<p>I’m starting this thread as a spin-off of the one on “Cleaning Products.” We moved into a 10 year old house about 18 months ago. This is our first experience w/ well water. Almost all the water fixtures (faucets, shower heads, etc.) had a build up of whitish/greenish mineral deposits, and the finish on some of the fixtures (the gold ones, which I hate anyway) is all spotted/pitted/rubbed off. At this very moment I’m doing the “soaking in warm vinegar” trick on the shower head in the master bath, since the deposits are interfering w/ the water flow. Anyway, I was all set to start tracking down a water conditioning system, but a repair person we had in to fix the furnace said the salt used in the systems will “eat up” our clothes.</p>
<p>Anyone have any experience w/ these systems? Is what the repair guy said about the salt true? Thanks in advance.</p>
<p>We have had a large mineral containing tank in the basement for 23 years. All the well water goes through it. I was not living with that blue stuff and did not want a build up inside the pipes. We have never had a problem with our clothes at all. We have to fill the tank yearly (we do it ourselves, much cheaper) and backwash it weekly (an automatic function). Other than that, we do nothing. We just replaced our tank last summer, so the first one lasted 22 years.</p>
<p>I live in an area (30 yrs) where everyone has well water. It’s hard water and very rusty. Everyone I know has a water softener. I have no idea what the furnace guy is referring to in regard to the salt used in the softener “eating up” your clothes. Our clothes last a long time. Soft water feels, tastes, and smells better. Some will disagree on the taste part. Easier on the pipes too and helps with the mineral deposits you describe.</p>
<p>Another one here with a water softener for 16 years. Have no idea what he is talking about regarding the salt eating your clothes! Our system is hooked up so that all faucets receive softened water except the cold water in the kitchen. We do have an undersink filter system on that one and use that for drinking and cooking.</p>
<p>Have you had your water tested? If not, you probably should. When you have a well, it’s important to know what minerals are in your water, but you may also have high levels of bacteria, VOCs, nitrates, or low/high pH. A low or high pH can eat holes in your pipes. </p>
<p>I’d recommend you have an expert evaluate your particular problems and needs. The water conditioning system you ultimately install should address your particular problems.</p>
<p>We moved into a house with a well 10 years ago. When we had our water tested, we discovered it had high levels of manganese (gee, no wonder the showers and dishwasher were stained orange!) As a result, we installed a water filter and a water softener. Running the dishwasher with Tang instead of dishwasher detergent took care of those orange stains, and a mineral remover got rid of the stains in the showers. No more orange stains since installing the water conditioning system! By the way, we haven’t had any damaged clothing since installing our water softener.</p>
<p>As recommended, we’ve had our water tested every year since then. Five years ago, the water test came back positive for fecal coliform bacteria. The water testing company told us that just one small insect in our well could result in a positive test for fecal coliform bacteria. At that point, we decided to install a UV water purifier. Our water has tested fine since then.</p>
<p>We’ve had a water softener for the past 20 years because our local water is incredibly high in minerals… so high that you can’t even get shampoo to suds up and your hair feels weighted down and looks dull and lifeless. Our experience is that the softened water is great for clothes, dishes, bathing, etc… because you use a lot less detergent and there are very little deposits left on fixtures, shower walls and the like. The down side is that you can’t drink from the tap and you can’t water the plants or put a goldfish in the water because of the traces of salt. So we pay to get bottled water (both delivered to our home and picked up at the grocery store). We’ve also used an osmosis filter system under the kitchen sink before. So, it’s all very expensive between the conditioning service and the bottled water. I wish we lived in an area where the water was more normal but I suppose it’s a relatively small price to pay for the great weather, beaches and lifestyle.</p>
<p>Thanks for the info, everyone. The water was tested for “safety” when we had the house inspection done before buying, but I’ll definitely have it tested for “content” as part of my research process.</p>