Do water filters help? See photo.
 

Do water filters help? You decide!

Just changed my filter set after about 11 months. Just 2 of us with relatively low water use (other than lots of flushing!). The bright white one in front is obviously the new one. The one on right is 1st in line (25micron, the 2nd is 10micron and the final filter is 5micron carbon block.). All that gunk would have been in our clothes, food & hair. Yuch. I cut open the first one and the dirt goes about 95% through it. This is not an advertisement for any particular filter so brand is not listed.We live in Amelia near Colony if it matters.

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We've had Nova water filtration systems in both of the homes we've owned here in TV. Wouldn't be without them.

They do the trick. We have the Nova filters as well as their softener system which really made a difference in the water quality.

Where is your filter located, in the garage? Are they easy to connect? Would this go before or after a water softener. Thanks

Check out Skip Smith on YouTube. Skip just did a video in the last couple days with the owner of Nova changing his filters and discussing them as well as the water softener.

I would assume before (why would you send dirty water to the softener?) but not sure. Mine is in my garage where main water valve is located. It could be anywhere BEFORE the first faucet.

We do too. Just had both installed a few weeks ago. We've used water softeners since the mid '80s, and also a water filter in our first TV house, but the Nova system with water softener (we use potassium chloride, not salt) is a huge improvement over anything we've ever had.


The water tastes amazing. Showering with the potassium chlorided water as opposed to the salt leaves you feeling squeaky clean.

Has anyone sent a used filter to a lab to see what is in it?

We have used Nova system for the last two years and are very happy. Had difficulty getting past the taste and now, no problem. Also,do not need to have a water filter in our refrigerator since all our potable water is filtered as it enters the house. Did not see a need for water softener system at this time.

I have heard good things from friends who have a Nova Water Filter.

My question is does it get rid of (what I think is) Calcium that leave residue and deposits on everything?

Nope.

I have to differ with that. the main reason we wanted the softener was to get rid of the white residue around our bronze fixtures, it ended immediately and have not had a calcium build up or iron stains anywhere since installing the Nova softener and filter system, it has been well over a year since the installation. We too use the potassium pellets and noticed the difference as soon as we used the shower for the first time. Water tastes great, ice cubes are clear and the Nova system is so much less expensive than the others brands that are offered around town. we have no regrets whatsoever.

Those look exactly like the one they pull out of ours. I called the water department to see why there is so much sediment in the water and they told me that was normal. They were going to have a manager call, but that has happen after a week.

Really glad we have ours, no stinky water and you can actually drink it.

Skip's video was great.

But you won't get rid of all the calcium deposits with just the water filter. It takes the softener along with it to get rid of the calcium deposits.

I get this question almost every day.

Here's the breakdown of the spots, 10-15% calcium, 85-90% sediment.

The sediment sticks to the calcium, without a softener the Nova WHF will remove the all the sediment the remaining calcium is almost hard to see with the naked eye.

So two choices, clean it up 6-12 months with CLR for $3
or add a softener in addition to the WHF.

85% of of the homes in the main part of TV use only the WHF 15% added a softener, so it is not mandatory it is an option.

In Fenney the water has a higher calcium level there about 45% have our softener.

Again many are satisfied with just the WHF @ only $575+tax

A softener added to the WHF is $899

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My response was to Grace regarding sediment filters preventing calcium deposits. They do not. A water softener can. Two different things.

We just moved in to a 6-yr-old house that had no water system previously. CLR is working somewhat to remove the water spots, but it is a struggle and will take awhile. Plus some of the spots have eroded the porcelain sinks.


I can compare prices of water filtration/softener systems because we have had them in every house since the 1980s. The Nova + softener is the least expensive we have ever had, and I believe the water is cleaner and tastes better than we have ever had.



Jimbo gave a good explanation over the phone, presented a couple of choices, and Brad did an excellent installation.

It can go both ways.

A softener only performs one task capturing calcium & magnesium it is not in any way a filter.


So the sediment just passes thru a softener to be filtered by the WHF.

However, a softener has tiny resin beads a few may flow out.
Having said that, I like the WHF after the softener to filter those out as well if present.

So doing in the reverse order WHF/softener has that one issue


An argument can be made placing the WHF after, that the chlorine will dissolve the salt faster or potassium chloride
I don't think there's any appreciable amount dissolved to concerned with.

Either way will work.

Oh sure, I agree

Exactly, that's why we included the softener in our system.

I recommend after the install using CLR, it works much better NOT diluted.

Be mindful the surface must be kept wet or immersed a full 2-5 minutes.

A plastic bag filled with CLR placed over faucets & shower heads held in place with a twisty tie for 2 minutes

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We have the Nova filter system and are very satisfied. Our neighbors tell us there is definitely a difference in the taste of the water. My wife says she can feel the difference in showering and washing her hair. Highly recommended.

I guess that while we have plenty of sediment in our water as you can see from the photo in the OP we don't seem to have calcium problems here. We moved into a 9 yr old home 2 yrs ago and there were no signs of calcium on any fixtures (and they were obviously "originals") so we don't need a softener. The filter however made a major difference in water quality. Water smelled like a YMCA swimming pool when we moved in.

the water authority tests the water daily for bacteria counts and adds chlorine accordingly, so it varies in the intensity.

Although chlorine is a poison, and the safety of drinking it can be questioned, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has declared that chlorine in water is safe to drink in small amounts.

