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I had this problem in a prior house and it turned out to be from the chlorinator. The chlorinator is supposed to add chlorine, then the activated charcoal is supposed to remove it, but some of the chlorine was making it past the activated charcoal and essentially destroying clothes. It was a low level of chlorine, couldn't even smell it, but certain brands of clothing just couldn't handle it and came out bleached and/or with holes.
OP- do you have a chlorine system on your well?
The house I now live in has no chlorinator and I do not have the issue. I have only a pre-filter, an iron filter, an activated carbon filter, and a water softener. I also have a point-of-use RO system under the kitchen sink that has a UV light to kill bacteria. I'm happy with my current setup as all I need to do is add salt once a month and potassium for the iron filter once every 3 or 4 months.
Clothing problems aside, the softener is nice for other reasons as well. If you do go the softener route, I recommend getting one that is "smart" and that somehow monitors usage. I have a dumb smart one- Kinetico. It has a water flow meter in it so it only runs when needed, not based on time. All in, uses less salt.
When I could no longer get parts for my previous water softener, I replaced it with a model that measures flow instead of time. You have to tell it your hardness in grains (1 grain equals 17.1 ppm; sometimes people would call the water plant asking about this and I would do the math for them). It uses much less salt than the previous water softener.
While my water treatment system is complicated, as I explained above, my current water heater is almost 11 years old. The 2 previous heater only lasted 7 years. I did replace the anode a few years ago, in an attempt to make it last longer. If you have an electric hot water tank, make sure it has stainless steel heating elements, for better corrosion resistance.
It's gas, one of the systems in the house that uses gas and not electricity.
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......When my clothes developed holes, it was because I had spilled acid on them. The 12% bleach we used at the water plant is really hard on clothes, too. No longer a problem once I retired.
Bleach is not something I use in the house BUT......it is something the dive shop I work for uses for decontamination for invasive species. The dive site I use I believe uses vinegar. While I am not washing my clothes in the stuff, since I am around it, since my gear even with a rinse afterwards is around me, since it rides in the truck bed and I'm in there at times, could that be part of it? I wouldn't think so.....but then again, after 4 years in the house, here I am asking.
I talked with a house service man this morning and he pointed out that the white stuff left over on my dishes in the dishwasher is an example of hard water.....and I just thought it was soap residue from not cleaning my filters often enough.
I did try my washing of clothes with less in the machine. Three days of jeans and tac shirts instead of a week's worth. I don't know about "the eating" but it only took one cycle of the dryer to dry them, not two.
What’s wrong with a liberal? As others stated, gett the water tested. You probably need a softener. Do your research on them and don’t get hood winked into some overly expensive complicated system. We also have hard water. I ended up buying a Clack ws1 softener. Very reliable, haven’t had to replace any part (yes it is very easy to service) in 13 years. Use solar salt exclusively, no pellets or large blocks. It’s cheaper, less chance of making a “salt bridge” in the tank. I sprinkle in a little iron out when ever I add a bag of salt, it makes the resin last for a very long time.
It's gas, one of the systems in the house that uses gas and not electricity.
Bleach is not something I use in the house BUT......it is something the dive shop I work for uses for decontamination for invasive species. The dive site I use I believe uses vinegar. While I am not washing my clothes in the stuff, since I am around it, since my gear even with a rinse afterwards is around me, since it rides in the truck bed and I'm in there at times, could that be part of it? I wouldn't think so.....but then again, after 4 years in the house, here I am asking.
I talked with a house service man this morning and he pointed out that the white stuff left over on my dishes in the dishwasher is an example of hard water.....and I just thought it was soap residue from not cleaning my filters often enough.
I did try my washing of clothes with less in the machine. Three days of jeans and tac shirts instead of a week's worth. I don't know about "the eating" but it only took one cycle of the dryer to dry them, not two.
The holes in your clothes are most likely due to the bleach exposure at the dive shop.
The only hard water problems I've seen here over the last 25 years are spots and mineral buildup on surfaces, no holes or discoloration in clothing like you described.
The only hard water problems I've seen here over the last 25 years are spots and mineral buildup on surfaces, no holes or discoloration in clothing like you described.
We have hard water here that has got better over the years but water is from a water company and not a well.
I would get a good water analysis and set up a softener and other devices as indicated by the analysis. I have been on a softener here for almost 30 years, it is still doing its job. No reason to put up with hard water.
Hard water minerals will build up in your kidneys and can cause painful stones. Can also add to your calcifying of joints. Like others said you need a good reliable test. The smallest amount of bleach will cause holes but it`s the best for getting rid of viruses and leaves a clean smell. Use an RO. Buy bottled water without added salts. Or at least boil it before drinking.
Hard water minerals will build up in your kidneys and can cause painful stones. Can also add to your calcifying of joints. Like others said you need a good reliable test. The smallest amount of bleach will cause holes but it`s the best for getting rid of viruses and leaves a clean smell. Use an RO. Buy bottled water without added salts. Or at least boil it before drinking.
I don't drink this water. Only use for bathroom and kitchen for rinsing and cleaning
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