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We need to install a water softener system.
Our plumber is trying to sell is on a NUVOH20 system; it uses citrus rather than salt to soften.
Anyone have any experience with this system? Good or bad?
Thank you
I always install water softeners myself since I know a little about plumbing. Anyway I just go to Home Depot or Lowe's and buy a Whirpool or similar softener.
What you should do first is to have your water tested, before buying a softener. The test is to check for what kind of minerals your water has, which in turn allows you for selecting the proper water softener.
Forgot to mention that the problem with my well water relates to a high iron content, but the type of iron present in this water can be removed by a water softener that also removes iron when the correct type of salt pellets are used. The last softener I installed was around ten years ago, and to this day works like a charm. But I also have a whole house sediment filter installed on the water pipe before the softener, and a charcoal filter on the water line past the softener.
Then there is a GE water filter system under the kitchen sink that has it's own faucet mounted on one of the three holes on the sink. This way we drink filtered tap water that is free of impurities.
Your best bet is to have a system built around a quality control valve like a Fleck 5600. A local water quality specialist can do this, or you can buy systems online and have a plumber install them. The control valve is the important part, the other components are just a brine tank, resin tank, and the resin bed - just a bunch of plastic. Our primary residence has a softener built around a Fleck 5600 SXT and I prefer it to the more basic 5600 models.
Avoid systems sold at the big-box stores. They can't be rebuilt when they wear out or break, and are only recommended by those who are not very knowledgeable.
Your best bet is to have a system built around a quality control valve like a Fleck 5600. A local water quality specialist can do this, or you can buy systems online and have a plumber install them. The control valve is the important part, the other components are just a brine tank, resin tank, and the resin bed - just a bunch of plastic. Our primary residence has a softener built around a Fleck 5600 SXT and I prefer it to the more basic 5600 models.
Avoid systems sold at the big-box stores. They can't be rebuilt when they wear out or break, and are only recommended by those who are not very knowledgeable.
That's exactly what we did. Stay away from proprietary softeners such as Culligan, whose parts are only available through Culligan (meaning, any old plumber can't repair, which= more money). I forget which Fleck model we have, but we are happy with it. Been installed around a year now.
Look at the Scalewatcher or the EasyWater because with the NUVOH20 system, you're required to replace the $100.00 filter never 6-months or it's good by to that system as well as the warranty !!!
The Scalewatcher has a 10-years warranty with zero to no maintenance required !!!
I'm impressed with this company's simple technology. I've had a substantial amount of chemistry in college, and they're proposal sounds legitimate to me. Basically, their citric acid breaks down in water to release H+ ions, which will attach onto the carbonate and bicarbone ions. These carbonate compounds make the water alkaline and once dried with Ca or Mg, they are very hard to remove from faucets, etc, except by us strong acid cleaners. One the H+ ions attach to the carbonate, the molecule turns into WATER and are easily removed!
I'd buy a Nuvo system for my hot water line only, but I'm a little frugal at the moment. I just keep a regular schedule of cleaning my showers, sinks with powdered citric acid and dish detergent- WORKS GREAT. Wear gloves though, becauise the citrus acid powder stings hands. No fumes though!
We must have among the highest hardness of any water system in the nation. if I can do it, you can too.
Ion exchange work well but you need to be a slave to bags / blocks of salt. There are nearly no "miracle short cuts" in water treatment.
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NuvoH20 water conditioners