But then it's removal would be safer I would think,

Showering with chlorinated water likely leads to more chlorine absorption in the body than drinking water treated with chlorine (according to a study looking at the impact of chlorine byproducts on bodily organs in the case of swimming pool exposure). Additionally, warm water opens up your skin pores and hair follicles, leading to greater exposure when you take a hot shower.

Chlorine and its byproducts strip away the natural hair and skin oils that protect your body from over drying.

Looking at your annual report from the water company there are two "by-products of disinfection" .
It sounds perfectly normal and harmless (according FDA the levels are safe) but they vary the amount of chlorine daily???

TTHM & Haloacetic Acids, google those

The Nova filter removes those and a lot more

Well, the first 4 months we lived here (pre-filter) they must have accidentally put in too many tablets! LOL

I have never had a doctor tell me to buy a water filter or water softener for my house.

What about your cleaning lady?:)

It's amazing that Michael Phelps isn't dead from Chlorine. He must be Superman :)

Sometimes they have to "shock" the water with chlorine, so chlorine levels can vary greatly.
The county does yearly water purity tests and posts them online. TV water in pretty clean but filters make a big difference in taste and plumbing buildup. I set my water softener to 11 Grains.

FYI,
Calcium does not build up inside Cpvc or Pvc pipes which almost all homes here have

Thumbs up for filters but I am not a fan of soft water showering. Some call the feeling silky, some call it slimy. Seat me with group two.

With a softener, you have two choices to use to regen the resin (or called back washing)

Most common is salt, that will result in "the feeling silky, some call it slimy"

The reaction between a triglyceride molecule (fat) and sodium hydroxide (lye) to make soap yields a molecule of glycerol with three ionically bonded molecules of sodium stearate (the soap part of soap). This sodium salt will give up the sodium ion to water, while the stearate ion will precipitate out of solution if it comes into contact with an ion that binds it more strongly than sodium (such as the magnesium or calcium in hard water).

The magnesium stearate or calcium stearate is a waxy solid that you know as soap scum. It can form a ring in your tub, but it rinses off your body. The sodium or potassium in soft water makes it much more unfavorable for the sodium stearate to give up its sodium ion so that it can form an insoluble compound and get rinsed away.

Instead, the stearate clings to the slightly charged surface of your skin. Essentially, soap would rather stick to you than get rinsed away in soft water.

We recommend using Potassium chloride rather than salt to eliminate that slippery-when wet feeling after rinsing the soap off. Also you're not adding salt to your drinking water.

During the softening process, sodium is released from the exchange media into the output water. For every grain of hardness removed from water,

8 mg/1 (ppm) of sodium is added. People on restricted sodium intake diets should account for increased levels of sodium in softened water. Your family physician should be consulted.

Sodium intake from softened water can be avoided by have a reverse osmosis kitchen tap drinking and cooking.

Substituting potassium chloride for sodium chloride may be appropriate if health or environmental reasons necessitate restricting sodium.

Potassium chloride is more expensive and adheres more strongly to the resin, reducing the exchange efficiency when compared with sodium chloride.

Salt is about $7 a bag Potassium is $30

My problem isn't with the chlorine as an additive as I am sure it won't make me sick because it is controlled (famous last words), the problem for me is it stinks and it kills my wife's hair. By getting rid of the chlorine both those problems have been noticeably solved. Let them clean the water up to my front door, that's wonderful, but once it gets in my house I don't want it. I'm thankful the "county does yearly testing" but many things could possibly happen in the 364 days they do not test like using more than needed on any of those days.

Re: Reported calcium build up
 

Porcelain is essentially a glass coating on metal. You may have a calcium coating on your sink but it has not eroded the sink-it is a coating on the sink. Try using vinegar on it. Do not use vinegar with chlorine bleach as it will release chlorine gas. You can also use vinegar to clean shower heads etc.

To remove calcium deposits from porcelain sinks and toilets, buy a pumice stone at the swimming pool section at Home Depot or at ACE Hardware. Get it wet and gently rub it on the deposits. It works WAY better than CLR or vinegar. But, I wouldn't use it on a shower head or faucet. I had heavy calcium deposits on my toilet bowls, and they were sparkling clean in less than 10 minutes.

I've never had a water softener so I'm wondering how long this potassium chloride lasts in the system? How often do you have to add more to the system?

Same amount of time/gallons as salt, some softeners (not ours) may require a programming change, the frequency to add depends on water use and the size of the resin bed.

Using potassium chloride may be appropriate if health or environmental reasons necessitate restricting sodium.

Potassium is an essential mineral for plants; whereas, sodium can damage plant tissues.
When the softener re-generates it creates waste water,
this diluted wastewater is beneficial to a shrubs, plants & grass covered drain field.

http://www.novafiltration.com/nova-water-softener/

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How long would a bag of Potassium last? A week, month, six months?

As I said it depends how much water you use.

For example some homes use 1,500 Gallons a month some 4,000

On average the tank starts off with two bags that will last 4-5 months. 6-8 bags a year approximately

You're more than welcome to call with for detailed info if you wish
352.566.2649

Bob

I use tap water unfiltered for everything. Just saying

Been here seven years. Only water filter we have is on the refrigerator. Paying hundreds or even thousands for filter systems is a scam and a ripoff. My drinking water is mostly Pellegrino.