Water softener

[sotal]

We live in area which has water classed as hard water. I'm looking into whether it is worth fitting some kind of water softener for the whole house.

Someone recently told me I should go for one of the electric ones that requires no plumbing. It looks like you just wrap wires around the pipe. Personally I can't see how this would work, but I can find them for sale. Are they a gimmick or can they actually work?

Otherwise what is the best type to go for? Any negatives? Is it really worth doing? We've lived here for 17 years without one, but now would be a good time to do it as I will be able to access the rising main easier whilst we change the worktops in the kitchen.

 

[helplessowner]

There was a test carried out in Sweden which found that the only thing that actually removed limescale was a salt based water softener.
We had one of those "wrap around" things in our last property - made no difference whatsoever.
After the boiler got scaled up - again - we replaced it with a proper water softener.
Most of the reports about the non-salt devices being "proven" to reduce limescale seem to be produced by the manufactuers and people wanting to sell them without any supporting test reports.
Bear in mind that a water softener reduces limescale, but you still have the other minerals that may leave deposits (depending on your water make-up).
If fitting a salt based water softener you may want to keep one tap as hard water - not because the softened water is salty, simply because it tastes slightly different. We use softened water for cooking and tea, but have a hard water tap for cold drinking water.

 

[JohnD]

Someone recently told me I should go for one of the electric ones that requires no plumbing. It looks like you just wrap wires around the pipe. Personally I can't see how this would work, but I can find them for sale. Are they a gimmick or can they actually work?

They work in the same way that a copper bracelet cures rheumatism, or a drop of purified water cures disease.

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