 10Likes
 |
|
11/15/12, 07:13 PM
|
|
|
|
Join Date: Apr 2010
Location: E WA
Posts: 149
|
|
|
Water still hard after softener treatment
We have a good quality water softener that treats water coming into our house. Still, there are hard water buildups on the faucets, and canning jars are dusted with chalky grit when they come out of the canner.
Does anyone know a good way to soften water further, like treating a gallon of water that's already been through the household softener?
|
11/15/12, 07:35 PM
|
 |
|
|
Join Date: Sep 2004
Location: East-Central Ontario
Posts: 3,862
|
|
|
Are you sure it's set right? Sounds like the water could be harder than the softener is set for.
__________________
The internet - fueling paranoia and misinformation since 1873.
|
11/15/12, 07:36 PM
|
|
|
|
Join Date: Dec 2008
Location: north Alabama
Posts: 10,811
|
|
|
Distiller
__________________
George Washington did not run and hide.
|
11/15/12, 09:24 PM
|
 |
|
|
Join Date: May 2011
Location: Houston Tx as of a few months back
Posts: 1,030
|
|
|
If you're just talking about a gallon, I'd think that a Berkey might do it? If what you're looking for is just drinking water...
|
11/15/12, 09:26 PM
|
|
|
|
Join Date: May 2011
Location: Houston Tx as of a few months back
Posts: 1,030
|
|
|
It's interesting, I looked up images of hard water maps, but the maps are conflicting... don't know why...
|
11/15/12, 10:22 PM
|
|
|
|
Join Date: May 2002
Posts: 7,154
|
|
|
In our area, the hardness varies with the depth of the well.. Some places can get water under 40 feet. Some under 20 feet.. These wells are usualy softer than wells that are 90 feet on up.. We have a mixture of lime and rust with a 106 foot well. The softeners we have had never completly remove the rust to the point that containers lIke toiet tanks don't turn brown. Have you had your local softener man test your water and set the softener accordingly??
|
11/16/12, 11:00 AM
|
|
|
|
Join Date: Jun 2002
Location: SE Washington
Posts: 1,407
|
|
|
When I was growing up we had a water softener, it was the most efficient you could get at the time. We still had calcium buildup on everything and had to replace our water heater every 3 years. We talked to the Culigan man and he said the machine we had was the best you could get, but our water was just too hard.
Sometimes you just have to live with it.
Bob
|
11/16/12, 11:16 AM
|
|
plains of Colorado
|
|
Join Date: May 2002
Location: plains of Colorado
Posts: 3,882
|
|
|
hard water
What unioncreek said is TRUE. We had it w/the best softener...just had to deal with it. Then we got an offer of GOOD water...best money we ever spent!
|
11/16/12, 11:24 AM
|
|
|
|
Join Date: Mar 2006
Location: Michigan's Thumb
Posts: 6,322
|
|
|
Fill a very large pot with water. Bring it to a boil and let it boil for 5 minutes or so. Let it cool - overnight if you do it at night. Next day, ladle off the water without disturbing the sediment in the bottom of the pot. The water you ladle off will be soft.
I use a plastic tube to siphon off the water. Get a plastice tube about 5/8" diameter (available at the hardware store). Plug one end and punch a hole about an inch up from the plug so the tube sits on the bottom of the pot but doesn't suck up the sediment.
Put a tablespoon or so of vinegar in your canner pot. This will eliminate the white chalky stuff from the jars.
Last edited by suitcase_sally; 11/17/12 at 06:26 AM.
|
11/16/12, 12:19 PM
|
|
|
|
Join Date: Aug 2012
Posts: 992
|
|
|
They make citric acid systems to soften water, works better but costs a little more then old softeners. Over time they remove old mineral build up from system.
|
11/16/12, 01:41 PM
|
|
Murphy was an optimist ;)
|
|
Join Date: Oct 2005
Location: Kentucky
Posts: 21,521
|
|
|
What temperature is your water? This time of year our water gets so hard it wont flow through a garden hose sometimes. I have to lay the hose out in the sun for a while to get it softened up.
__________________
"Nothing so needs reforming as other peoples habits." Mark Twain
|
11/16/12, 06:20 PM
|
 |
More dharma, less drama.
|
|
Join Date: May 2002
Location: Texas Coastal Bend/S. Missouri
Posts: 30,490
|
|
|
Get your softener repaired.
__________________
Alice
* * *
"No great thing is created suddenly." ~Epictitus
|
11/16/12, 06:25 PM
|
|
|
|
Join Date: Aug 2008
Location: Indiana, USA
Posts: 12,667
|
|
Quote:
Originally Posted by Alice In TX/MO
Get your softener repaired.
|
+1
something is not working right, if you have lime buildup on the faucets.
|
11/16/12, 06:38 PM
|
|
|
|
Join Date: Apr 2010
Location: E WA
Posts: 149
|
|
|
Thanks for all your replies. Our softener is only two years old but I suppose it could be off kilter. We have it set for a little harder water than we have because of the evidence in the coffee maker, faucets, etc. The weather doesn't seem to make much difference, winter or summer. We may just be in Unioncreek and DW's camp.
I will try Sally's ideas for canning. In fact I just put vinegar in the canner that's working away right now. Time will tell!
Have a great evening, all.
|
11/16/12, 06:42 PM
|
|
|
|
Join Date: May 2004
Location: Hill Country, Texas
Posts: 4,649
|
|
|
How old is your water softener?? When I bought a house in the Kansas City area there was a water softener in the house that was said to work, but when you tested the water it was still hard. Had to have the resin grains replaced and then it softened water very well. Get a test kit and test to see how hard the water is both before and after going through your softener.
|
11/17/12, 06:02 AM
|
 |
|
|
Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: central Missouri
Posts: 1,325
|
|
|
Here in Missouri-you can take water samples to Sears for water test to see of your softener needs adjusted or not~
get two small bottle of water,label one for outside faucet which is not on softener & get a bottle labeled inside which is on softener & Sears will do a 5 minute test to see if you water softener needs adjusted or not.I always do the test if unsure at least once a year usually~
Also,i second a lil vinegar in the pot of water to keep the lime from building up on canning jars as i sometimes do this to~
__________________
Just being there for someone can sometimes bring hope when all seems hopeless~~
|
11/17/12, 06:30 AM
|
|
|
|
Join Date: Mar 2006
Location: Michigan's Thumb
Posts: 6,322
|
|
|
And guess what? Miracle of miracles! You need a new softener! A SEARS softener! We just happen to have them right here!
|
11/17/12, 08:10 AM
|
|
|
|
Join Date: May 2011
Location: WV
Posts: 1,624
|
|
|
Have you ever cleaned the venturi?
|
11/17/12, 08:14 AM
|
 |
|
|
Join Date: Feb 2010
Location: Finally!! TN
Posts: 2,233
|
|
|
Kinetico water softeners are the best out there in my opinion, BUT they are EXPENSIVE.
__________________
U.S. Constitution -10th Amendment
The powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the States, are reserved to the States respectively, or to the people.
|
11/17/12, 04:47 PM
|
|
|
|
Join Date: Mar 2007
Location: Kentucky
Posts: 500
|
|
|
You may have soft water, but still have minerals that are building up. Make sure your system has a filter also.
|
Posting Rules
|
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts
HTML code is Off
|
|
|
All times are GMT -5. The time now is 11:54 AM.
|
|
