| Author |
Message |
    
Julharjam
Citizen
Username: Julharjam
Post Number: 1
Registered: 1-2006
| | Posted on Monday, April 17, 2006 - 10:48 pm: | 
|
Can anyone recommend a solution for hard water running through our maplewood homes??? Our dishwasher has a white residue all over the bottom, dishes are never "sparkling" - no matter what i've tried. Also, there is white residue in shower heads....anyway, i heard that you can buy a filtration system or have a service come and do it/maintain it too ...anyone know???
Thanks. |
jersey Boy
Citizen
Username: Jersey_boy
Post Number: 513
Registered: 1-2006
| | Posted on Monday, April 17, 2006 - 11:20 pm: |
|
Juhlarjam,
This has been discussed. Search the archives for the complete discussion. My experience has been quite satisfactory with Glass Magic in the dishwasher and delivered water cooler water for drinking. If you press it the Poland Springs (from Maine) people will sign you up for Deer Park water (from Upstate New York) for less.
It's delivered to your door and they call you to remind you to put out your empties.
J.B.
P.S. Welcome to MOL! |
Soparents
Citizen
Username: Soparents
Post Number: 175
Registered: 5-2005
| | Posted on Tuesday, April 18, 2006 - 7:29 am: |
|
Hello...
I had the same problem. Dishwasher was less than a year old and not cleaning, I thought it was broken - called in PSE&G. They came and saw all the spiggoty/spray holes were blocked with calcium etc and said unless we put a water softener in our home we would be buying all new appliances. We already had a water cooler as we didn't like the taste of the water, but I didn't imagine for a minute that it was destroying our appliances!!! I called portasoft 908 233 4300 they came and tested and yes our water is VERY hard, and we leased a water softener. Worth the cost, all the deposits on the dishwasher are breaking down (it does take time). We still have the water cooler though.
In the meantime, try putting a glass of white vinegar in the cutlery tray when you use the dishwasher - the PSEG guy said this won't stop the problem, but it would help with the residue on the dishes etc in the short term.
I hope this may help you. |
moving soon
Citizen
Username: Movingsoon
Post Number: 94
Registered: 12-2004
| | Posted on Tuesday, April 18, 2006 - 8:43 am: |
|
Search old threads. The Jayson Company installed my softener, slightly less expensive than Culligan, solves the problem. |
Amateur Night
Citizen
Username: Deborahg
Post Number: 1828
Registered: 5-2001
| | Posted on Tuesday, April 18, 2006 - 1:07 pm: |
|
Does soft water affect your shower experience? I heard the soap doesn't lather well.... |
newtoallthis
Citizen
Username: Newtoallthis
Post Number: 248
Registered: 2-2003
| | Posted on Tuesday, April 18, 2006 - 1:40 pm: |
|
On the shower, we have a Hansgrohe showerhead called Monsoon that is made of rubber (outside is chrome so it looks great. Just the area where the water comes out is rubber). Doesn't get calcium buildup like others. Bought it at Home Depot. |
Jim Murphy
Citizen
Username: Jimmurphy
Post Number: 274
Registered: 5-2001
| | Posted on Tuesday, April 18, 2006 - 1:45 pm: |
|
Amateur Night:
It's just the opposite.
With soft water, you use less soap and it lathers better.
|
Rastro
Citizen
Username: Rastro
Post Number: 2912
Registered: 5-2004
| | Posted on Tuesday, April 18, 2006 - 2:09 pm: |
|
But it doesn't feel like it rises off as well. |
mjc
Citizen
Username: Mjc
Post Number: 1086
Registered: 10-2004
| | Posted on Tuesday, April 18, 2006 - 5:36 pm: |
|
Having lived with VERY soft water...Jim and Rastro are both right. After a while, you get in the habit of using less soap, then it rinses easier. And the happy bottom line is that soft water REALLY rinses clean, whereas with hard water there's a residue on you and your hair as well as the plumbing and dishes, but you think it's rinsed clean because it doesn't feel slippery. |
Aok
Citizen
Username: Aok
Post Number: 229
Registered: 6-2005
| | Posted on Tuesday, April 18, 2006 - 7:11 pm: |
|
And if you have sensitive skin, the water softener will make your skin less itchy. Can't live w/o one around these parts!! |
A Glimmer Brother
Citizen
Username: Albino
Post Number: 1
Registered: 3-2006
| | Posted on Tuesday, April 18, 2006 - 11:58 pm: |
|
To all who are reading this thread, this is a bit of ready fire aim!
http://www.endlimescale.com/ is going to advertise on MOL and have Right One Plumbing install our chemical free limescale prevention system for all of our friends and neighbors in the Maplewood South Orange area.
