Lime in water.

tom_tarbucket

Not sure if this is the correct forum for this.

We moved to Galway a few months back and since the move the wife has been complaining about dry skin.........and her fingers getting chapped and she is blaming the water.

I know the water in Galway has lime issues, but would this cause issues like chapped skin - for someone not used to this water.

Just wondering if any plumbers here would know anything or have heard of this before.

tom_tarbucket

Anyone have any thoughts on this ?

Sleeper12

Most definitely. In a soft what water area some people say they don't need hair conditioning.
If you were using a rain water harvesting system and washing clothes you'd never need fabric softener.
Hard water is hard on the skin

tom_tarbucket

Sleeper12 wrote: »

Most definitely. In a soft what water area some people say they don't need hair conditioning.
If you were using a rain water harvesting system and washing clothes you'd never need fabric softener.
Hard water is hard on the skin

Thanks. So lime in the water = hard water ?

Sleeper12

tom_tarbucket wrote:

Thanks. So lime in the water = hard water ?

Exactly

tom_tarbucket

Sleeper12 wrote: »

Exactly

Thanks.
What are the options to make it softer.

Is there only one kind of water softener treatment or are there a number of ways of doing it ?

Sleeper12

There's another thread in the plumbing section you might want to check out. I think it is called Water softening system yay or nay. I don't have a water softening system myself but some on this thread have and have recommended some and include prices they have paid.

I got a water softener system from Celtic water Systems in November. I live in a very hard water area in Drogheda. My one year old shower had broken twice in that year due to hard water !
Best money I ever spent ! CWS use Clack components which are made in the US and have a lifetime guarantee . Slightly more expensive than another company who supply a lot in this area but I'm happy I went with the best ! Less than €600 for everything !

ike

Deleted User wrote: »

I got a water softener system from Celtic water Systems in November. I live in a very hard water area in Drogheda. My one year old shower had broken twice in that year due to hard water !
Best money I ever spent ! CWS use Clack components which are made in the US and have a lifetime guarantee . Slightly more expensive than another company who supply a lot in this area but I'm happy I went with the best ! Less than €600 for everything !

Agree with everything said here...I got an undersink unit from Celtic water systems about 3 years and never looked back. Uses about 4 bags of salt per year which cost less than €10 each...

cnocbui

Get the water Ph tested, because I think you might find the problem is water acidity, ie, softness, not hardness.

What your wife is describing is what happens to my hands in just two days of washing them in the acidic water in Connemara, when I stay there.

tom_tarbucket

cnocbui wrote: »

Get the water Ph tested, because I think you might find the problem is water acidity, ie, softness, not hardness.

What your wife is describing is what happens to my hands in just two days of washing them in the acidic water in Connemara, when I stay there.

Oh ok. Thanks.

If the water is too soft, what is the solution for that ?

cnocbui

tom_tarbucket wrote: »

Oh ok. Thanks.

If the water is too soft, what is the solution for that ?

Calcium carbonate (limescale), possibly - lol. I think there is a reverse water softener called an ioniser.

What is the original source of your supply, that would give a clue as to whether it is an acid or alkali problem?

If the source is a lake in peatlands or a river that flows from such then acidity/softness would be likely.