At my wits end - sad garbage water in TN!!!
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SadGarbageWater
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I have a few of these kinds of jars. I do recall sending my water to be tested for pH before/after softener and the read was 6.8
The free chlorine test arrived and it is showing 0, so that's good! I tested the water outside and it was showing over 3 on the chart, so the catalytic carbon is working.
I did the water test strip again today while I await the Hach 5b test, and it's showing the water is soft.
Could there be salt leaking into the water? Would this lead to spots on dishes/showers, the shampoo to not lather, and the dry/irritated skin?
One dealer told me that he had to remove the KDF from his combo softener because his wife noticed a difference. We do still need to do this since it's ineffective just sitting in the same compartment with the carbon.
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Master Plumber Mark
Sensitivity trainer and plumber of mens souls
Just wondering who you bought this from and how come they wont help you or
service this unit...??? if you spent 9k for this system I feel you have been taken advantage of and
you should expect this company to stand behind their product....
I have typically installed a 2 cubic foot Clack carbon filter and 1.5cub ftClack Water softener for around 4k
and never ever had an issue
I dont know how shitty you have gotten with this company or I did not read how old this unit
is but I would be at the very least giving them a bad review on Google and yelp and seeing what
kind of compensation is possible
service this unit...??? if you spent 9k for this system I feel you have been taken advantage of and
you should expect this company to stand behind their product....
I have typically installed a 2 cubic foot Clack carbon filter and 1.5cub ftClack Water softener for around 4k
and never ever had an issue
I dont know how shitty you have gotten with this company or I did not read how old this unit
is but I would be at the very least giving them a bad review on Google and yelp and seeing what
kind of compensation is possible
SadGarbageWater
New Member
I should clarify - I paid $7500 for the softener and under sink RO from the LeverEdge/Westinghouse dealer. Purchased July 2024 - so roughly 6 months.
The additional $1500 was for the catalytic carbon tank (that I purchased from an online dealer and installed myself). I likely could have gone to a separate local dealer but am a little wary of the sales people at this point. Especially when I got a few quotes and they were between $2.4-5k for a 1.5 catalytic carbon alone.
The issue with the current company is that when I first brought up that I’m having problems, they kept singing the praises of their dealer and their company saying I’m the only person to have ever complained. My scalp and skin have suffered for 6 months. And literally as soon as I shower somewhere else, it is a relief. I don’t know what it could be. LeverEdge told me it’s a humidity change from FL to TN, and maybe that could play a part… but when I was in AZ for ten days I had zero scalp issues. They also told me I wasn't used to the water since it's a different source, which sounds like a cop out. Shouldn't soft water feel the same after treatment no matter the initial source? I do think the service Dept was genuinely trying to help at first, but I felt more like a burden than a valued customer.
Maintenance and parts can only be done by a certified dealer and I wasn’t impressed with the lack of knowledge or communication skills of this particular dealer or his team. It was my decision to steer clear and hopefully never have to see him again. It’s a big, long story but LeverEdge helped me find another dealer to help service the tank, although he is no longer actively selling the product. I could pay a service call and get him out to do the work, but I want to be well informed before I call on anyone to do anything.
I did write a google review for the Westinghouse dealer and the guy loosely threatened to sue me so instead of dealing with him, I removed it. I kept all correspondence just in case. I would rather not speak to him ever again. I would like others to know there are better options, but hopefully they find this forum! I wish I would have done more research before rushing. I knew I wanted a softener since I've had them for years. I didn't realize or understand how chlorine and/or chloramines should be treated and that tank sizing and configuration are important. A very expensive lesson learned on my part.
The additional $1500 was for the catalytic carbon tank (that I purchased from an online dealer and installed myself). I likely could have gone to a separate local dealer but am a little wary of the sales people at this point. Especially when I got a few quotes and they were between $2.4-5k for a 1.5 catalytic carbon alone.
