If you have sediment, absolutely install a sediment filter upstream from the water softener. Although your softener will act as a sediment filter if it must, it will damage the resin. A sediment filter can either be a backwashing media filter (looks similar to a softener), or a cartridge filter. Both work very well. A backwashing filter will cost much more to install, but can mostly be ignored once it is operational. Filter cartridges are cheaper to install, but filters should be changed every six months or as needed. If you choose filter cartridges, look for "Big Blue." Go with the 4" diameter, not the 2". You didn't mention any other water parameters. Since you are on well water, it is important to have a comprehensive water test to include: TDS, pH, hardness, alkalinity, sulfides, iron, manganeses, bacteria, any others recommended by your local lab As to softener size, if hardness is your only issue you should be looking in the 1.5 - 2.0 cuft size range. However, if you have iron and/or manganese in your water they will greatly affect proper softener size. If the home has been there for years without a softener and you don't see signs of iron (rusty stains) or manganese (black stains that aren't bacterial), then they likely won't affect softener size, but even tiny amounts will affect resin life, so best to be certain. Since you are not happy with your Kinetico rep (for good reason), either Culligan or the independent will be fine. My preference would be the independent dealer over Culligan solely because Fleck parts are readily available from multiple sources whereas Culligan parts are only available from Culligan. You want to ensure your new softener meets some basic standards: High quality American or German made resin. This will provide a tight size distribution for optimal flow within the resin, longer resin life, and more reliable, predicable water softening. Since you have WELL WATER: 8% crosslinked resin. Top basket. This serves two purposes. It sets up a proper water distribution during normal operation and prevents resin loss during backwash. Gravel underbed. The gravel underbed is there to set up proper flow patterns, improve backwash, keep the bottom basket in place, prevent basket failure, and prevent channeling. Many softener sales companies like to leave this out or sell softeners with a vortex system instead. Vortex systems weigh less than gravel so they cost less to ship. In addition, they are a more expensive item that adds profit for the softener salesperson, but provides no additional benefit to the homeowner . It simply adds another piece of equipment that can break. Fleck or Clack valves. These set the industry standard. Be aware that you will not be able to purchase Clack valves online. This is not a problem if you purchase locally. The valve should regen based on water usage, not time. Noryl bypass. Most softeners are available with either Noryl...

This is an excerpt from something I received in today's mail: It's Thanksgiving afternoon. You've had turkey, stuffing potatoes, cranberries - all the fixings. You've had pie (both apple and pumpkin). And right about now you're thankful you're wearing pants with an elastic waist. It's time to watch another game or perhaps figure out which sales to hit with the start of the holiday shopping tomorrow. But isn't there something more to this holiday? Thanksgiving is the perfect opportunity to slow down and take stock of what's really important in your life. So before the meal, or right after, while everyone is still seated at the table, invite each family member to state something they're thankful for....Here are a copy of suggestions to keep the good thoughts flowing throughout all the holidays and into the upcoming year. 1. Accept, Acknowledge and Appreciate - Let these replace the Three C's - Complaining, Condemning and Criticizing. 2. Do something for someone else - those less fortunate than you. 3. Put it all in perspective - It's often easy to lose perspective on exactly how much we do have. It's easy to feel less than satisfied with your lot in life...Remember, what you have is always greater than what you need. 4. Focus on the positive - Keeping a positive outlook will change your entire perspective, as people have a tendency to remember the bad things as vividly as the good. Keep a gratitude journal containing only positive entries. Look for positive outcomes from tough events. This goes on but I think the bottom line is to keep things in perspective. I'm a perfectionist, too, and we completed our kitchen remodel about 18 months ago. I know where you are coming from, but if you focus on the fact that you have a new kitchen and it's a great improvement from what you had before, your perspective will probably change. Get that positive journal going with daily entries - you'll most likely find you ease up. As a last resort, ask yourself 2 questions that were regularly asked of me during our remodel - 1. Will this kitchen bring us world peace? and 2. Will this kitchen solve world hunger? Bottom line, it's only a kitchen. Happy Thanksgiving.

In the US it would depend on your climate, and whether you plan to install air ducts for A/C. When electric rates are high and you also need A/C, a high efficiency heat pump system is very effective, and newer models work in heat pump mode down to a relatively low temp before they go into backup electric resistance heat. If your climate has very cold temps, you can also use a hybrid system, where it runs in heat pump mode most of the time, and the backup heat source is gas or propane. The initial cost of these systems is higher and more complex, but they give you high efficiency combined with the ability to handle low temperatures. In some old house retrofit installations in the US they are using a mini-split heat pump with multiple "head units." You install one compressor outside, and 2-3 heads units inside, usually mounted high up on the wall. Since there is no ducting it makes the installation easier, but only works well if you have a relatively open floor plan that allows air to circulate to other rooms. The one downside of heat pumps for many folks is that the air out if the vents does not feel very warm. Heat pumps usually circulate air all the time in heat mode, but it does not feet "hot" like you would get with an electric or gas furnace. Bruce

I'm the OP and wanted to come back with an update on what appears to be fissures in the Dorado Soapstone Dallas warehouse Beleza soapstone stock I pictured in my original post and in the comments, with precisely similar types of markings in the Beleza stock pictured on the Garden State Soapstone website, screenshot above. These dark, linear lines are indeed fissures, and they've been repaired at the quarry before transport. A soapstone specialist from my area reviewed the slabs with me and recognized this immediately. We did a water spray and wipe test and saw that the water reacted differently over the repaired areas, more beaded up than on the untreated soapstone. It is difficult to see if the fissures extend through the entire slab because of the mesh backing, but the fabricator wants to avoid the fissured areas for a seating overhang that we have planned. The Dorado slabs also had significant pitting that will need to be repaired before fabrication. Even so, this material is my favorite out of hundreds of slabs of different natural stones that I viewed, so the plan is to proceed with installation. The Beleza is harder than many other varieties of soapstone so won't scratch easily, but it will still offer the water and chemical resistance plus smooth surface for which soapstone has become so popular. Also, as a follow up to a question in my original post, a lot of the risk of cracking with a more dense stone can be alleviated by proper leveling of cabinetry and shimming of the countertop during installation. I believe that the Houzz user who posted elsewhere about a large crack in Beleza had trouble with cabinetry being level. As to changing the surface, the fabricator informed me that I would bear a cost of $400 USD per slab to have this done, and since the current polished surface looks good as it is, this isn't a cost that seems necessary at this time. I think much of the advice to hone soapstone to 80 grit is generally meant for more traditional varieties of soapstone that are softer than Beleza.