switching from hard to soft water staining question?

[xcrunr2go]

If my home has had hard well water running through it for 9 years & I switch to a softened/neutralized system, will I still experience the orange staining & limescale? The company said they run chlorine through the pipes but I would opt out of that because of the chemicals & my extremely sensitive skin. Anybody have any real experience w/this? Thanks.

[Anje]

Less limescale, definitely. I haven't had to deal with rust stains myself - I think you might need a specialized softener resin or salt with an additive to prevent that, but I haven't looked into it. I don't know what running extra chlorine through the pipes is supposed to do, but I don't think it will affect the solubility of built up lime.

One thing you should be aware of (especially if you own the property or are responsible for appliance repairs) is that softened water shortens the lifespan of the sacrificial anode in water heaters. When that stops working or breaks, the inside of the tank can rust, then the thing eventually gets a hole in the bottom, leaks, and needs replaced. Better to check the anode every so often to make sure it's OK.