John Rumm wrote in
o.uk:


Many thanks for your help. Yes, I am in a *very* hard water area. My
primary reason for wanting softened water is just to stop the heat
achangers furring up. Saving money on detergents, shampoo, etc.,
certainly sounds appealling.

Soft will do that. On the down side, it can be its harder to rinse, and
can be a bit more aggressive on plumbing fittings in other ways. They
waste a certain amount of water in the recharge cycle, and you need to
remember to fill them up. Depending on the type you go for (one tank or
two) you may also get moments where it can't keep up with delivery from
the prepared softened water. Lastly they fill a reasonable amount of
space, so you need somewhere to site one. So if going that route, read
up on the types and features before making a decision.


I will do that. Thanks again!
A