The issue with the current company is that when I first brought up that I’m having problems, they kept singing the praises of their dealer and their company saying I’m the only person to have ever complained. My scalp and skin have suffered for 6 months. And literally as soon as I shower somewhere else, it is a relief. I don’t know what it could be. LeverEdge told me it’s a humidity change from FL to TN, and maybe that could play a part… but when I was in AZ for ten days I had zero scalp issues. They also told me I wasn't used to the water since it's a different source, which sounds like a cop out. Shouldn't soft water feel the same after treatment no matter the initial source? I do think the service Dept was genuinely trying to help at first, but I felt more like a burden than a valued customer.
Maintenance and parts can only be done by a certified dealer and I wasn’t impressed with the lack of knowledge or communication skills of this particular dealer or his team. It was my decision to steer clear and hopefully never have to see him again. It’s a big, long story but LeverEdge helped me find another dealer to help service the tank, although he is no longer actively selling the product. I could pay a service call and get him out to do the work, but I want to be well informed before I call on anyone to do anything.
I did write a google review for the Westinghouse dealer and the guy loosely threatened to sue me so instead of dealing with him, I removed it. I kept all correspondence just in case. I would rather not speak to him ever again. I would like others to know there are better options, but hopefully they find this forum! I wish I would have done more research before rushing. I knew I wanted a softener since I've had them for years. I didn't realize or understand how chlorine and/or chloramines should be treated and that tank sizing and configuration are important. A very expensive lesson learned on my part.
Master Plumber Mark
Sensitivity trainer and plumber of mens souls
In all honesty if that is the worst you ever get taken in your life consider yourself lucky,,,
at least its not a family member that screwed you over....
SadGarbageWater
New Member
I suppose you’re right lol things could always be worse.
I may just have to grin and bear it until I can’t stand the water anymore and I decide to start over.
Master Plumber Mark
Sensitivity trainer and plumber of mens souls
Iam just wondering what do your neighbors have for water softeners in your community??
SadGarbageWater
New Member
The only people I have talked to either filter their drinking water only (which isn't an option since I unfortunately have sensitive skin), or they use some other type of filter that needs to be changed out. I think it's a big blue.
I can slowly see the water being a little better since the multiple regens - and will continue to pay attention to my settings. I did increase the hardness to compensate, increased the lbs of salt to 10 with 25k capacity, and have it set to regenerate every 14 days. I will see if this helps. I still get zero lather when washing my hair but as long as the water is safe and clean, I'll deal with that one day at a time and keep trying different products.
Thanks to everyone who helped and replied. I learned a lot and am glad this forum exists!
Master Plumber Mark
Sensitivity trainer and plumber of mens souls
I know you probably think I am blowing smoke up your ass
you probably ought to increase the hardness level to around 23 parts hard
and increase the salt setting to around 12 lbs per regen and try that for a while
and see what transpires...
that is about the average common setting for my Clack water softeners in Indianapolis
with a 48,000 grain unit...
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SadGarbageWater
New Member
I'm not opposed to trying! But my unit is currently only a 32k grain capacity (it has a plate and then 1/2 ft3 carbon & 5 lbs kdf). If I change out the carbon & kdf and add more resin, it’ll then be a 48k.
Master Plumber Mark
Sensitivity trainer and plumber of mens souls
You have an extra special unit.... and god only knows what is going on inside the unit that the
service tech does not want to fool with or he simply dont know how to fool with....
It feel that it would have been easier for them to try to make you happy and just change
it out and put a new unit in instead of putting you through all this misery.....
Give them a bad review on Yelp and Google and be done with it...
We have put in a few 48,000 grain softeners in with the carbon in the top of the tank
and they seem to be working fine but I dont know anything about the special innards
of the unit you have a picture of....
Even the ones we have installed I have told the customer that the
carbon will have to be replaced in maybe 8--10 years from now... depending on use....
