OT: Hard water questions, can you add a water softener?

[Emmas Mom]

We have hard water in our new house. It's 3 years old (built in 2004) & has never had soft water, though there is a loop. The dishwasher, tub & shower all have hard water stains. I hate it. We came from a house with soft water & really want to add a softener here BUT....I'm wondering about the pipes. I'm sure they are just as coated as the dishwasher, tub & shower. Is there any cause for concern if we add a softener? Also, how do we best clean the dishwasher, tub & shower? Any products specifically for getting rid of hard water stains? Has anyone done this?

[cvanbrunt]

The first thing we did when we bought our current house was add a water softener. The house was a total gut and rehab so it had new plumbing so I can't speak to that. We had luck using CLR in the old tubs.

-Carrie

[Emmas Mom]

Sorry, CLR? That's a product right? I'll go look for it. Do you think it could work in a dishwasher, that's by far the worst with the hard water stains. Also, did the CLR get rid of the stains completely? Like in one usage or over time?

[kellyotn]

We just moved into a three year old house that SHOULD have had a water softener. It is in the "extremely hard range" at 24 GPG. There was lots of the same "evidence" you are mentioning.

We added a Kinetico water softener. We also had a quote from Culligan. You could also just use a plumber and a unit from a big box store. But, given the amount of hard water problems you are having, your water is sounding pretty hard. Can you call and get a number (in Grains Per Gallon) from your water utility company? If it is very, very hard you'll probably not get much life out of an inexpensive unit. The ones from Costco only last about a couple years where I am. That's why we went with the Kinetico, it was pricey, but this is our "forever" house. And, even if we did move, it's moving with us!

The pipes will eventually clear out - it won't be overnight, but they will clear out.

I'd wait until you have the soft water (to prevent re-coating), and run a product called "Glisten" through your dishwasher. You can also try plain Tang! The citric acid will remove the white coating. Tang worked a little, but I did that when we still had hard water. One run of Glisten made the dishwasher's element look like new (it was coated SOLID white).

CLR shower cleaner (its a spray) worked fine for our fixtures and the shower stall.

CLR liquid can be used for clogged shower heads, etc.

Talk to your neighbors! You surely aren't the only ones with this problem. Get recommendations for companies that are trustworthy.

[DebbieJ]

Kinetico is the way to go. We have a Kinetico system and it's awesome.

~ deb
DS born at home 12/03
Breastfeeding After Reduction is possible! www.bfar.org

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