[ffresh]

Originally Posted by MikeVillages

Whole house water softener.

What is your experience using a whole house water softener? Do you have salt, potassium, or something else? How satisfied are you with washing your hair, using the dishwater, and buildup around showers & faucets?

We have used salt-based systems for years and love the benefits. The only minus I find is, especially in FL, the salt pellets tend to form a solid block in the bottom of the tank, after a while due to the high humidity, and must be manually broken up to restore efficient operation. One has to be careful to not poke holes in the tank. We use a whole-house filter before the softener - all works well!

[Justputt]

We had a salt-based system when we lived in TX and the backwash was directed into the sewer line. You don't want to be dumping salt on your grass! I don't have a problem with the water here, don't like the feeling of a slick on the skin, and see zero reason to spend the money.

[Nancy Rodriguez]

What does it stand for?

[Veracity]

Originally Posted by MikeVillages

A plumber stated that it is not a code violation to drain a water softener discharge to the storm sewer. He would have the discharge go slightly underground to the curb where it will drain to the nearby storm sewer. Has anyone done that?

We had a Pegasus system installed on a new-construction Villages home immediately after closing (before we moved into the house). The discharge pipe went through the garage wall and water ended up on our cement patio/walkway. We had our landscaper divert the water underground to discharge onto the grass on our front lawn just before the utility easement. The purpose was to get the water off of the cement near the foundation of the house. This was included in our ARC approval for the landscaping (we had always planned to upgrade the Villages-provided landscaping, so including the pipe extension was no big deal). We were told that ARC does not review water drainage and it's ok as long as water does not drain onto a neighbor's property (ours does not). We have been here about a year and have had no issues with anything regarding our water system or the landscaping. Pegasus was here last week to perform their one year FREE maintenance/inspection and found no problems. The grass around where the water discharges is as green as the rest of the grass. Love the Pegasus water system, but because it was installed before we moved in, we have nothing to compare it to (we don't know what our water would be like without it). Many of our neighbors have also installed water systems; some purchased Pegasus and others went with different brands. We have heard no complaints about any of the various types of water systems in our neighborhood. Everyone seems happy with their selections and their water quality. Some of our neighbors' systems discharge directly into their shrub beds, and nothing has died as a result. I hope this helps answer your question.

[Nana2Teddy]

Originally Posted by jrref

Actually, its the chlorine in the water which shortens the life of the water softener. Its best to put a sediment and carbon filter such as a Nova Filter or equivalent before the water softener.

We have the Nova filter and soft water system, and are very happy with both. We didn’t like the potassium so we changed to the salt, which is cheaper too. I still don’t like the taste of the tap water though, which to me has a slight metallic taste, but I just use the water from our fridge door. Even the metallic taste of the water is better though than the very strong chlorine taste we had before the system was installed.

[Two Bills]

In UK, there must be one direct mains water supply to tap in the kitchen, in case of any possible salt contamination.
We have a ceramic fitter system on that one tap to get rid of the swimming pool tase and filter away any other nasties. Far cheaper than keep buying bottled water.
The salt water backflow, is piped straight into the nearest waste outlet pipe.
Definitely do not want to let backflow into any area of vegetation. It will over time, kill the soil

[Kathryn Putt]

We installed the NIVA system that was designed by a fellow The Village resident. It uses potassium that is environmentally safe. We have no residue, no rings in the toilet, softer skin & hair. Good Luck

[Nana2Teddy]

Originally Posted by Kathryn Putt

We installed the NIVA system that was designed by a fellow The Village resident. It uses potassium that is environmentally safe. We have no residue, no rings in the toilet, softer skin & hair. Good Luck

Do you mean NOVA? If so, then it actually uses either potassium or salt. We chose salt after trying potassium for awhile. The potassium was making my skin itch, and it was much more expensive than the salt.

[jrref]

I just wanted to point out, everyone has their own opinion on which water softener works best and that's fine. But be aware except for the saltless systems, most water softeners work on the same exact principal, and are all basically the same except for the price. You can get a Pegasus for $2,700 or a Nova softener for about $1,200 and at the end of the day, the longevity and effectiveness will be basically the same. The only feature that the more expensive systems might have is a bypass valve that diverts non-softened water to your home while the regeneration process is running. This means you won't have the water cut-off at 2:00 am whenever the regeneration process is running. All the newer systems use a Usage system vs a Timed system to know when to regenerate so there is no concern if you are a snow bird and no one is using the water for several months.

