Bump

Am I not doing something here I need to be doing?
I'm looking for some help to determine what to do about the city water coming into my home and it was pointed out that Aliceinwonderland could look at my water test information and determine what I need to be doing.
I guess I just fell too far down the list.

This started for me because the 4 year old faucet that I installed in my kitchen can barely turn for all the buildup in it. Clearly the city water I use tends to leave deposits.

Could someone please give me an opinion about how to start treating the water that comes into my home?

I've been on vacation.

Did this start on another thread? If so, could you copy your test results into that thread or copy that info into this thread, please? It works best to keep everything together so all of the relevant information is together.

Sorry,
I hope you enjoyed your vacation, I just love this time of year.

Heres the thread that got me headed down this road: http://ths.gardenweb.com/forums/load/plumbing/msg1011324913880.html

I live in a two story home, concrete slab with city water, 4 1/2 baths with a garden tub. Last months water usage in the home was 200 gallons. Just the wife and I at home but occasionally have family. The vast majority of water useage, as I live in Texas, is for outside. Lawn, plants, pool and separate jacuzzi.

I just dont know how to go about separating the system...inside vs. outside and where my service enters the house.

If there is a dependable commercial alternative that isnt snake oil I would be willing to look into that option also.

Thanks in advance.

rocks911
Are you sure that your in home water use is only 200 gals per month? Just flushing the toilet twice a day for 2 people would equal 96 gals a month. 1.6galflushx2x30days=96

I'm fairly confident. It is accurate to probably 50 gallons.

Just curious - how did you determine 200 gallons per month indoor water use? That is extremely low water usage. As stated above, that is one flush per person per day plus one short shower per week per person, plus one load of laundry per month and one load of dishes per week. If this is metered, I would suspect the meter, unless you shower at the gym, eat out every meal and take the laundry to a cleaner.

The smallest practical softener would be 0.75 cubic feet. If your water usage is truly tiny, that is as small as I would go to ensure you still get adequate flow into your home. However, since you have a larger home and jacuzzi tub, it would be better to account for the possibility of using more than one bathroom at a time or using other water when the tub is filling - a one cubic foot softener would fit your home. The initial expense is not substantially different between the two, but the larger softener would use about 6 more pounds of salt per month.

When you call around looking for a softener:
1. Try some locals - that way you have service after the sale. See who your neighbors use.
2. If you are handy, you can also order online, but then you are the service tech.
3. A gravel under-bed is required
4. A top distribution basket is a good idea.
5. Noryl bypass is required.
6. 10% crosslinked resin is required for good life with chlorine in the water.
7. Plumb the softener with an extra bypass around it so that it may be removed entirely, if necessary, without disrupting water flow to your home.
8. Use a Fleck or equivalent softener. Plumbing size of 1" or larger, go with a Fleck 7000sxt, 3/4" go with a Fleck 5600sxt.
9. I recommend avoiding softener companies with "proprietary" valves and equipment - these are just more expensive to repair and parts are more difficult to obtain when necessary.

Can you fill the hot tub and/or pool with softened water? It would make the treatment of those easier, particularly the hot tub. If this is possible and desirable for you, then I need to know the flow rate at which you can fill them. Timing how long it takes to fill a 5 gallon bucket will do nicely. You answer to this question could change the above recommendation.

Thanks so much for the reply.

So where, physically, do I set this up?

Can I assume that the water line to my water heaters is directly off the main water line?

It should be. Are you intending to only soften your water going to the water heater? If that is the case, you may as well save your money - you will still have buildup on your sinks/showers/tubs.

Water treatment should be set up as close to the water pipe entrance to your home as possible, before the water branches out to any fixtures, and plumbed such that outdoor spigots used for watering lawn/plants are not softened.

"Are you intending to only soften your water going to the water heater?" - No thats not my intent.

I am wondering where this is typically set up. Clearly I am ignorant of the plumbing arrangement in my home. I live in the Dallas area and have a home built in the early 90's, on a concrete slab with city service extended from the meter which is at the front of my home at the curb/sidewalk. Where would I configure this filtration/treatment system?

How is the main water line to my home branched, or is it branched? I'm guessing that there are branches that run to my outside faucets and another branch that runs to my home, but where the branch that services my home comes through the slab for me to access, I know not.

Rocks911,
Is there a water cut off valve located outside anywhere other than at the meter? sometimes it will be located close to a sewer clean-out. also is there crawl space in your attic?

It sounds like you need a plumber to help you determine where your pipes are located. Typically, one line would run to the home and then branch out to all fixtures, including those that are outdoor, BUT I have no way of knowing how your pipes are routed.