Water softener help!

Walking Man

Walking Man

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I'm having a problem........
First I saw a fair amount of yellow orange clear sand like things in the toilets in my house, which I suspect is the ion exchange resin..... I kept flushing, and it keeps appearing..... (I think..... I'm not 100% sure they're still coming)
And this morning, my shower tasted like salt.
Since I live in OH..... and the land of hard water, I know I need to get this take care of.
Does anyone know if I could just get it fixed, or am I better off buying a new based on this info alone? Thanks.
 
There is usually an environmental lab somewhere near you. They will most likely have someone that knows about water quality testing you could talk with.

You might also talk with the people running your municipal water plant. They typically do water hardness and alkalinity testing, and that info is of the public nature.

Both of the above can be done with a phone call and trip, and will strengthen your knowledge of the situation.

I recommend you get a better handle on what exactly is causing your problem before spending ANY money on ANYTHING!

There are companies selling water filtering/cleaning products that know no more than you or I, and they will tell you anything to sell you something.

Become informed.

Sorry I can't be more help, but I hope that gets you started.

Let me know what you figure out.
 
Do you need to soften your water at all?

"5 Common Myths About Hard Water."

http://about.newsusa.com/article-site.asp?ArticleId=4026

"Soft water (water with the minerals removed) appears to contribute to a higher incidence of hypertension and heart disease. Hypertension, more commonly known as high blood pressure, is an adaptive process to a gross body water deficiency. According to an article Good Housekeeping, nutritionists have determined that the amount of minerals in your tap water can make a significant difference to your health. The article cited a recent study in the Journal of the American Dietetic Association that found that drinking "hard" water (water with the minerals left in) may actually reduce your risk of heart disease.

According to Whitney and Hamilton's Nutrition, "soft water appears to contribute to a higher incidence of hypertension and heart disease in areas where it is used. Hard water may oppose these conditions." "

maximus otter
 
It is possible to replace the resin in some water softeners but it sounds like something is falling apart. I would replace the whole unit.
 
maximus otter said:
Do you need to soften your water at all?

"5 Common Myths About Hard Water."

http://about.newsusa.com/article-site.asp?ArticleId=4026

"Soft water (water with the minerals removed) appears to contribute to a higher incidence of hypertension and heart disease. Hypertension, more commonly known as high blood pressure, is an adaptive process to a gross body water deficiency. According to an article Good Housekeeping, nutritionists have determined that the amount of minerals in your tap water can make a significant difference to your health. The article cited a recent study in the Journal of the American Dietetic Association that found that drinking "hard" water (water with the minerals left in) may actually reduce your risk of heart disease.

According to Whitney and Hamilton's Nutrition, "soft water appears to contribute to a higher incidence of hypertension and heart disease in areas where it is used. Hard water may oppose these conditions." "

maximus otter
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I prefer to drink water with a high mineral content too. Unfortunately, it isn;t really suitable for other uses like bathing, laundering, etc. The aquifer that my well taps into has an extremely high iron content which presents a whole different set of problems - unless you happen to look good in orange!
 
Walking Man, Your water softener has a seperator pipe (what we call a riser pipe) running down the middle of your tank. If this unit has been in operation for any length of time, it sounds like that pipe has split. This is not a common happening, but one I see from time to time. If it is a newly installed the problem is the unit is plumbed in backwards.

The salty water is most likly due to lost of Sodium Inoic Exchange Resin. The unit is still using the same amount of salt, but doesn't have the same amount of resin to absorb the sodium.

I could possibly help you further if I knew the brandname of the appliance.
 
On some softeners, it is quite possible to open the exchange tank and inspect the beads. If they're yellow, they're shot. If you can open and inspect, then you can replace. But this is a task that needs to be done right. You can do it yourself. Google it and you can find the instructions online.

But, even if they are shot, they shouldn't be getting out. My big fear here is that if you're seeing 'em in the toilet, they could damage pumps in washing machines and dish washers and other appliances. They could jam a valve in, for example, an ice maker causing a flood in your house. I'm also worried about getting them into your water heater and what that might do.

Your water softener should have a bypass valve. Bypass it RIGHT NOW until you get this problem fixed.

I'm no tree-hugger, but water softeners are an environmental disaster. All that salt you buy and pour into that thing goes down the drain and into the environment. That's not good. I'd really encourage you to rethink this thing.
 
Gollnick said:
I'm no tree-hugger, but water softeners are an environmental disaster. All that salt you buy and pour into that thing goes down the drain and into the environment. That's not good. I'd really encourage you to rethink this thing.
Click to expand...
Gollnick.....
We, that is... my wife and I live in Ohio, the land of hard water, (which means TONS of lime scale), and I'm really more concerned about the life of my plumbing than having soft water, I could really care less, in fact. IF you can talk me out of that, then I'll consider giving it up. Until then, I just can't afford to spend thousands of dollars on a new plumbing system! Thanks.
 
I lived in Canton once . When I first arrived I commented on the water problems and was told it's been improved , it's far better now !!! Much of OH sits on what was once an ocean ,and it consists of mostly limestone .Calcium deposits are a large problem .
 
Walking Man said:
Gollnick.....
We, that is... my wife and I live in Ohio, the land of hard water, (which means TONS of lime scale), and I'm really more concerned about the life of my plumbing than having soft water, I could really care less, in fact. IF you can talk me out of that, then I'll consider giving it up. Until then, I just can't afford to spend thousands of dollars on a new plumbing system! Thanks.
Click to expand...


Yeah... well... for now, get the thing bypassed and fast. A few weeks of hard water aren't gonna do as much damage as I fear those beads might do.
 
Gollnick said:
Yeah... well... for now, get the thing bypassed and fast. A few weeks of hard water aren't gonna do as much damage as I fear those beads might do.
Click to expand...
Done!.... Thanks for the advice. No more resin in toilets!
Gollnick, you are a true gentleman, sir. I thank you for your help.
I think we'll be getting a new one, though.....
One that's much more effecient, and a one piece unit.
 
the water in my area (round rock TX) is so hard soap will barely lather, spots the cars bad too when ya wash them, in my area ya have to have them imho. i have tried it with and without and they make a tremendous difference, no question about it, i would say 90% of my neighbors have them, of 1 knid or another. our old softner (about 12 yrs) was flipping out and was going thru almost 300 lbs of salt a month lol, had to get that thing replaced, but anyway the new one uses about one 40 lb bag every 4-5 weeks.
 
maximus otter said:
I think you mean, "I couldn't care less."

What you said means the opposite of what you intended to say.
Click to expand...
At my age, I'm not really sure what I mean any more. ;)
 
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