. :money:

It would be even more MSE to descale the existing kettle occasionally with inexpensive citric acid or another suitable product.

traineepensioner

Maz1963 wrote: »

My home has a water softener (was here when I moved in and works really well). The kitchen tap has an extra control to provide drinking water (ie separate to the softened water supply). This has a filter cartridge which apparently has to be changed every six months, which I have generally done. They cost between £25 and £35 a time, depending on whether you buy a branded Franke one, or an unbranded type. I'm just about to order another replacement (just under £25, found with another supplier).

Has anyone found a cheaper way around this - cheaper filter supplier, or maybe some other way around having to use one of these pricey filters? I'm tempted to get a plumber to remove the filter loop for the drinking water supply and just go back to using a filter jug and much cheaper filters for drinking water.


The filter is supposed to remove anything harmful from the water and make it more suitable for drinking, but unfortunately it doesn't remove limescale, which still clogs up my kettle!

You could be changing your filter more often than needed. We use one of these as an indication when the filters' performance is deteriorating ....... https://www.amazon.co.uk/Yakamoz-Digital-Tester-Testing-Quality/dp/B06Y2YCKS5/ref=sr_1_5?keywords=tds+meter&qid=1569994219&sr=8-5


If you want to remove all the limescale then you need a Reverse Osmosis water system on your drinking supply. (eg .... https://www.amazon.co.uk/Finerfilters-Domestic-Undersink-Fluoride-Drinking/dp/B01MXV9O3J/ref=sr_1_10?crid=2RBA9U2K2OCAG&keywords=5+stage+reverse+osmosis+system&qid=1569995013&sprefix=5+stage+rev%2Caps%2C199&sr=8-10)