How is it possible that a water softener can wreck havoc on the body?

regi3457

This is supposed to be a safe technology yet something in our water softener is causing a very grave problem in my families health. Over time we have realized that the water that goes through our softener is not suitable for pretty much anything let alone drinking. Let me explain the situation from the beginning. I will try to be to the point.

When we moved into our new home we were new to water softener technology and weren't told you could not drink the water. We usually drink bottled water but we may have used the tap water for the odd cup of tea because boiling bottled water seemed silly enough. So in the first few months we would all get severe heartburn and bloating and it took a while to realize that the water was the issue. So we started boiling mineral water instead for teas and soups. Things improved but over the next few months we still had milder heartburn issues and my children got rashes on their bodies and my wife and I also had rashes on our hands. We got brown colouring stains in our teeth. Another strange happening was that we have a Vicks humidifier which we sometimes use in winter to restore some humidity to our home (our home gets dry from heating) and at night I would get similar symptoms from the vapor it releases into the air. Again time went by before we completely eliminated the water softener from our lives. By this I mean, we use a cloth and bottled water to wash ourselves. We also shower at the gym sometimes. We only wash our hands in bottled water now. We don't use the humidifier.

The reason for this post is to try and understand, what on earth could bring about such issues on our families health. Is it the sodium in the soft water? Our water hardness at home is around 400ppm so that is a lot. I imagine that this means a lot of sodium ends up in the soft water because the harder the water, the more sodium is needed. But why would showering and using a humidifer make us sick?? How can this water be so toxic?

The only positive side to this is that we are healthy at home since removing this rubbish piece of technology from our home. It leaves me with a mind full of questions of which the most important is: how can something like this happen?

I would appreciate any DIY person or someone more knowledgeable that I to give us any ideas as to why this might be happening.

Del2005

Did you get anyone to look at the water softener? Something doing that to your whole family doesn't sound like a DIY job, it'd cost less than doing everything with bottled water.

regi3457

Del2005 wrote: »

Did you get anyone to look at the water softener? Something doing that to your whole family doesn't sound like a DIY job, it'd cost less than doing everything with bottled water.

thanks, good question. Someone came a month ago and they changed the resin beads in the softener. He said they look kind of "bleached" . Since then nothing has improved. i am going to get someone else again this week to come by.

regi3457

Del2005 wrote: »

Did you get anyone to look at the water softener? Something doing that to your whole family doesn't sound like a DIY job, it'd cost less than doing everything with bottled water.

do you think I posted this in the right place? if not DIY then where?

Del2005

regi3457 wrote: »

do you think I posted this in the right place? if not DIY then where?

There's a plumbing forum, report your post and a mod will move it.

http://touch.boards.ie/forum/1320

Water John

The water from a water softener should be fine. The house supply usually comes in by the kitchen sink. Most would then soften the water going to the rest of the house, after the kitchen cold water tap.
So you drink untreated water.
That is not very important but hard water is supposed to be healthier for you than soft water, to drink that is.

The only issue I can think of is, if the back wash cycle on the system is not working correctly.

Get one of the reliable companies to look at it. Not one of the cowboys who flog these units to every house whether they need them or not.

Get your water tested privately or the HSE would have labs in places and provide testing. This is the first step.

BTW, had a water problem for a while myself. Found if you heat some of the bottled waters the calcium precipitates, white cloud.
The water in Aldi doesn't.

regi3457

Water John wrote: »

The water from a water softener should be fine. The house supply usually comes in by the kitchen sink. Most would then soften the water going to the rest of the house, after the kitchen cold water tap.
So you drink untreated water.
That is not very important but hard water is supposed to be healthier for you than soft water, to drink that is.

The only issue I can think of is, if the back wash cycle on the system is not working correctly.

Get one of the reliable companies to look at it. Not one of the cowboys who flog these units to every house whether they need them or not.

Get your water tested privately or the HSE would have labs in places and provide testing. This is the first step.

BTW, had a water problem for a while myself. Found if you heat some of the bottled waters the calcium precipitates, white cloud.
The water in Aldi doesn't.

Thanks. The white cloud would be a result of the mineral content of the water. Tesco mineral water also is very low mineral so is fine for boiling.

Do you know a good place to test water?

Hagimalone

You could try the council, not sure but l think they be of some assistance

Water John

I only know South Munster.
You could ask your local Environmental Health Officer (EHO) in the HSE. They will direct you or give you a list.

Calahonda52

regi3457 wrote: »

Thanks. The white cloud would be a result of the mineral content of the water. Tesco mineral water also is very low mineral so is fine for boiling.

Do you know a good place to test water?

There are a few places that offer a postal service for this

for example
http://www.fitzsci.ie/home/environmental/water-testing/drinking-water-analysis/?gclid=CLWfyqfHztMCFWG77QodDNUJbA
no affiliation