I don't have a water softener, but my GF's house does. Her water tastes
mildly salty (and makes awful tea), and it's next to impossible to de-slime
my hands after washing. They feel sticky, even after a minute of rinsing in
hot water. I'm convinced there's too much chemical being added to the water.
Are these two clues enough to believe the system's out of whack and needs
tweaking?

Doug Kanter wrote:
I don't have a water softener, but my GF's house does. Her water
tastes mildly salty (and makes awful tea), and it's next to
impossible to de-slime my hands after washing. They feel sticky,
even after a minute of rinsing in hot water. I'm convinced there's
too much chemical being added to the water. Are these two clues
enough to believe the system's out of whack and needs tweaking?

Every time I've asked questions like this, the only answers I've gotten
amount to "yep, that's soft water."

The best suggestion I've gotten to the slimy washing problem is to pipe
unsoftened cold water to the bathroom (at least the tub and basin) to
slightly harden the softened hot water. I haven't gotten around to
doing that yet.

I don't know what to suggest about the taste.

Good luck.

Doug Kanter wrote:
I don't have a water softener, but my GF's house does. Her water
tastes mildly salty (and makes awful tea), and it's next to
impossible to de-slime my hands after washing. They feel sticky, even
after a minute of rinsing in hot water. I'm convinced there's too
much chemical being added to the water. Are these two clues enough to
believe the system's out of whack and needs tweaking?

Conventional ( ionic exchange / saline brine) water softeners should
never be plumbed in the soft water line, because the sodium ions (the
salty taste) can be bad for you.

Most water softeners can't be adjusted in the classic sense. The best
solution to this problem is the replumb the softener so that it is in
the cold water inlet line to the water heater. You'll still get
softened water for clothes washing, showers, etc. and you'll fix the
taste and soap problems that you've been experiencing.

"Travis Jordan" wrote in message
...
Doug Kanter wrote:
I don't have a water softener, but my GF's house does. Her water
tastes mildly salty (and makes awful tea), and it's next to
impossible to de-slime my hands after washing. They feel sticky, even
after a minute of rinsing in hot water. I'm convinced there's too
much chemical being added to the water. Are these two clues enough to
believe the system's out of whack and needs tweaking?

Conventional ( ionic exchange / saline brine) water softeners should
never be plumbed in the soft water line, because the sodium ions (the
salty taste) can be bad for you.

Most water softeners can't be adjusted in the classic sense. The best
solution to this problem is the replumb the softener so that it is in
the cold water inlet line to the water heater. You'll still get
softened water for clothes washing, showers, etc. and you'll fix the
taste and soap problems that you've been experiencing.



This makes sense.

I haven't known this woman long enough yet to start messing with her
plumbing. Not the METALLIC plumbing, at least. Now, I have to deal with
whether bringing bottled water will be seen as equivalent to not liking
someone's cooking. :-) Hmmm....maybe I'll tell her my doctor says my blood
pressure's a bit high, and he wants me to back off on my sodium intake.

"Doug Kanter" wrote in message
...
I don't have a water softener, but my GF's house does. Her water tastes
mildly salty (and makes awful tea), and it's next to impossible to
de-slime
my hands after washing. They feel sticky, even after a minute of rinsing
in
hot water. I'm convinced there's too much chemical being added to the
water.
Are these two clues enough to believe the system's out of whack and needs
tweaking?

My softener had a kit that came with it to test the water. Test untreated
water then the kit would tell you what level to set the softener. My water
was pretty hard and I did not like the setting by the kit so I backed it off
to about 2/3 of what was recommended.

I should not be drinking soft water according to my doctor. Even changing
the system to potassium from rock salt is not recommended by my MD. I do
have high blood pressure.

Find the control panel and back off the numbers 2-3 at a time until the
taste goes away. Explain to her your trying to save her a buck or two. Less
chemical more times between recharge, and less salt needed.

For me I would not forget the ice maker either. My last home I just ran a
separate untreated line to the refrigerator.

Try washing some of your clothes some time, WITHOUT any soap in the
beginning.
You might be shocked at the soap left in your clothes. I was

"SQLit" wrote in message
news:TMJUd.141691$0u.49469@fed1read04...

"Doug Kanter" wrote in message
...
I don't have a water softener, but my GF's house does. Her water tastes
mildly salty (and makes awful tea), and it's next to impossible to
de-slime
my hands after washing. They feel sticky, even after a minute of rinsing
in
hot water. I'm convinced there's too much chemical being added to the
water.
Are these two clues enough to believe the system's out of whack and needs
tweaking?

