Whirlpool Water Softener in Questions

Oily residue left on skin after installing water softener? I installed a whole house Whirlpool water softener at my house a couple months ago. Ever since then I have noticed that after washing with soap (we use Irish Spring Bar Soap) the skin is left with an oily residue. But washing with liquid soap does not. I am just trying to understand what this means and if there is a way to get rid of the oily residue. Any experiences and remedies.

Mode 1 replied: "That isn't an oily residue. That is the way Soft Water feels. You will find that you don't need as much soap or shampoo when you shower and when you do the laundry you can cut way back on detergent.
You will get used to the feeling,and after a while, you will start to notice how hard everyone else's water.is."


PhilipM replied: "Most soap is made with compounds of sodium and potassium, such as sodium stearate. Sodium stearate reacts with the calcium compounds in hard water and produces calcium stearate. The ingredient found in soaps, sodium stearate, dissolves in water; however calcium stearate, the compound formed by the combination of hard water and soap does not dissolve. This means less lather for you and more soap curd. This is the deposit and residue of the combination of soap and hard water that is left on your skin.

When a person uses soft water, it leaves the skin feeling smooth and silky. However, because many of us were raised in parts of the country where the water is hard, some people describe skin washed in soft water as having an oily feel instead of the “squeaky clean” feeling they are used to. Because the soap deposit and residue are not blocking your pores as they do with hard water, your natural body oils come to the surface and act as a natural moisturizer. Soft water rinses your skin and hair better than hard water and a much smaller quantity of soap is needed. If you think I am crazy…contact your favorite soap maker or read the fine print of your water using appliances…they will also tell you so.

This is a chemistry question that requires a chemical answer. There are
many 'common sense' answers that don't do the problem justice. First,
soap is made by heating animal fat (triglyceride fats) with lye (sodium
hydroxide). The lye (NaOH) gives up its OH group and separates the
glycerine from its three fatty acid molecules. This produces one molecule
of glycerol and three ionically-bonded molecules of sodium stearate
(soap). This sodium salt will give up its sodium ion to a water
solution. The stearate will subsequently precipitate if it comes in
contact with an ion that wants to hold on to it more strongly. Calcium
and magnesium are the usual culprits when 'hard water' is used in the
shower. The resulting calcium and/or magnesium stearate make the ever-
popular 'bathtub ring'. Sodium stearate (soap) is comprised of a single
sodium ion attached to a single stearate ion. This combination is
soluble. Calcium and magnesium each have two places to form bonds and
each of these metallic ions can combine with two stearate ions. This
resulting molecule is insoluble in water and is rinsed away in the shower
spary. This same 'bathtub ring' is an ingredient in many candy-like
products. Look on the ingredients list of say, Tic Tacs and you will see
magnesium stearate! They synthesize the product and do not scrape it from
the inside of their bathtubs after the Saturday night cleanup.

Now enter the soft water. You have removed the calcium and magnesium ions
from the water and have replaced them with sodium. There is no tendency
to remove the sodium from the sodium stearate (soap) and therefore, no
tendency to form an inosluble compound. The surfa of your skin has
enough electrical charges in the form of amino acids, to cause the
stearate ion to lightly cling to it. The soft water has a much reduced
ability to combine with the soap film on your body and therefore, it is
much more difficult to rinse off.

The answer? Use much less soap and accept the less than clean rinse
characteristics, or change to a synthetic detergent (a 'syndet') in the
form of a liquid body wash. Adjust the amount of this synthetic cleaner
and you should get much better results from your shower experience."





Which water softener to buy? Culligan or Whirlpool? I have a quote for a Culligan Platinum Series water softener for $3,100 including installation. I can also go to Lowe's and purchase a similar Whirlpool unit for about $700 not including installation.

My question is, "Is it worth it to pay the premium for the Culligan unit?"

FYI, my installation is not easy. It needs to be installed outside with plumbing run underground for about 15'. All of this is included with the Culligan.

handerande replied: "The culligan also comes with salt delivery. No small chore when hauling salt bags"


fwf43 replied: "First I'd log onto Consumer Reports, and compare the two softeners. Choose the one that best fits your needs. Check with your local plumbers, and compare the installation prices and warranty. Can't see the install being $2400, which is in the area of what Culligan is charging."





How long does it take to install a water softener and water filtration system for the whole house? I'm asking to find out how long it would take a professional to do the installment.

I have two quotes so far; in Kissimmee, FL.

One person said he'll do it for a flat fee of $300.

The second person said he'll do it for $75 an hour.

What are your thoughts? How much should the installation be if those quotes are incorrect and how long would it take to install both the water softener and water filtration?

If it helps; the water softener and water filtration are Waterpool-Kenmore products bought from Lowes.

