House water supply very hard. What are my options for our situation?

silvercar

*Goes off to find mineral supplements*

Jack_Bauer

silvercar said:

*Goes off to find mineral supplements*

Based on the WHO's findings, that's not likely to help. RO water causes your body to leech minerals through urination faster and isn't compensated by diet.

Carrot007

Slinky said:

I doubt Carrot lives in a REALLY hard water area.

Yorkshire. Specifically the North Yorkshire part of Leeds. Very hard water. I hate when I go vbist people in Cumbira (50 min off Carlise) and have to shower in that 'orrible stuff.

Carrot007

koalakoala said:

Carrot007 said:

Soft water is, a. horrible to drink (I know people in such an area, they buy bottled water), and b. horrible to shower in. DO you do much else with it (I already mentioned the boiler).

Really?    In what way?   I find it perfect for everything

If you ever taste hard water there is no going back (of course in proper bottled "mineral" water the soft oness are not bad as they have other minerals in).

Some for showering like pouring ick over yourself. Just does not feel nice.

Still I have been in a lot of places over the years but if you have only ever known soft then why would you know?

Carrot007

koalakoala said:

Carrot007 said:

For those more knowledgeable in these things, can you suggest what our options are?

Soft water is, a. horrible to drink (I know people in such an area, they buy bottled water), and b. horrible to shower in. DO you do much else with it (I already mentioned the boiler).

Do they think bottled water is hard water?

As otherwise mentioned. No. But the other minerals make up for it.

Grumpy_chap

ispookie666 said:

The only thing I would add is, if possible plumb the RO before the water softener to reduce salt wastage. 

If you do that, the RO will scale up and stop working and the softener would be redundant (as post-RO water has no hardness to be removed).  RO must be fed with soft water.

theoretica

Carrot007 said:

koalakoala said:

Carrot007 said:

Soft water is, a. horrible to drink (I know people in such an area, they buy bottled water), and b. horrible to shower in. DO you do much else with it (I already mentioned the boiler).

Really?    In what way?   I find it perfect for everything

If you ever taste hard water there is no going back (of course in proper bottled "mineral" water the soft oness are not bad as they have other minerals in).

Some for showering like pouring ick over yourself. Just does not feel nice.

Still I have been in a lot of places over the years but if you have only ever known soft then why would you know?

Well no, not for everyone - I have lived with both and much prefer soft. That is the nature of taste and preference. 

koalakoala

Carrot007 said:

If you ever taste hard water there is no going back (of course in proper bottled "mineral" water the soft oness are not bad as they have other minerals in).

Some for showering like pouring ick over yourself. Just does not feel nice.

Still I have been in a lot of places over the years but if you have only ever known soft then why would you know?

I’ve spent years living in different places so why wouldn’t I know the difference?
Can’t stand all that clogging up of irons, kettles etc.
And way too much shampoo and shower gel required to get a lather
Just my preference…….

Belenus

Each to their own but I've never before come across someone who prefers hard water to soft water.

When we have visitors from hard water areas they sometimes comment on how lovely it is to shower or bathe in our softened water.

We would not be without a water softener.

ispookie666

If any one has actually used these, I'll take advice from them; if not please don't. 

FYI - I have had two domestic RO systems and have a 150gpd triple membrane RODI system for my Marine tank. It's been plumbed directly from hard water and, No limesacle does not build up.  I have managed to get it down to 1:1.5 production ratio. 

If you remove the membrane, you can see the bacterial slime build up and RO water is normally stored in pressurised tanks.   


RO does remove minerals - depending on the membrane (most are made by DoW), temperature of water and the water pressure, you would get a rejection ration between 90 and 95%. 

For my single Ro system the outcoming water TDS (easier way to measure minerals and things in water) is around 12-15.  Domestic RO systems do not run 24*7, when they are not running the TDS equalises onnboth sides of the membrane, unless you have a sophisticated setup with auto flush valves, your drinking water will contain the lovely minerals. 

I'm still here and so is my family and have been using RO water for drinking, making tea and coffee and cooking..

I wonder what the sailors in the submarines do for water 🤔