Water Conditioners

[lvlwallach]

We are thinking about putting in a water system in our home. What do you think of Kinetico, TAS, or should we just go to Walmart or Home Depot and buy a water softener for washing and a reverse osmosis for drinking and have a handyman install it.

We have been told this is all we need. What do you think? WE are new so we are asking for help.

Kinetico & Tas are quite expensive but they say it will save the appliances with no calcium buildup.

Thanks, Harvey & Lavelle

:bigbow:

[buggyone]

There is no need to put in any water system here in The Villages. The water is hard water but no harder than in most places. The water is safe to drink and to me, tastes very good.

It is a matter of personal choice if you want a water softner or reverse osmosis treatment system but it is not necessary by any means.

[MikeH]

If you want one, I suggest you go to Sears, Watch for a sale on them. Only a couple companies make water conditioners but make them under different brand names. Got mine at Sears after much investigation and saved $$$ vs the big "Brand Names" Had Sears install it. Have had it 5 yrs and am very pleased. Bag of salt costs about $5-6 and lasts 6-8 months. :icon_wink::icon_wink::icon_wink.

[Bavarian]

There is no need to put in any water system here in The Villages. The water is hard water but no harder than in most places. The water is safe to drink and to me, tastes very good.

It is a matter of personal choice if you want a water softner or reverse osmosis treatment system but it is not necessary by any means.

Interesting, my wife and I were down to The Villages for lifestyle tour, and thought water was terrible. We are used to our nice, clean well water. But even city water up North is better. A stumbling point on decision to move to The Villages.

How about Easywater to clean hardness?

Have an apartment in Germany with such hard water, we have to change facuet sprayers often just to get water.

Also, found bad water in Savannah, GA on our drive down. Disney's wasn't bad nor by KSC, watched last Shuttle takeoff.

May be down there in a couple of years, put deposit down on land, have to build by end August next year. Now I found this forum, not so hot.

[Bonsai Golfer]

We've owned in TV for 5 years and haven't found the need for a water conditioner. Clothes washing and bathing are not a problem. I will admit the water is not as good tasting as up north but you get used to it. If taste is an issue I'd go with inexpensive bottled water.

If you do go with a commercial water system, be careful. I've heard that most of those companies are very over priced. I heard of one person who negotiated a system down from thousands to hundreds.

[saratogaman]

Beware of one of the oldest ruses used by water treatment sales people:
taking a sample of water from your faucet and adding an unidentified white chemical that either turns the water a muddy brown or precipitates to the bottom as brown crud. It proves nothing...except that the chosen, mysterious chemical does not dissolve in water. Their are a slew of things that are not water soluble. The water here is a little hard...accept it or add a Brita-type device or a reverse osmosis thing on the kitchen sink for drinking water.

[drdodge]

I would check out Home Depot or Lowes . They will be a lot lower in price. I have a Water Boss from HD and find it to be a great water softner. Cost a little over 500.00 dollars and very east to install. You can check out Water Boss on line
drd

[Bogie Shooter]

Interesting, my wife and I were down to The Villages for lifestyle tour, and thought water was terrible. We are used to our nice, clean well water. But even city water up North is better. A stumbling point on decision to move to The Villages.

How about Easywater to clean hardness?

Have an apartment in Germany with such hard water, we have to change facuet sprayers often just to get water.

Also, found bad water in Savannah, GA on our drive down. Disney's wasn't bad nor by KSC, watched last Shuttle takeoff.

May be down there in a couple of years, put deposit down on land, have to build by end August next year. Now I found this forum, not so hot.

This is a new one for this forum. Not buying in TV because of the water?
You can buy a water softner for around $500, we have a filter on the fridge which we change every 3 months. Have done a lot of traveling around the US, never conducted and ongoing water evaluation.

[handieman]

Bought a water softener from Walmarts. Ice maker water filter and an under the sink carbon filter. Showers are great and coffee is good. What else does one need in life.

[Bogie Shooter]

Bought a water softener from Walmarts. Ice maker water filter and an under the sink carbon filter. Showers are great and coffee is good. What else does one need in life.

A requested tee time in Jan, Feb & March.:laugh:

[DeafDeaf]

After reading those comments, my next question is, why have not we seen the water treatment sales reps drink water from the demo filter system? Perhaps the demo has higher contents to make it too strong soft to impress us, but is it drinkable? I will call the rep to ask why hasn't he demonstrated drinking water from his demo system!!!

[George Bieniaszek]

A requested tee time in Jan, Feb & March.:laugh:

:agree:

[George Bieniaszek]

My wife complains that the water makes her hair feel different after washing and conditioning her hair. My wife only drinks bottled water because she doesnt like the taste. I am good with drinking the water but only with LOTS of ice. I keep a gallon jug of tap water in the fridge. I guess we are spoiled with the great water from Connecticut.

