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Hi all,
I moved to a new flat recently and want to install a water softener (same I used to have in my old flat). However I have been told that it will not be possible to install it in the new flat as the cold water and hot water have a different entrance (cold water under the sink and hot water from communal boiler).
I have attached some photos of under the sink in the kitchen, I don't know anything about plumbing but I can see that there are some red and blue valves, I thought it would be hot and cold water. I'm desperate to install a water softener as the water is extremely hard. Please could someone have a look at the photo and confirm that I can't install a water softener under the sink?
Thanks for your help

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If the hot water is communal then your softener won’t affect it
 
Thank you. So do you think it is possible to install a softener in the flat under the sink and have soft water in the shower?
 
Well it’s kind of pointless because your cold water will be softened but your hot won’t
 
Well it’s kind of pointless because your cold water will be softened but your hot won’t

I see...really annoying, I really need to find a solution to soften the water in the shower... I might buy a shower head filter, although I don't think it works as well as a water softener.

Thanks for your help Riley!
 
Simple answer is unfortunately they don’t they are a bit snake oil. It might be worth asking the people to deal with the property if there is any softening on the hot water side
 
Please don't waste your money on inhibitors, for one thing they do not make the water soft.

What sort of shower do you have i.e. does it mix hot & cold water from the two different systems ?

You could if you really wanted to install a softener just on the cold to the bathroom fittings, if the shower blends hot & cold together then around 40% of the water coming out of it would be softened (cold). My guess would be that if it is a large communal system it is either treated in some way or a lot of the hardness may have come out as it was heated.
It may make a difference whether it would be particular noticeable & worth while it is difficult to say.
Is it for health reasons you are after softened ?
 
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Please don't waste your money on inhibitors, for one ting they do not make the water soft.

What sort of shower do you have i.e. does it mix hot & cold water from the two different systems ?

You could if you really wanted to install a softener just on the cold to the bathroom fittings, if the shower blends hot & cold together then around 40% of the water coming out of it would be softened (cold). My guess would be that if it is a large communal system it is either treated in some way or a lot of the hardness may have come out as it was heated.
It may make a difference whether it would be particular noticeable & worth while it is difficult to say.
Is it for health reasons you are after softened ?

Yes, it is for health reason. We don't have access to the bathroom fittings. I don't even know where the water comes from. I 've ask the manager of the property and he seems to think that hot and cold water comes under the kitchen sink (see photos above). I though the softener could be installed there. Both cold water and hot water are very hard.
 
Yes, it is for health reason. We don't have access to the bathroom fittings. I don't even know where the water comes from. I 've ask the manager of the property and he seems to think that hot and cold water comes under the kitchen sink (see photos above). I though the softener could be installed there. Both cold water and hot water are very hard.
But the pipes under the sink just serve the sink & the kitchen appliances so a softener couldn't be installed there unless you can find where the bathroom is fed from & connected it to feed it.
P.S. As previously stated the inhibitors do not soften the water so would not be suitable to help you.
 
But the pipes under the sink just serve the sink & the kitchen appliances so a softener couldn't be installed there unless you can find where the bathroom is fed from & connected it to feed it.
P.S. As previously stated the inhibitors do not soften the water so would not be suitable to help you.

Thanks for the info. I guess there is nothing I can do...I should have checked before moving into the flat. I need to find an alternative solution to soften at least the water in the shower.
 
Anything but a proper softener is just a gimmick and I don’t think you would be happy with the end result
 

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