Yeah, water hardness can definitely sneak up on you. Did you notice a difference right away after installing the softener, or did it take some time? I've been considering one myself, but still on the fence about it...
I noticed a difference pretty quickly—especially with soap lathering better and fewer mineral spots on fixtures. But honestly, the environmental side of me still wonders about the salt usage... Have you looked into salt-free conditioners at all? Curious if anyone's had luck with those.
I've looked into salt-free conditioners before, and honestly, from what I've read, they don't actually soften water—they just condition it to reduce scale buildup. Might help with fixtures a bit, but you probably won't get that nice soap lather you're liking now... something to consider.
Installed a salt-free system at my own place last year—you're right, it doesn't soften water in the traditional sense. It did noticeably cut down on fixture buildup though, but I still miss that rich lather... trade-offs I guess.
"I still miss that rich lather... trade-offs I guess."
Yeah, that's the thing with salt-free systems—less buildup is awesome, but the lack of lather is kind of a bummer. Wonder if there's a soap or shampoo that works better with this setup? Might be worth experimenting a bit...
