We have filtered water at the sink with a GE SmartWater undersink system. Used to have an RO, but the wasted water bothered us (we live in high desert country and everybody's very water-conscious as droughts happen every 5-7 years). When it died we went to the undersink system. GE makes 3 different filters at various price levels. We use the mid-priced filter and are extremely pleased. It's amazing how much easier it is to remember to drink water when it's right on tap, and so much more economical than buying bottled water with all the resulting plastic waste. For us it was a decision based on taste; our water is actually pretty good from the municipal system.

Plumbers are fine for replacing water heaters and other plumbing regular/irregularities but there are VERY few who really know anything about water treatment. In most cases you can temper anything a plumber says regarding water treatment with a 40lb bag of softener salt. To "soften" water is to remove calcium (among other things like iron) from the water and that is commonly done by one of two methods. One method is ion exchange as done by a water softener. A water softener exchanges either sodium ions (if using NaCl) or potassium ions (if using KCl as a SALT SUBSTITUTE) for calcium (and other) ions in the hard water. That's it, no ifs, no ands, no buts, and no sales double talk. Simple chemistry and physics. Softening water is not black magic. It is physics and chemistry with a side of mechanics. No matter how hard sales people try (and want) to they can not violate the laws of physics or change the nature of chemical actions and reactions. The other is by a filter and/or membrane technology or distillation, but no simple filter will remove calcium. You would need a reverse osmosis unit large enough to service your entire house. You would not want to pay for that big an RO nor pay for the service and routine maintenance it would require and RO water would be very aggressive in your plumbing and it would waste a lot of water. NO magnet(ic) gizmo or electronic gizmo or "conditioner" will soften water but people waste their money on them EVERYDAY. Check out this URL for one story http://www.nmsr.org/magnetic.htm and there are many more on the net if you Google. Pick the right softener (not a box store brand), size it properly for your water conditions and usage and the SFR of your plumbing, and get a competent install and you should go 15-20 years minimum as you've already done with your Culligan. The MOST IMPORTANT thing is that water treatment begins with a water test so you know what needs to be treated or filtered out to get the quality water you want. Hit the Yellow Pages and call at least three local water treatment pros. Make sure you call at least [b]one of the big dogs[/b] like Kinetico or Culligan for comparison and at least a [b]couple independent pros[/b]. Give each an opportunity to offer suggestions and provide you with a quote to meet your water treatment needs. IGNORE ANY THAT DON'T TEST YOUR WATER THEMSELVES as they can't speak intelligently to water treatment without knowing what needs to be treated. Ask lots of questions. Softening the entire house or just the water heater (bad idea)? Warranty, parts & labor or just parts, how long and on exactly what? Install, permits required, licensed plumber? Routine maintenance and costs? Do they stock parts? Response time for emergency (water leak) calls? If they don't explain things to your satisfaction that is a good indicator of how you'll be treated after the sale. Are all your treatment needs being addressed? Ask your neighbors if they have any water treatment experience. They might tell you who's good or who to avoid. Come back here and post the specific recommendations and hardware components with the costs and we'll give you our opinions.

Mightyanvil stoops to one of his lowest levels ever in his most recent 'bait and switch' routine... by distracting from the science associated with the the argument by attacking one's spelling? Give me a break! The the "mightyanvil" also sets up a strawman argument by indicating how 'perforated' housewraps 'leak like a sieve' (when I never mentioned "perforated" wraps...) And if "perforated" wraps do so well at allowing liquid water 'in'... they will also do as well in allowing liquid water 'out'....No? -------- The reality here is that (non-perforated) housewraps work to keep liquid water out because of the surface tension of liquid water molecules. In the gaseous state, water can readily penetrate these membranes...either inward or outward depending on conditions. In water's liquid state, however, housewraps are less permeable....Not because of any inate quality of housewraps...but because liquid molecules would rather stick together than break apart. Some research has suggested that the adhesives in OSB and plywoods can cause the forces that joins these water molecules in tight bonds to break down, and therefore cause 'leaks' in otherwise water tight housewraps. Much like the 'surfactants' and 'soaps' in Fisette's and Building Sciences' articles. -------------------------------- That said, no one has yet properly asnwered the original question: Can one safely install housewrap over a one-time 'wet' structural plywood or OSB sheathing exterior? The answer: YES! ABSOLUTELY! While 'diffusion' through housewrap of liquid water may be SLOW....(as others have mentioned)....This diffusion and 'drying' to the outside through housewrap DOES OCCUR...and if no additional liquid water is introduced...should pose no long term problems at all. And if drying to the inside is ALSO an option, drying of the temporarily wet sheathing should not even be a consideration....even when housewraps are present. ---------------- If this were MY house, I would install the wrap...or felt...or foam insulation... and be done with it. Knowing full well that any liquid 'water' retained by the structural sheathing will eventually be dissipated without damage any damage to the structure whatsoever. ----- Sheesh...

I didn't necessarily mean you should drill it yourself if you're not handy. But it should be a simple task for any person competent in working with countertops