Ever since we moved into our new house, we've been bombarded with salesmen trying to sell us a water softener. They call us. They come to the house. On Saturday, for example, we ran into one as we were leaving for the day. We told the guy we were busy right now, but would call him if we were interested. Once we came back later that day, the doorbell rings, and there's the salesman again. He was obviously trolling the area, and as soon as he saw our car in the driveway, his eyes probably lit up.
Reluctantly, we decided to let him come inside and test the water. The test, after all, was free, so we weren't obligated to buy anything.
Now, I'm quite aware of the fact that the water isn't good. We don't drink water from the tap. We buy bottled water, and we also use the Brita filter. So I knew, without a doubt, that this guy would say our water was bad. I mean, really, what are the chances of a water softener salesman coming to your house and saying "Your water is great! You don't need me at all! Bye!" I'd say the chances are zero.
So, the guy comes into the house, puts the water into these small vials, and starts dropping random chemicals into them. The guy looks like he's doing a chemistry experiment in our kitchen. The water changes color. Blue = good. Purple = bad. Of course it comes out purple. What a show! The kids are entertained, but I'm not. I'm just waiting for the hard sell, which comes shortly after.
He tells us that our water is too hard, and we need to buy an expensive softener. We can either pay $100 a month, for 5 years, or just buy the thing outright for around $5800. While he's talking to my wife, I go into the bedroom and start doing some research. One of the first things I find online is this, from an article called "Do you really need soft water?":
"How do you decide if you need soft water? Ask an expert. (By expert, however, I don’t mean the guy trolling your neighborhood hoping to sell you a purification system or a softener on high-interest payment plans. He will always tell you that your water is too hard to live with.)"
I go on to read that most water softeners should only cost between $800 and $1200. So $5800 seems a bit extreme to me.
So, for now, I'm just going to keep my hard water. It might not be the best water for our laundry and the dishwasher, but it seems like a luxury I can do without right now.
Reluctantly, we decided to let him come inside and test the water. The test, after all, was free, so we weren't obligated to buy anything.
Now, I'm quite aware of the fact that the water isn't good. We don't drink water from the tap. We buy bottled water, and we also use the Brita filter. So I knew, without a doubt, that this guy would say our water was bad. I mean, really, what are the chances of a water softener salesman coming to your house and saying "Your water is great! You don't need me at all! Bye!" I'd say the chances are zero.
So, the guy comes into the house, puts the water into these small vials, and starts dropping random chemicals into them. The guy looks like he's doing a chemistry experiment in our kitchen. The water changes color. Blue = good. Purple = bad. Of course it comes out purple. What a show! The kids are entertained, but I'm not. I'm just waiting for the hard sell, which comes shortly after.
He tells us that our water is too hard, and we need to buy an expensive softener. We can either pay $100 a month, for 5 years, or just buy the thing outright for around $5800. While he's talking to my wife, I go into the bedroom and start doing some research. One of the first things I find online is this, from an article called "Do you really need soft water?":
"How do you decide if you need soft water? Ask an expert. (By expert, however, I don’t mean the guy trolling your neighborhood hoping to sell you a purification system or a softener on high-interest payment plans. He will always tell you that your water is too hard to live with.)"
I go on to read that most water softeners should only cost between $800 and $1200. So $5800 seems a bit extreme to me.
So, for now, I'm just going to keep my hard water. It might not be the best water for our laundry and the dishwasher, but it seems like a luxury I can do without right now.
Ken,
ReplyDeleteHard water is not a problem depending on what the chemical composition is. If there is a high level of sulphur in your water, the metal components of your house will oxidize much faster than normal. The wiring in your house is especially vulnerable to this. If it is aluminum wiring, it will happen rapidly. If it is copper, less rapidly. It will also affect the solid bus-bar that your breakers attach to in your breaker box. Somehow, the sulphur in the water affects the air inside your house and will eventually cause oxidation damage... if you have high sulphur. I know because I used to be an electrician and I've seen this sort of problem in areas with very hard water. Also, connections in plugs become loose and can cause fires... expecially plugs with stab-in connections. You might want to check how your plugs are wired. If you have stab-in connected plugs, change them. Get the kind that tighten the wire down with a screw. They are the best and safest to have. Hands down. Stab-ins a fire waiting to happen. I don't care who says they are safe - they're not.
Anyway, Good luck with it. Hopefully, sulphur isn't a problem in your water.
One of the great things about living on this rock is that nobody has ever knocked on my door to sell me anything. We have blue trucks with blaring loudspeakers driving slowly down the street, but nothing door to door.
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