I prefer a separate 2 cubic ft carbon filter in its separate tank and the 48,000 water softener in its own tank just because
they will last a whole lot longer ....
then you are not dealing with all this bull chit trying to figure out what the hell
is going wrong with the system,
Extra salt should show up on a TDS meter. A softener will usually make a small increase in TDS, but not a big one. I understand I used fuzzy words instead of numbers. It should also show up as a taste of salt. If you have extra salt, I would expect that to be higher right after regeneration.
I have no clue on the KDF.
SadGarbageWater
New Member
Updates: hatch b reading water as soft but the hair breakage persists. On my 8th line of shampoo trying to figure out something that works. I’ve always had water softeners, but the starting water here is so different. Maybe the lack of minerals is causing issues?
Also, the spotting on dishes and shower issues are constant. I’m using way less soap and have even switched to a mild one that is supposed to be good for soft water. Is this sodium leakage? Silica?
Still have setup of 1.5 ft3 catalytic carbon followed by 1 ft3 Westinghouse water softener/gac combo.
Also, the spotting on dishes and shower issues are constant. I’m using way less soap and have even switched to a mild one that is supposed to be good for soft water. Is this sodium leakage? Silica?
Still have setup of 1.5 ft3 catalytic carbon followed by 1 ft3 Westinghouse water softener/gac combo.
Attachments
Softeners work with ion exchange, so the calcium and magnesium are swapped for sodium.
The softened water will leave salt spots when dried. Those will wipe off with a damp cloth. Silica spots will not wipe off.
You could try catching rain water for hair washing. I am not saying that your water causes hair breaking. https://www.aad.org/public/diseases/hair-loss/insider/stop-damage and https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/325026#causes may have causes. I don't know
SadGarbageWater
New Member
The spots on some of the dishes will wipe off, but why do they look dirty? Most of my glasses are now scratched. This is what leads me to believe it could be sodium but also silica (or something else)... I clean the shower regularly and cannot get those spots off the glass and there are spots on the walls as well. I don't recall them being there before I added the carbon tank, so I'm at a loss on that one.
While I don't disagree the hair issues could be medical in nature, so far it is only like this at home. Fine, brittle, breaking, will not absorb any products, etc. I travel monthly for work and my hair returns to "normal" when washed elsewhere, no matter the products used. Collecting rainwater is worth a shot - thanks for the tip!
Could sodium leakage be the cause of brittle hair and weird, dry skin? If so, how do I check my system to make sure it's functioning properly? I know the softening part is working according to Hach b, but is there something I need to check to make sure the water flow, etc. is correct? I wrote previously that when we had our main waterline replaced, the water pressure was way too high for a few days. It even blew out the mesh screen on the faucet. Wondering if this did something in softener that can be easily checked? I get a little fuzzy with all the posts about flow rate, etc. but if that's something I need to address, I'm open to suggestions!
While I don't disagree the hair issues could be medical in nature, so far it is only like this at home. Fine, brittle, breaking, will not absorb any products, etc. I travel monthly for work and my hair returns to "normal" when washed elsewhere, no matter the products used. Collecting rainwater is worth a shot - thanks for the tip!
Could sodium leakage be the cause of brittle hair and weird, dry skin? If so, how do I check my system to make sure it's functioning properly? I know the softening part is working according to Hach b, but is there something I need to check to make sure the water flow, etc. is correct? I wrote previously that when we had our main waterline replaced, the water pressure was way too high for a few days. It even blew out the mesh screen on the faucet. Wondering if this did something in softener that can be easily checked? I get a little fuzzy with all the posts about flow rate, etc. but if that's something I need to address, I'm open to suggestions!
If you mean eyeglasses, use a spray bottle of distilled water.
If you mean drinking glasses, see https://terrylove.com/forums/index....-backwards-other-questions.79965/#post-579361 #5 and #6
If somehow much salt were to be getting added to your water, the TDS would rise a lot. Softened water will probably be a little higher TDS than the raw water, but not a lot. Sorry... I am not prepared to quantify "a lot". A cheap (maybe under $10) TDS meter may be worthwhile.
