Softened Water FAQs
Below, you'll find a list of the most frequently asked questions.
To find a specific answer, enter one or two keywords in the search field above.
Drinking
- Does a water softener remove fluoride?
- Can I use softened water for mixing baby feeds if the sodium complies with the Water Regulations?
- What does softened water taste like?
- Is there a legal requirement for a separate tap to provide un-softened water for drinking?
- Can I have a tap supplying unsoftened water somewhere other than at the kitchen sink?
- How much sodium is added to water during softening?
- Will the softened water taste salty?
- How many people drink softened water?
- Can you drink softened water?
- What is the sodium content of naturally soft water?
- Will drinking softened water deprive my family of essential minerals?
- Is softened water ok for horses and dogs to drink?
- Why is a separate tap to provide un-softened water recommended?
- How can I find out how much sodium will be in my water when softened?
- What do drinking water regulations state about softened water?
- Who recommends a separate tap to provide un-softened water for drinking?
- Why is it considered that drinking softened water could be detrimental to health?
- How much sodium is in softened water?
- Is salt bad for you?
- Is softened water suitable for drinking purposes?
- But what about the removal of hardness?
Benefits
- Do razor blades last longer with softened water?
- Is it a luxury item?
- How much should I reduce the amount of cleaning products I use now that I've had a water softener fitted?
- Can I use softened water in my swimming pool?
- Why does the salt dissolve in the way it does?
- Is there a scientific basis for these claims?
- How long does it take to remove the scale when you start using softened water?
The Softener
- Does a water softener change the pH Balance of the water?
- How long is the bed life of the resins?
- Can the brine in a softener become contaminated?
- Will a softener remove the greenish white deposit that forms around the valves on my radiator?
- Does the block salt contain any impurities?
- Do they need annual maintenance?
- Should the salt platform always be covered in water?
- How much salt will the softener use?
- Does salt soften the water?
- What are the resin tanks made of?
- Will your water softener work with a pressurised water system?
- What is a softener's resin made of?
- Will your water softener work with a combi boiler?
- How does the water softener draw the brine from the salt compartment into the cylinder to regenerate the resin?
- What do I do about servicing my water softener?
- Can I use a water softener with my boiler if it has an aluminium heat exchanger?
- I don't think my softener is functioning correctly. What should I do?
- Does the Harvey's Softener perform a 'backwash'
- Why does it take 17 litres of water to regenerate an HV3 water softener?
- What actually happens when you soften water by ion exchange?
- How big is a Harvey's Water softener?
Miscellaneous
- Why don't Water Companies soften the water?
- Is it safe to drink warm water from a tube if a drinking line has to pass through a boiler room?
- Do bacteria grow in a water softener?
- Can I use softened water in my aquarium?
- Does softening water cause any changes in pH?
- Can softened water be used in a hot tub / pool?
- What is an aquifer?
- What is hardness. What is it made from? Why do they express it as CaCO3? Why do they express it as ppm.
- Does the water hardness change? Does the water quality vary from summer to winter? Why does my skin feel worse at some times of year compared to other times?
- Can I use softened water with my Quooker boiling water tap?
- My washing machine manufacturer (Miele) state that I cannot use softened water with their machine. Is this correct?
Installation
- Can a Water Softener be installed before a distilled water system?
- Can I take my water softener with me when I move?
- Can I use hard water for the garden when the outside tap is connected to the softened water?
- Does softened water affect an Ultra Violet water treatment system?
- Will installing a water softener affect my water rates?
- Can I plumb the chilled water dispenser in the fridge on to softened water?
- Can a water softener be fitted with a fixed film sewage system (septic tank)?
- Does the water softener affect the water pressure?
- Can you water the garden with softened water?
- Can you use softened water in a dishwasher?
- Can I use a water softener in conjunction with a stainless steel hot water cylinder?
- Can brine from a water softener be put into a cesspit or septic tank?
Operational
- How much water flows through the softener in between regenerations?
- I have heard that softened water has an unnatural, slippery feeling. Is this true?
- Where does all the scale inside your pipes go after you fit a water softener?
- How do I fill in the 'water softeners' section of the Water Efficiency Calculator in the government's Code for Sustainable Homes?