Water systems?

[Boater Bill]

I'm looking at a water filter/treatment system made by LifeSource of Pasadena CA for our house in Ft Mohave in lieu of the traditional water softener system most everyone seems to be using in the area. Anyone have any experience/feedback on this system/company? Any other suggestions on alternatives to the water softener systems that require recharging with salt?
Thanks.

[Scream]

"Hey Culligan Man"
I think they have some alternatives to water softners as well, or there's the ever popular RO systems that you can install yourself, but they're only good for one location (ie, kitchen sink, etc.)
That exhausts my knowledge of the subject.
Scream

[Mrs. Bordsmnj]

I work for EcoWater Systems which does softeners and reverse osmosis. Our softeners use potassium.
pm me if you want more info.
:)

[mickeyfinn]

Stay away from the RO systems. If they are truly RO they will strip out the minerals from the water that are actually good for you and can possibly cause the water to leach minerals from your body. RO filters are used by several large municipalities for desalination of sea water to make drinking water. When this was first done the water became so aggressive that the pipes started dissolving. Some filtration systems actually require you to run a seperate line from the RO system to your sink and it is always a nonmetallic line for that reason. A good system will add some kind of stabilizer back to the water in order to make the water non-aggressive and some even add flavor to the RO treated water. Also beware of Carbon filtration systems. They do a very good job of removing organics from the water but it is a adsorption process which means that the material being removed is actually adsorbed into the pores of the carbon. Once the carbon is "spent" meaning the pores are full the carbon filters make one of the best places imaginable for bacteria to grow and thrive. Water softeners can be a good thing if you suffer from "hard water". But if you buy a softener from someone that tells you you never need to replenish the chemicals then the softener is actually not going to be doing anything or they are lying to you. Both the Carbon systems and the softeners can be of benefit but get the full story (this is extremely hard to do from most system suppliers) and find out how much the carbon replacement cartridges are and find out the true answers to how much chemical usage there will be with a softener. If taste is your main issue the carbon is probably going to be your best bet. You can usually find someone online who will sell inline cartridges for a single location (kitchen sink) that are economical and easy to replace. If you do run a seperate line and use it for your drinking and cooking water only it will greatly increase the life of the carbon. If you want to try something really cheap go buy a gallon of cheap bottled water and when you have finished it fill it with tap water and let it sit in the fridge for twenty four hours then taste it. 9 times out of 10 this will solve most taste issues. Bottled water is okay but there are a lot of people who are bottling water and are simply reselling tap water in a bottle. Very little regulation on water. Most of the people selling gallon jugs of water use typical milk jugs which are not air tight and may allow organisms in the air to get to the water.
Just my .02 worth but been doing it for a living for a long time.

[Boater Bill]

Scream, thanks for the input. I have looked at the RO systems but want to install a whole house system.
Linda - will do.
Appreciate any additional input as well from y'all.
Thanks.

[burtandnancy]

Its depends on whats wrong with your water: Hardness, bad taste, odor, alkaly, acid, what. One solution won't do it all. Is your water from the municipal supply, well, river, ditch, sistern, bottled, rain barrell, what?
One common item which works often for bad taste and odor is a carbon filter, but does nothing for the other problems. For hard water, soften it. That will help your baths, dishes, clothes, etc. A carbon filter followed by an RO system may help in some situations.
Start with your local water company and see what they recommend. Remember however, that they will always say their water is clean and pure, and anything else you want to do is up to your preference.
Finally, the most important item. For washing your boat (and tow vehicle) there is nothing better than DI (demineralized) Its the only kind of water that will leave everything completely spotless...

[burtandnancy]

mickey, I'm your counterpart on the west coast, only you said it better...

[MAINEVENT]

I'll be quick on this one I work for a privately owned water Co. i have tons of experience on this first of all call your water company and ask them for "Water Sample" report of their water (they should be weekly) ask them if its imported or well water.... Another thing if your house has old Galvy plumbing it will make the "Hard Water" sort of speak and stain fixtures and unpleasant T&O (taste and odor)
Carefull with too much filtration if you drink the water you dont want to strip the minerals and flouride from it.
Just my .02
Where i work so many people have hed them removed instead of installed.

[KineticoH20]

Originally posted by Boater Bill
I'm looking at a water filter/treatment system made by LifeSource of Pasadena CA for our house in Ft Mohave in lieu of the traditional water softener system most everyone seems to be using in the area. Anyone have any experience/feedback on this system/company? Any other suggestions on alternatives to the water softener systems that require recharging with salt?
Thanks.
Hi i have 22 yrs in the water treatment industry,and currently own a deaslership for a 35 yr old co in over 100 countries.Do not buy a lifesource! if you pm me i will give you my busisness phone and i'll be happy to awnser any questions you have.There already has been some bad info on this thread.Whatever you decide to buy make sure it is NSF certified as well as WQA certified.There are alot of scams out there...beware.

[KineticoH20]

Originally posted by Mrs. Bordsmnj
I work for EcoWater Systems which does softeners and reverse osmosis. Our softeners use potassium.
pm me if you want more info.
:) Hi, i was the general manager for the nations largest Ecowater dealer for 13 years.Now i own a Kinetico dealership.Where is your office?

[Seadog]

80% of the people that get water softners, do not need them. Most water softners replace calcium with sodium or potassium. Calcium is better for you than sodium or potassium. The sales people will say that anything over 100 mg/l is very hard, but in reality, a water softner is not required until you get over 200 mg/l hardness. I recommend that if you want softer water for maximum bebefit for the money, install it on the feed line to the hot water tank. It will reduce the buildup in the tank and will give the benefits where you need them. It will also keep the calcium in your drinking water where you want it.
There are a lot of different needs and each one requires a treatment technique. If you have a problem with dirty water or scale, you may need a whole house filter. If you are sensitive to the taste of chlorine in your water, put drinking water into an open jug and let it set for a day or two in the refrigerator. Just remember that anything you install must be maintained frequently, or you could have a more serious health hazard on your hands.

[Boater Bill]

Wow, thanks everyone for your input! With all the negative BS on these boards lately its refreshing to see people trying to help out. I really appreciate all the information as this is all a new experience to me. CA and AZ are quite different in a lot of aspects of daily life as I am quickly learning.

[Mrs. Bordsmnj]

Originally posted by Smthopr8tr
Hi, i was the general manager for the nations largest Ecowater dealer for 13 years.Now i own a Kinetico dealership.Where is your office?
Los Alamitos. Which one did you used to work for?

[KineticoH20]

Originally posted by Mrs. Bordsmnj
Los Alamitos. Which one did you used to work for? Oh so you work for Nick huh! i know him.

[Mrs. Bordsmnj]

Originally posted by Smthopr8tr
Oh so you work for Nick huh! i know him.
Haha, yep. Did you work for Norm?

[twistedpair]

We just got a Hague whole house system and could not be happier. The softener uses potassium, and there is an RO hooked up to a stand alone spigot in the kitchen (also runs the ice maker). The dealer is one of my wifes clients, let me know if you want more info.

[KineticoH20]

Originally posted by twistedpair
We just got a Hague whole house system and could not be happier. The softener uses potassium, and there is an RO hooked up to a stand alone spigot in the kitchen (also runs the ice maker). The dealer is one of my wifes clients, let me know if you want more info.
Hague sells its equipment for $6000 and you can buy one at Lowes for $500. It is very low quality imho