Water System recommendations
 

We are looking at getting a house water filter system and was wondering if anyone had any recommendations? Something that would remove minerals, soften the water, etc. Sick of the rust colored stains in the shower. As always we were solicited by a door to door person, but would prefer getting input from our fellow villages.

Thank you,
Kat

Do a search here on "Nova" filter systems. I see a lot of different filter systems in my inspections and the Nova one is impressive in terms of what you get for the cost. There are cheaper ones and also much more expensive ones out there...but I like the Nova one.

Understand there is a DIFFERENCE between a water softener and a water filter. They are not the same and do different things. Hope this helps!

Frank

Also, do a search on, hard water, filters, etc, as there have been several threads on this subject.
Personally, we installed a Sears water softener and a Sears whole house filter (these are now available as a combination unit). We have great tasting water. It is soft, which my wife loves, and the crystal that we wash in the dishwasher sparkles like the crystal that has never been used.
Whatever you do be very cautious of the water system sales people. I did a lot of research, after being quoted $3000 to $6000 for a system. Ours cost less then $1500, but I had it professionally installed, you will be well under $1000 if you can do the installation yourself.
Hope this helps.

We have had the NOVA filtration system installed for almost two years. It is a high-quality, whole house system. We can drink from any faucet. No chlorine odor or taste.

Supplied, sold, and installed by a local TV resident. Look for his ad on TOTV. And the price is very reasonable. Have not had to change filters yet. A great value.

We think one of the best purchases we have made since moving in.:thumbup:

Don

Water here is not real hard, only the water softener companies tell you it is.

I called the water company myself and they said on a scale of 1-15 it's a 9, hard is 12-13.
Soft is 7 so it's just a tad higher

A water softener only gives you soft dirty water, the other filters they may addon are not as effective as Nova whole house filter.

The Nova filter, filters down to a 5 micron size particle.

For example your fridge (tiny) filter only goes down to about 20 microns.

The Nova filter at $495 is a good one time investment.

the filters are only $70 a set for all three, to be changed out at 12-15 months.


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Here's another vote for the Nova system. We had ours installed about 18 months ago and the difference in the taste and smell of the water was immediately noticeable. We changed the filters after about a year and the old ones were fairly dirty. I would definitely recommend the system, and to change the filters once a year.

Water Boss at Home Depot. $450 Installation about $250. Small, efficient, takes care of the problems.

If you want to remove the chlorine taste get the Water Boss Model 950 which has redox material to remove chlorine before the water softening resin. Water Bosses are very effiicent; 2 40-pound bags per year.

Nova!

Thanks to our customers for the endorsements :bowdown:

Well it does a jab in part but it is no way as effective as our 3 stage filter with coconut shell carbon, for cleaning the water
( it uses the less effective activated carbon mixed with redox resin.)

As a water softener it is only about half the recommended size that's needed.

If you really want a high quality softener at twice the capacity I can install one for $750

But again we don't advocate the use or need of any water softener.

You won't find too many dealers talking you out of spending money?

40 years I'm doing water filtration I know what works here, I live here.


If anyone wants a used softener let us know I remove several a month and can let you know where to pick one up on the curb for free. :shrug:

A water filter system is the way to go-also most softeners add salt to the water- if you're on a low salt diet--stay away from them

Capacity in water softeners refers to the number of gallons between regenerations. Mine is sized for the hardness of the water and the number of people in the house. Water Bosses regenerate based on demand - mine regenerates about every 7 days. If I used more water in a week (guests in town) the regeneration would occur more often. The measured hardness of the treated water is 0 grains per gallon.

The amount of sodium added is very small. If this bothers you use potassium chloride instead of sodium chloride as a regeneration agent.

Another recommendation for the Nova whole house water filter. Had Bob install one in my Villa 20 months ago. The water is "softer" to the touch, no water spotting on dishes or shower glass and all tastes are gone. Better than others as there is a pressure gauge prior to the 3 filters and one just after the filters. When the water pressure is 5-10 lbs less than the first, it's time to replace the filter. This way there is no guessing when to replace the filter based on usage not time. Will be scheduling Bob to install a unit in my new home as this is one of if not the best after home purchase additions that cost less than $500!

???? All of the hardness charts I've seen list soft water as <2gpg, and hard water at 7-10gpg. That said, does the filtration systems mentioned in this thread filter out the calcium/magnesium salts that cause the white deposits around your shower head nozzles?

Softwater is essentially 0 grains per gallon. This is what a water softener produces. The water in The Villages is actually quite hard at 12-13 grains per gallon. You cannot filter out the calcium and magnesium ions that causes hardwater unless you are talking about a Reverse Osmosis System and you would find a system capable of filtering all of the water in your house to be very costly. You need a water softener if you want softwater as it performs an ion exchange.

Here is a table to look at:

https://www.fcwa.org/water/hardness.htm

I'm going to disagree as I said the water company says it's 9.

No, but not all those deposits are caused by calcium/magnesium the particulate matter found in the water is a contributing factor.

Folks have posted here and I see myself those deposits are reduced significantly.

I use CLR twice a year on the faucets/shower heads.

At my house it is 12-13 grains per gallon, the precision is +/- 1 grain per gallon.

I have to tell you we have the Pegasus whole house water filtration system. Admittedly, it is pricier than what I've seen others quote on here, but I am on my 3rd year and have absolutely no regrets. I even had a washer repairman out that said its the best thing for the appliances also. My dishwasher still looks brand new, all my faucets are still clean and shiny, my tiles in the showers still look new, and I don't have to listen to my husband complain about the taste of EVERYTHING because of the water. My dishes are cleaner than ever, and I use less laundry detergent and softener. Know that I didn't want this system, my husband did. Water is water to me. We went away, a storm flipped the breaker and the unit wasn't on for a few days. When we came home he immediately realized the taste of the water was off, and that's how we found the flipped switch.Anyhow...if interested in even just getting a quote, call Robert Flink 352-748-7873.

I have a number of neighbors with those systems. They are a "hybrid water softener". This is a water softener with redox material to remove chlorine. So, you get softwater (0 grains per gallon) with the chlorine removed. I went a different route with a Water Boss system but the Pegasus systems look to be very effective and my neighbors like them.

Ditto on the CLR.
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bc