Come to think of it, a cheap pH meter would be worthwhile. I write about pH meters in bottom note 1 of https://terrylove.com/forums/index....izing-extra-attention-to-4-inch-casing.65845/
Sometimes pH and TDS meters are bundled. The pH meter needs at least the 6.8 pH calibration packet, which gets mixed with 250 ml of distilled water in a glass jar. https://www.ebay.com/itm/354269410597 for example. The pH meters with the screwdriver are simpler to calibrate in that you don't have to read the directions as carefully. https://www.ebay.com/itm/400953734228
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Master Plumber Mark
Sensitivity trainer and plumber of mens souls
I am sorry to say that
The spots on all your glasses are just the signs of a shitty water softener....
The best advice I can give you at this point is to just go at this from another angle....
take out the water softener you presently have and store it away for a while and do this
little experiment........
go find a reputable place and just RENT ONE from them for about $25 bucks a month
and see if your issues just disappear and go away--- of course if your problems go away it means you had
bought a shitty water softener to begin with...... the mystery is solved
And if the new rental unit does not make you happy, at least they will be on the hook to
please you if you are not happy with the results..... of course most likely they will be willing
to bend over backwards to do you right....
then you take the unit you bought back to the place you bought it from and tell them to stick it
where the sun dont shine....and demand your money back
The spots on all your glasses are just the signs of a shitty water softener....
The best advice I can give you at this point is to just go at this from another angle....
take out the water softener you presently have and store it away for a while and do this
little experiment........
go find a reputable place and just RENT ONE from them for about $25 bucks a month
and see if your issues just disappear and go away--- of course if your problems go away it means you had
bought a shitty water softener to begin with...... the mystery is solved
And if the new rental unit does not make you happy, at least they will be on the hook to
please you if you are not happy with the results..... of course most likely they will be willing
to bend over backwards to do you right....
then you take the unit you bought back to the place you bought it from and tell them to stick it
where the sun dont shine....and demand your money back
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SadGarbageWater
New Member
I do use distilled for eyeglasses or just a microfiber wipe. Thanks for the post about Libbey glasses - will purchase!
When I had my water tested, the pH was 6.8 and the TDS was 89. Does this fluctuate and need to be tested more frequently, like the hardness?
SadGarbageWater
New Member
This is a great idea!! Might take some convincing to worry myself with yet another dealer, but may be worth a try. I'll call around and see if I can find one to rent. I'll report back when/if I move forward!
As far as returning this Westinghouse... I don't know that it will happen but I can try again. The company says they can't do anything and it's up to the dealer (they just don't want to deal with it). I'd rather never speak to dealer ever again, so I may be screwed. I could call manufacturer again but they seem convinced that their product is the best on the market and it's all in my head.
Just so I'm informed, do I ask for a 1 ft3, down flow, post fill?
2.5 bathrooms, 2 people in house, hardness somewhere between 5-10 depending on day
No notable iron or manganese, just a boatload of chlorine! but that's being handled by the 1.5 ft3 catalytic carbon
Master Plumber Mark
Sensitivity trainer and plumber of mens souls
Its not a worry at all because it is up to them to keep you happy if you are renting it
I would just ask for a 48,000 grain unit for a rental....the larger the better
Just be sure to let them test everything with the water quality so they are sure it will be adequate and all go well
and then its up to them to take care of things if the unit does not cut the mustard. You can always tell them
to come out and remove the unit if it does not work well and just stop paying the rental bill...
Basically, all they have to do is give you soft water, so it might even be a used unit or a rebuilt one that they install
but that is not your problem...... You can always ask for a new metered unit but its up to them what they install
You are renting a company to provide you with soft water which is the goal.....
and you really should give the place you bought the first unit from a nasty review on both Google and Yelp..
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