Also, what's very important is having a sediment and carbon filter installed Before the softener because the chlorine in our water will shorten the life of the softener. The Pegasus has a non-replacable carbon filter that is used for the life of the unit and with Nova you can get a three stage filter where you can change the filters once a year. I would be concerned using a softener with a non-replacable carbon filter because after many years I find it hard to believe it's still effective and I wouldn't want my water washing over a filter with many years of dirt.

Before you purchase a water softener do your research. Check the warranties, find out how you can get parts and service and read the reviews of people who have used the systems. There are many YouTube videos on the topic which will enable you to make an informed decision.

The reason why I went with Nova is because of the fair price and that they are local. Meaning if I need service or parts Nova will be able to repair my softener within a day or two. Also, since they have been in the Villages for many years, they know our water and what is needed and works best.

[biker1]

There are water softeners available for $600. Typically, they will last 10-15 years, at which point you should just replace them because the resin, which does the ion exchange, will probably have deteriorated. A carbon block filter (Big Blue compatible 20" x 4.5" is a popular choice and readily available on Amazon and other sites), before the water softener, may extend the life of the resin by removing chlorine, which deteriorates the resin. While you might be able to replace the resin, why bother? Virtually all water softeners will provide bypassed unsoftened water during regeneration; the water does not cut off. Some actually have 2 resin tanks, which alternate regenerating, so you never have bypassed unsoftened water during regeneration. I don’t really think that is necessary. Mine regenerates in about 20 minutes at 2AM and bypasses unsoftenened water during regeneration. I paid about $600 and put it in myself. Regarding whether you need a water softener in our location, it is a personal chance. Our water is pretty hard at 12 grains per gallon, which I measured. To provide context, there are areas in the country with twice that level. Softened water has essentially 0 grains per gallon. I measure mine each year to verify that the water softener is functioning correctly.

Originally Posted by jrref

I just wanted to point out, everyone has their own opinion on which water softener works best and that's fine. But be aware most systems work on the same exact principal, except for the saltless systems, and are all basically the same except for the price. You can get a Pegasus for $2,700 or a Nova softener for about $1,200 and at the end of the day, the longevity and effectiveness will be basically the same. The only feature that the more expensive systems might have is a bypass valve that diverts non-softened water to your home while the regeneration process is running. This means you won't have the water cut-off at 2:00 am whenever the regeneration process is running.

Before you purchase a water softener do your research. There are many YouTube videos on the topic which will enable you to make an informed decision.

[MikeVillages]

My TDS (Total dissolved solids) is 147.

[jrref]

Originally Posted by biker1

There are water softeners available for $600. Typically, they will last 10-15 years, at which point you should just replace them because the resin, which does the ion exchange, will probably have deteriorated. A carbon block filter (Big Blue compatible 20" x 4" is a popular choice and readily available on Amazon and other sites), before the water softener, may extend the life of the resin by removing chlorine, which deteriorates the resin. While you might be able to replace the resin, why bother? Virtually all water softeners will provide bypassed unsoftened water during regeneration; the water does not cut off. Some actually have 2 resin tanks, which alternate regenerating, so you never have bypassed unsoftened water during regeneration. I don’t really think that is necessary. Mine regenerates in about 20 minutes at 2AM and bypasses unsoftenened water during regeneration. I paid about $600 and put it in myself. Regarding whether you need a water softener in our location, it is a personal chance. Our water is pretty hard at 12 grains per gallon, which I measured. To provide context, there are areas in the country with twice that level. Softened water has essentially 0 grains per gallon. I measure mine each year to verify that the water softener is functioning correctly.

So why should someone pay $2,700 for a Pegasus?

[biker1]

They probably shouldn't but people overpay for lots of things such as internet speeds they can't come close to needing. The Villages is a "target rich environment" for vendors.

Originally Posted by jrref

So why should someone pay $2,700 for a Pegasus?

[Garywt]

We have a NOVA whole house filter that we love but we hate water softeners. A house we have stayed at and I never felt rinsed off. My hair and body almost felt slimy which I did not like that feeling.

[Freehiker]

We have a Nova water softener (and filter). Potassium.

Love it.