[onbjames]

I am a pipefitter by trade, retired, and have installed many water systems. imho we have a completly safe drinking water system here in tha villages, as in most american cites. I had a co. come and do a check of our water here in duval, a complete snake oil bunch of bull-ony! Again imho.
The taste of the water is some times not to good, but a simple filter, such as a well maintained ref. filter well do the trick. For coffee and tea I bought a PUR filter that fits on the faucet in our deep sink. Easy to install, and very economical. Works great.
Hope this helps, and once again it's imho.

[graciegirl]

I see no need for a water conditioner. Beginning of fifth year drinking it. More bleachy in summer, more bacteria to quell I guess. Refrigerator filter handles it and coffee tastes fine.

I think that comparing to water from home state is kinda like comparing pizza. It never will be the same.

P.S. I got an A in chemistry in High School. I copied off of Martha Washington. She was in the next seat.

[aabuono]

I see no need for a water conditioner. Beginning of fifth year drinking it. More bleachy in summer, more bacteria to quell I guess. Refrigerator filter handles it and coffee tastes fine.

I think that comparing to water from home state is kinda like comparing pizza. It never will be the same.

P.S. I got an A in chemistry in High School. I copied off of Martha Washington. She was in the next seat.

Gracie - I have a question for you - Do you find that when showering/bathing the hardness of the water make the soap/shampoo not lather too well? Thanks...

Anne

[graciegirl]

Gracie - I have a question for you - Do you find that when showering/bathing the hardness of the water make the soap/shampoo not lather too well? Thanks...

Anne

Nope. Just the same.

[Bill & Carolyn]

If you want one, I suggest you go to Sears, Watch for a sale on them. Only a couple companies make water conditioners but make them under different brand names. Got mine at Sears after much investigation and saved $$$ vs the big "Brand Names" Had Sears install it. Have had it 5 yrs and am very pleased. Bag of salt costs about $5-6 and lasts 6-8 months. :icon_wink::icon_wink::icon_wink.

So did I. We use Potassium Chloride salt to save the landscaping tho. Very happy with it. I did a LOT of research and, while the Kinectco and others are roughly 4x more expensive, they don't seem to perform any better.

The unit we got is also removes the chlorine from the water coming in to the house. Our testing showed that the Villages water has really high chlorine content.

[Johnd]

Lived here for 5 years with the hard water. Never liked it but also never liked expensive, bulky and/or salty fixes.

Recently went with a whole house water filter system from Kiley & Sons plumbers (753-5301). About $350. $7 to $10 filters last 3 months - available from Amazon and others. Takes up little room.

We think it works fine. If you don't like it, can always go the other routes suggested.

[Carmpat]

You know some folks mentioned to me they don't get a good lather in their hair but honestly, I don't have that problem at all or the filtration system makes your hair and skin so soft. I don't believe that for a second. When I step out of the shower, my skin is very soft even with the hard water. It is during the winter that our skin gets very dry and flakey. If we decide to get a water softening system it will be through Sears, Home Depot or Lowes. We were quoted between $4,000 to $5,000 for a new water system. It is just something to think about when it comes to that much money to shell out for a new system. I have been slowly trying to drink the water out of the refrigerator filter when I make a cup of tea versus drinking bottle water. I did notice the difference in taste in the beginning but now I am getting used to it.

[TimeForChange]

Been here one week in a new home....water from faucet is fine. If the water is keeping you away from TV...there have to be other reasons.

[CarGuys]

So did I. We use Potassium Chloride salt to save the landscaping tho. Very happy with it. I did a LOT of research and, while the Kinectco and others are roughly 4x more expensive, they don't seem to perform any better.

The unit we got is also removes the chlorine from the water coming in to the house. Our testing showed that the Villages water has really high chlorine content.

Ours tested more concentrated than pool chlorine levels. My wife did not like the white water spots on the sink bath and inside the dishwasher.

We installed a system and potassium based softener and have never looked back. Shower's now feel great no water spots and no chlorine smell. A reverse osmosis is used for drinking water and washing vegetables.

I used our own chlorine test kit. Did not use the water sales persons. However his results and mine were the same.

I bought three kits, one on line one from Water Boss, one from Home Depot and one from Lowes.

I'm not saying village water is unhealthy. And for some it it's just fine tasting and feeling. Gracie is right like good home food it's different here.

I'm saying for us it made our skin dry and itch, my wife's hair color wash out and it left spots on appliances. We washed our clothes in the new water without any soap. We were amazed at the soap suds that came out of the clothes.

I myself have occupational asthma and the chlorine in a hot shower can aggravate my lungs. Buying a system is a personal choice. Believe me I would have preferred to NOT spend the money. I say live in your home for a month and see if it is ok.

I do think there may be a difference of water quality from different villages. and there are many good systems out there to pick from.

I would agree that removing the chlorine and particulates is more important than just soft water alone.