In advance of that, however, we'd appreciate feedback from those who are reading and participating in this thread.
We'll probably get in trouble for this blatant commerical message, but we really haven't had the time to get all of our ducks lined up, and this is directly related to the thread.
We just became a distributor for the chemical free solution to hard water that works. Our website http://www.endlimescale.com/ is still under construction, so please forgive us for the lack of shopping cart, etc.
Please let us know if you want more info on this.
Thanks,
Adam
http://www.endlimescale.com/
http://www.purecoldh2o.com
adam@purecoldh2o.com
|
Julharjam
Citizen
Username: Julharjam
Post Number: 2
Registered: 1-2006
| | Posted on Wednesday, April 19, 2006 - 12:11 am: |
|
I appreciate all the feedback! It does affect everything!! Dishwasher, water that comes out of humidifiers, AND dry hair/skin ...Re: soft water and rinsing soap - i heard that you can adjust the softness to solve that problem.
So 2 solutions i have gathered from this and archived thread:
(1) Buy Water Softening Fitration Unit from SEARS (approx $400) and have it installed by SEARS folks (approx $300) and then you have to deposit Salt on a regular (monthly?) basis that you can buy bags of it from H Depot,
OR (2) have Jayson Co. or Culligan come to buy unit and install and service - don't know the costs yet for that .. but i will do 1 or the other based on cost-effectiveness.
TO Endlimescale -- are you a service that is an option / solution??? Get that web site up - this is a hot topic and problem for all of us. |
Julharjam
Citizen
Username: Julharjam
Post Number: 3
Registered: 1-2006
| | Posted on Wednesday, April 19, 2006 - 12:13 am: |
|
adam@purecoldh2o.com
What are your costs? That was not on the web site. I am very interested! |
A Glimmer Brother
Citizen
Username: Albino
Post Number: 2
Registered: 3-2006
| | Posted on Wednesday, April 19, 2006 - 1:54 pm: |
|
http://www.endlimescale.com/ is up, but it is not robust yet. We don't have pricing it yet, and probably won't until sometime next week.
Call 973-951-4900 or write me at adam@purecoldh2o.com if you want costs. |
Zoesky1
Citizen
Username: Zoesky1
Post Number: 1437
Registered: 6-2003
| | Posted on Wednesday, April 19, 2006 - 2:00 pm: |
|
I have very hard water in my house too. Can anyone who has had one put in give me a ballpark figure on how much water softeners cost to install and maintain? NO SALES PITCHES PLEASE! Julharjam, you said it is about $400 to buy from Sears, $300 to install? That seems weird, that the installation cost would be almost as much as the unit itself. Anyone else with experiences here? |
wunderdog
Citizen
Username: Wunderdogny
Post Number: 96
Registered: 9-2004
| | Posted on Wednesday, April 19, 2006 - 5:50 pm: |
|
RE: dishwasher....the Kitchenaid authorized repairman told me to use CLR (available at most stores) periodically.
His exact instructions: Empty the dishwasher completely; fill detergent dispenser with CLR; run dishwasher on "heavy scrub" + "high temp". Once that is done, run it again without CLR or detergent in order to rinse out the system.
It's worked for us, but only after I had to have the rubber gasket replaced in our three year old machine due to the hard water's white residue (and $125 to the repairman). He said it also helps the bearings and mechanical parts last longer too. |
Lizziecat
Citizen
Username: Lizziecat
Post Number: 1171
Registered: 5-2003
| | Posted on Wednesday, April 19, 2006 - 6:30 pm: |
|
Zoesky;
I can't give you any ball-park figures, but I think it's better to lease a water softener than to rent--especially if you're a single mom--for the following reasons:
First, if the water softener breaks down, the leasing company will come and fix it or replace it, and
Secondly, because they will deliver the salt to you, bring it into your house, and pour it into the water softener for you. This may not seem like a big deal, but we're talking 80 pound bags of salt. It's a bit more expensive than if you buy it yourself, but well worth it, in my opinion.