My softener had a kit that came with it to test the water. Test untreated
water then the kit would tell you what level to set the softener. My water
was pretty hard and I did not like the setting by the kit so I backed it
off
to about 2/3 of what was recommended.

I should not be drinking soft water according to my doctor. Even changing
the system to potassium from rock salt is not recommended by my MD. I do
have high blood pressure.

Find the control panel and back off the numbers 2-3 at a time until the
taste goes away. Explain to her your trying to save her a buck or two.
Less
chemical more times between recharge, and less salt needed.

For me I would not forget the ice maker either. My last home I just ran a
separate untreated line to the refrigerator.

Try washing some of your clothes some time, WITHOUT any soap in the
beginning.
You might be shocked at the soap left in your clothes. I was



My previous and current homes have what the water authority calls
"moderately hard" water. I have to do a little lightweight faucet
maintenance every 2-3 years, but any grownup should be able to do that
blindfolded.

"Doug Kanter" wrote in message
...

"SQLit" wrote in message
news:TMJUd.141691$0u.49469@fed1read04...

"Doug Kanter" wrote in message
...
I don't have a water softener, but my GF's house does. Her water tastes
mildly salty (and makes awful tea), and it's next to impossible to
de-slime
my hands after washing. They feel sticky, even after a minute of rinsing
in
hot water. I'm convinced there's too much chemical being added to the
water.
Are these two clues enough to believe the system's out of whack and
needs
tweaking?

My softener had a kit that came with it to test the water. Test untreated
water then the kit would tell you what level to set the softener. My
water
was pretty hard and I did not like the setting by the kit so I backed it
off
to about 2/3 of what was recommended.

I should not be drinking soft water according to my doctor. Even
changing
the system to potassium from rock salt is not recommended by my MD. I do
have high blood pressure.

Find the control panel and back off the numbers 2-3 at a time until the
taste goes away. Explain to her your trying to save her a buck or two.
Less
chemical more times between recharge, and less salt needed.

For me I would not forget the ice maker either. My last home I just ran a
separate untreated line to the refrigerator.

Try washing some of your clothes some time, WITHOUT any soap in the
beginning.
You might be shocked at the soap left in your clothes. I was



My previous and current homes have what the water authority calls
"moderately hard" water. I have to do a little lightweight faucet
maintenance every 2-3 years, but any grownup should be able to do that
blindfolded.


Another thing you might try is using Potassium Chloride instead of salt.
They sell it at Home Depot and most places that sell water softener salt. I
had a plumber tell me it works the same way in all water softeners. We have
an older two tank softener, and I checked with the manufacturer and they
confermed that the Potassium was fine. The water doesn't seem to taste as
wierd as salt softened water and it's not as slick and also doesn't add all
that sodium to the water. Only Caviet is the potassium is a bit more
expensive, but as seldom as it needs to be added it won't break you..Be
worth a try anyway..
Good luck.
John

SQLit wrote:

I should not be drinking soft water according to my doctor. Even
changing the system to potassium from rock salt is not recommended by
my MD. I do have high blood pressure.


Your doctor may be wrong. Salt, in any amount, does not cause hypertension
and only 6% of Americans have hypertension anyway. Of those, only half have
the type of hypertension aggravated by salt.

Bottom line: For 97% of the people, salt, in virtually any amount, is
medically neutral.

Test it yourself. Cut out all the salt you can in your diet for a couple of
days. Take your blood pressure often and journalize the numbers. Note those
times when your BP is taken during "resting."

For the next couple of days put salt, in huge amounts, on everything (don't
forget the coffee). Continue to monitor your blood pressure.

See any difference? I thought so.

Take the results to your doctor and ask him to explain, if he can.

JerryMouse wrote:
Your doctor may be wrong. Salt, in any amount, does not cause
hypertension and only 6% of Americans have hypertension anyway.

Where did you get the 6% number?

http://www.americanheart.org/present...tifier=3024254

Doug,

First get the water tested. Salty taste and slimy feel sound like soft
water, but sticky and bad tea sound like really hard water. There is not a
lot you can do to tune up an ion exchange water softener.
If the unit has not been disassembled and cleaned in a few years it may
be time for a service call. If you have the manual and a source for parts
this is DIY. I think that the resin lasts about 15 years so if it's old it
may be time for replacement.

Dave M.