Water Softening System: MISTAKES You Must AVOID

Why do you need a water softening system when rain is naturally soft?

Because soft water from the rain becomes hard once it goes through the geological composition of our landscape.

Optimh20 Whol House FilterHard water is common throughout the US and other places like the United Kingdom.

This can lead to problems such as ineffective cleaning and limescale deposits.

All of which can damage sanitary and water heating systems in your home, not to mention an unpleasant appearance.

In this article I will give you more information about how to deal with hard water with a water softening system. I’ve created this guide to show you how your life could benefit from softened water.

Hard And Soft Water

Rain water is naturally soft. But the soft water hardens when it seeps through layers of soil and rock before it becomes tap water.

Standard SoftenerRain water becomes hard only when it touches the ground and begins to seep through the rock and it comes into contact with chalk or limestone.

The water dissolves along with all the other material it picks up and as a result, hard water is generated.

The rain water cycle is an interesting process. In short, the sun heats the water, which in turn evaporates into water vapor. Water vapor rises into the air, where it finally cools and condenses into clouds.

The clouds are transported over long distances and eventually they break into rain. Water accumulates into soils, rivers, lakes and oceans, where the sun will heat it up and start the process again.

To clarify, the definitions of hard and soft water are:

Hard water: (noun)

Water containing magnesium, calcium or iron salts and therefore creates white limescale deposits around your home appliances like your kettle and tap faucet.

Soft water: (noun)

Water that contains little or no salt dissolved in calcium or magnesium.

What Are The Effects of Hard Water?

Green Plus ArrowThe main benefit of hard water is its function as a decent drinking water that contains all the vital minerals that (in theory) can strengthen the body.

Water Softener ValveRed CrossThe negative effects of hard water occur in the deposition of limescale and white stains. You may know the telltale signs. Tidemarks around bathrooms and toilets, unsightly white spots on sinks, toilets and showers. In the worst case, the accumulation of this material can cause blockages in the pipes and cause premature failure of your water heaters.

Red CrossAlso, the minerals that determine its “hardness” gives the water a certain smell.Aquasana Whole House UV FilterRed CrossDue to its composition, hard water has difficulty foaming when combined with soap, resulting in less effective washing. Clothing can be gray, while plates and glasses may appear dull and spotty. It can really affect the longevity of your clothes and cutlery.

Red CrossHard water is less suitable for washing because its rich mineral composition prevents an effective reaction with soap. This basically means that it is more difficult to produce foam, resulting in less than effective cleaning.

The Best Water Softening System?

The best digital water softening system is by far Fleck 5600SXT. It is perhaps the best-selling water softener system for small to medium households.

Mr Water Geek ThinkingPartly it sells so well because it is very effective in dealing with hard water. It is also popular because it is very affordable.

The 5600SXT has a unique set of specifications, which makes it a super easy setup and reliable.

Unlike the salt-free water softener, the 5600SXT is a salt-based system. This means it is guaranteed to produce soft water.mrwatergeek winner badge

This is something that makes Fleck especially good because it automates this process well.

That is, you can almost “set it up and forget” with the guarantee of good quality soft water.Aquasana Whole House Features List

Do you want to know the best part?

Customers almost NEVER complain about the Fleck water softening systems, Fleck get some of the best water softening system reviews of any softener.

This water softening system has a good capacity so can provide enough soft water for a home that is between 1-4 people.

The 5600 SXT is also ideal because of its easy installation. It is easy to setup and offers the best value for money. You should consider buying a Fleck water softening system because it:

Green Plus Arrow

Good at dealing with very hard water.

Green Plus Arrow

Takes care of itself (you can set it and for get it).

Green Plus Arrow

Economical water usage meaning it has low running costs.

I Am *NO* Longer Recommending Fleck, Here’s Why (2020 Update).

Red CrossBy far the biggest issue with Fleck is that it does NOT filter. This means that although it effectively treats water it doesn’t treat or filter anything. So if your water is full of contaminantes at the start – it will still be full of contaminantes after Fleck treats it.

Red CrossThe fact that it is not a full solution means that the affordable $600+ price tag of a Fleck is a little mis-leading. Once you buy and pay for someone to install your Fleck you will still need to get a filter to make the water drinkable. Hence, you will have an extra cost for the filter and need to pay for the installation of the extra device. Whole House Softener Filter Combo

Red CrossOnce you get over the extra costs, you will need to reconcile the fact that you have had to install 2 separate items which makes the whole process more complex. It will take up more space and double the amount of necessary on-going care and maintenance.

Red CrossThis makes getting a standalone all-in-one softener filter combination more cost effective and convenient despite the higher upfront cost.

Red Cross Fleck softeners do not typically filter your water. However, in the rare occasion that it does have a filter, that filter will be rubbish. For instance, the Iron Pro 2 Fleck softens and filters out iron from your water. That’s it. It will only filter out iron and not much else.

Meanwhile you can get something like Aquasana whole house systems that treat hard water and everything else including bacteria, viruses, chlorine, lead, mercury, pharmaceuticals and so much more.

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Fleck only treats hard water if you add salt. This results in extra on-going costs, maintenance and more work. Yet there are more effective ways to treat hard water WITHOUT using salt.App Controlled SoftenerAn example of this is the all-in-one softener + filter combination from Aquasana. This machine can treat hard water (that’s up to 25ppm) without needing salt.

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Installing your Fleck (by yourself) can void the warranty of some Fleck machines. However, other companies like Aquasana actually provide you with a professional installation kit. This can potentially save you the extra costs and hassle of getting a plumber.

Aquasana Whole House FilterPelican Softener with Filters
Treats hard water UP TO 25 ppm (low to medium low hard water).Treats hard water OVER 25 ppm (medium to extremely hard water).
Does NOT require electricity.Requires electricity if using the electronic head monitor.
Control Your System With An App:? NOControl Your System With An App:? YES
- Powerful salt-FREE water softener.
- 1,000,000 one million gallon capacity.
- Aquasana Rhino exceeds NSF standards.
- Treats hard water WITHOUT salt.
- Removes chlorine, bacteria, iron, sulfide, manganese, mercury, lead etc.
- Includes pre-filter, copper-zinc and carbon filtration stages with standard fittings.
- 90-Day Pure Satisfaction Guarantee.
- Limited 10 year warranty.
mrwatergeek winner badge
- Powerful salt-BASED water softener.
- 1,000,000 one million gallon capacity.
- Also includes a multi-stage filter.
- Easy installation (inside or outside)
- Sufficient for 1-3 bathrooms (options for 4-6 and 7+ bathrooms also available).
- 6 month money back guarantee.
- Limited lifetime warranty.
$$$
Ships to US and CA.
$$$
Ships to US, CA and Puerto Rico.
Sale prices automatically applied by clicking this link.
If there is *no* sale try coupon code:
AQGEEK50
Coupon Code:
GEEK5
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2 Comments

  1. Hi Luke, I noticed that Fleck and Pelican are both Pentair company subsidiaries. Are the products still meaningfully different? I noticed that you now recommend Pelican instead of Fleck. Thanks, Joe

    1. Hi Joe

      Yes they are very different and largely unrelated. In fact, you can’t buy Fleck through Pentair and vice versa.

      I stopped recommending Fleck because they typically only soften. This means you would still have to go spend more money and more time trying to figure out a compatible filter solution.

      Whereas Pelican both softens and filters your water at the same time, which I think is a better solution for most people.

      Stay hydrated,
      Luke

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