We use Jayson. As I said, I don't have the figures, but after the initial installation fee you have to pay a maintenance fee and purchase the salt. If you call Jayson, or any other company, I'm sure they'll be happy to give you the information. |
Soparents
Citizen
Username: Soparents
Post Number: 189
Registered: 5-2005
| | Posted on Wednesday, April 19, 2006 - 6:40 pm: |
|
Per my previous post - we use Portasoft. We lease and I think it is $23 per month - the size of the unit dictates the amount you pay (I think!) and they work out what size you need . As Lizziecat says, if it goes bang, being a lease they fix it at their cost...regarding the salt, yes it costs more to have them deliver and fill your softener etc, but I can tell you through experience, my machine takes 10 40lb bags of salt. That was 10 bags I had to put into my Home Depot cart last week, 10 40lb bags I had to take out of the cart and put into my car, 10 40lb bags I had to take out of my car, into my house, down the stairs, into the utility room, put them on the floor, cut them open, raise them above the water softener and hold them while the salt came out (slowly)... All this because I thought it would be easy.... never again...
(This is one thing I will leave a man to do!!!) |
Julharjam
Citizen
Username: Julharjam
Post Number: 4
Registered: 1-2006
| | Posted on Wednesday, April 19, 2006 - 8:15 pm: |
|
Soparents:
What a GREAT point re: the lugging of these bags of salt - no thank you!!
Do u have contact info for Portasoft? I couldnt find them in the yellow pages, but plan to get quotes from them, Jayson, Culligan and possibly EndLimescale.
Wunderdog: thanks for CLR tip too. Will try it.. we have kitchenaid DW as well, all along i thought the DW was awful. Did u have water conditioning done? How are your dishes now??
|
ril
Citizen
Username: Ril
Post Number: 524
Registered: 6-2001
| | Posted on Wednesday, April 19, 2006 - 8:16 pm: |
|
any suggestions/solutions for apartment dwellers? installing a softener at the water source is not doable. |
Zoesky1
Citizen
Username: Zoesky1
Post Number: 1440
Registered: 6-2003
| | Posted on Thursday, April 20, 2006 - 9:48 am: |
|
Lizziecat, Soparents -- this is all so helpful. I had no idea we were talking about huge bags of salt, and yes, I certainly would not be hoisting those around.
Where does a water softener get installed? By the water main coming into the house? Near the hot water heater? How big a machine are we talking about here (sufficient physical space in my utility room may be an issue too). No clue.... |
Lizziecat
Citizen
Username: Lizziecat
Post Number: 1173
Registered: 5-2003
| | Posted on Thursday, April 20, 2006 - 10:19 am: |
|
Ours is in the basement, not too far from the water meter. The tank is about the size of our hot water heater--maybe a little smaller. I'm totally ignorant about this stuff, but the water softener guys know what to do. I will say that since we've had it--many years now--the life of appliances like dishwashers and washing machines has been much extended. I had my last washing machine for twenty years, and my dishwasher for ten. Plus my hair feels nicer and my laundry comes out cleaner. |
Soparents
Citizen
Username: Soparents
Post Number: 198
Registered: 5-2005
| | Posted on Thursday, April 20, 2006 - 10:22 am: |
|
Julharjam - Portasoft 908 233 4300 - I have loads of friends who use them too - a pleasant and efficient company to deal with. |
Shanabana
Citizen
Username: Shanabana
Post Number: 318
Registered: 10-2005
| | Posted on Friday, April 21, 2006 - 3:23 pm: |
|
We love our Culligan water softener. I can't believe how CLEAN everything is now that the scum has washed away from the inside of the dishwasher. It's unbelieveable how much stuff was in there! It sucks to have to make the investment, though. But it think it will help on the resale value to have it there |
Closed: New threads not accepted on this page