Whirlpool 30,000 Grain Capacity Water Softener &
Whirlpool Central Water Filtration System

Thank you for your responses.

Breath on the wind replied: ""How much does it cost..." questions are difficult due to factors that could change. In this case is the installation location easily available? Is there a good location for the equipment of does a plumbing solution have to be created. Price will depend upon time x rate and material cost... plus. The "time" may include picking up the equipment and delivering it to the job.

I suggest you get a few more estimates if you feel there is a large difference between them."


Plumbob replied: "My suggestion is to talk to your friends, neibors or anyone you know who may have had softeners installed. I have done installations that have cost 250 dollars and some that have cost 500 plus. Get a highly recommended plumber to do the work. you will get a better plumber by word of mouth than looking them up in the yellow pages"





Whrilpool water softner form Lowes any good? This is a 2 part question.
1. Any ratings on Whirlpool water softner sold by Lowes? They only have 2 models, one is 30,000 grains and the other is 45,0000 grains.
2. How to install in garage preplumbed with PVC in the wall. I bought it from Lowes and they sold me some flexible copper tubes to connect. But my garage has 2 pvc outlets for water softener which are 2ft lower than the top of water softener. Do I need any extentions to connect to bare PVC outlets? Bare meaning they are just pvc tubes closed with pvc caps. I don't see any threads to attach the copper tubes sold by Lowes? How does this set up work? Thanks in advance.

William B replied: "dont know about the softner, but to hook it up,
at the hardware store you can buy a threaded fitting to fit your copper pipes, for your pvc pipes, you will have to cut the caps off, [shut water off first lol] a hack saw will do, clean rough edges on pvc pipe, glue the fittings onto pvc pipe, [let dry for 2 minuits] then attach you copper pipes to the fittings,
slowley turn water back on check for leaks,"





Does anyone know where to find the best water filter to filter out flouride in the water? I have a Culligan filter and water softener. My sister has a Whirlpool water filter. We both want to get the fluoride OUT of all of our water. I have not used Fluoride in a while and am having better results this way with my teeth. I have taken my children off of it also as I have heard that it causes Altzhimers, bone diseases, arthritis, and other problems with health and especially with children.
Why are people filtering out fluoride from their water?
There have been numerous reports over the years linking fluoride in our water supply to various adverse health effects with humans and animals including: bone cancer, dental fluorosis, osteoporosis, skeletal fluorosis, arthritis, hypoactive thyroid, obesity, depression, brain damage, suppressed immune function, mottled teeth/tooth discoloration, cellular damage, poison kidney function, and renal osteodystrophy. As a result, more and more people want to filter out the fluoride in their drinking and bathing water.


The Absurdities of Water Fluoridation



By Paul Connett, PhD
Water fluoridation is a peculiarly American phenomenon. It started at a time when asbestos lined our pipes, lead was added to gasoline, PCBs filled our transformers and DDT was deemed so "safe and effective" that officials felt no qualms spraying kids in school classrooms and seated at picnic tables. One by one all these chemicals have been ba

Roderick F replied: "C'mon
Flouride in the miniscule amounts in the water is perfectly safe and very beneficial, especially for children. Don't endanger your children's dental health."





Why does my water stink? I live in the country and I have a well. my water began to stink and i lost a lot of hot water so I checked out my water heater and determined that the lower element was bad and since the heater was at least ten years old I opted to get a new one. I bought a Whirlpool Gold water heater with dual anode rods, larger elements, and energy star. the heater was the most expensive 50 gallon that I saw there at 500 it has a 12 year warranty and I installed it myself. I figured that that would solve the problem but after two or three days my water began have a sulfuric smell again. I am wondering if it is my water softener it is a rented one from culligan and has been here since we got the house 9 years ago. we have had various issues with it and every time they come out spend 10 minutes charge 50 and say that it is fine. it is not consistent in putting out soft water, and uses 200-250 pounds of salt in a week to week and a half. I also have to clean a disgusting looking black sludge off of the side of the brine tank 2 or more times a year. what should I do?

BARRY B replied: "Your salt consumption seems excessive to say the least. I am in UK but I have an american water softener. It is marketed under the name 'Tapworks AD 10' here, but is is made by Eco Water Systems of Minnesota. The thing is, it is meter controlled, not timer controlled. It's chip monitors the actual water use and regenerates accordingly. This saves salt. Also you set the softener according to the amount of lime (we say hardness) in the water. This also avoids wasting salt.
If I were you I would wave Culligan goodbye and invest in the softener I describe. Weeks elapse before I put salt in, and we use a lot of water in our household."


Joan H replied: "The rods in a new hot water heater do smell for awhile, but boy is your salt usage high. I though our Water Boss was high, 40# every 2 weeks. Has the resin beads ever been cleaned in your softener? Bet not. If it is still rented, I would really really complain."


tom b replied: "Your water smells because you have high sulfur content, and the new water heater comes with a magnesium rod that was removed from your old water heater. You can remove this rod but it will void your warrenty, and you will have to dispose of it. This rod takes care of any acids so your tank does not rot away. You can put a whole house filter before the heater and that should stop the smell. I would call the water softener people about the high salt usage and have them assess that problem."





How do I keep glassware from dishwasher etching? I have a water softener, and have tried every major detergent (liquid, powder, and gel) and rinse agent on the market, and I still get etching on everything from cheapie glassware to lead crystal. I traded a Whirlpool for a Bosch, and (although the Bosch is worlds quieter), the glasses still don't stand a chance. Does anyone have any suggestions besides handwashing?

GracieM replied: "Never, EVER put crystal in the dishwasher (you have seen the results). There is really nothing you can do, other than hand washing all the glassware. Or you could use plastic glasses."


woodtick314 replied: "Cut back on the amount of detergent you are using. I trashed my first set of glasses. After talking with the people at the Maytag store where i got it, they suggested that with a softener, I only fill 1 cup rather than both. New glasses still look great after 3 years, and my dishes still come out clean. Hope this helps."





Light Blue and green shirts turn yellow around neck and shoulder areas? Hi, it seems that lately I have had to throw away polo shirts for turning yellow in the neck and shoulder areas. 2 of these shirts were light blue and one was a green/red/white striped shirt. The green turned to a light yellow and the red faded quite a bit. No yellow is noticeable on the white areas. I do sweat quite profusely when playing golf with these shirts on. I have washed these and other clothing at two locations. Both houses have Whirlpool Duet HT washers and Duet electric dryers. One house is on well water with a water softener and the other runs on city water. I use All Free and Clear chemical-free detergent all the time. What do you think is causing this?

Thanks,
Greg

P.S. I use degree men's spray on deodorant, clinique M lotion, clinique UV-response spf 50 face sunblock, and neutrogena ultra-sheer dry-touch sunblock spf 70
also one shirt was from Brooks bros, another from rl polo, and one from old navy

T C replied: "your salty sweat is bleaching out the dye in that brand of shirt. You might try rinsing them as soon as you can and then wash whenever."


Bills, Bills, Bills... replied: "try using baking soda during your regular washing routine!"


mshonnie replied: "Well there's your problem you are using a water softener softeners mess your clothes up because of the salt they can turn your clothes yellow and you are perhaps using too much detergent another No No ! and also deodorants can turn fabrics yellow and of course perspiration will turn fabrics yellow those sunblocks you are using could have a oil in them that is mixing with the oils in your skin this also adds to yellowing, I can suggest some hints to help you with this embarrassing problem
Get the yellow out of clothing

To restore yellowed clothing, let the garments soak overnight in a solution of 12 parts warm water to 1 part vinegar. Wash them the following morning.

Unset old stains

Older, set-in stains will often come out in the wash after being pretreated with a solution of 3 tablespoons white vinegar and 2 tablespoons liquid detergent in 1 quart (1 liter) warm water. Rub the solution into the stain, then blot it dry before washing.

Remove rings from collars and cuffs

Are you tired of seeing those old sweat rings around your shirt collars? What about the annoying discoloration along the edges of your cuffs? Give them the boot by scrubbing the material with a paste made from 2 parts white vinegar to 3 parts baking soda. Let the paste set for half an hour before washing. This approach also works to remove light mildew stains from clothing.

Brighten your loads

Why waste money on that costly all-color bleach when you can get the same results using vinegar? Just add 1/2 cup white vinegar to your machine's wash cycle to brighten up the colors in each load.

In the Laundry and for Removing Stains

Soften fabrics, kill bacteria, eliminate static, and more

There are so many benefits to be reaped by adding 1 cup white vinegar to your washer's rinse cycle that it's surprising that you don't find it prominently mentioned inside the owner's manual of every washing machine sold. Here are the main ones:
A single cup of vinegar will kill off any bacteria that may be present in your wash load, especially if it includes cloth diapers and the like.


A cup of vinegar will keep your clothes coming out of the wash soft and smelling fresh -- so you can kiss your fabric-softening liquids and sheets good-bye (unless, of course, you happen to like your clothes smelling of heavy perfumes).


A cup of vinegar will brighten small loads of white clothes.


Added to the last rinse, a cup of vinegar will keep your clothes lint- and static-free.


Adding a cupful of vinegar to the last rinse will set the color of your newly dyed fabrics.


Pretreat perspiration stains

Want to see those sweat marks disappear from shirts and other garments? Just pour a bit of vinegar directly onto the stain, and rub it into the fabric before placing the item in the wash. You can also remove deodorant stains from your washable shirts and blouses by gently rubbing the spot with undiluted vinegar before laundering."