Well Questions

[charliepff]

So,

After 8 years of renting I finally bought a house. It has well for water with the water softener and whole house filter. The problem I have is that both outside faucets are piped in after the well. As you can imagine, pressure is not very high at these faucets at all. I need to clean the gutters and wash the house since we are on a dirt road. So I went and bought a pressure washer. It requires 20psi with 5gpm. I was wondering if I repipe these faucets in before the water softenor will this help my pressure issues and enable me to run the pressure washer? Would I be better adding a holding tank with a small pump work better? Definately not sure on this one. I am also assuming if I do change the faucets to before the water softenor I will need to bleed the air from the system but will I need to do anything else? I do have a pressure tank too. Thanks for the help in advance.

 

[Dmace]

The water softener should be tapped into the cold water line AFTER any water spigots. If this is not the case then it should be changed. Not only will it slow your water pressure but you will be wasting salt and electricity on outside water. After you change that you should have more than enough water pressure for that pressure washer but you should test it to be sure.

 

[rswyan]

The water softener should be tapped into the cold water line AFTER any water spigots. If this is not the case then it should be changed.

I would say that if you change it, set it up so that you can select either hard or soft water ......

Each has their uses and is good for different things: hard water should be fine for watering plants, soft for washing (cars equipment, etc.), and for use with spraying .... if you do that.

 

[Stimw]

I plumbed my house, yard and shop. I ran two lines, hard water and soft water to the yard and shop. If I am hand washing my pick up, motorhome or boat I use soft. For pressure washing I use hard.
I have regular pressure on either line. I have my pump set to 40psi on 55psi off. My softener tank has 3/4" water lines in and out.

 

[beenthere]

For more water at your outside faucets, be sure there are 3/4" pipes running to them (not the normal 1/2" size). A world of difference. More volume is what you want.

I also agree, to plumb so soft water only goes to where you want it...shower, bath, laundry, hot water heater, plus any additional like for car washing. Drinking water is not from the softener.

Now, what is the well question?

 

[VABlue]

Change the outside spigots to tap off before the softener/filter, but after the pressure tank. The line from the well pump should go directly into the pressure tank; only the pressure switch (which turns the pump on/off) gets tapped in prior to the tank. You won't need a separate tank to run your pressure washer, you'll be fine...

 

[Egon]

Change the outside spigots to tap off before the softener/filter, but after the pressure tank.

Couldn't the line be tapped before the pressure tank assuming there is a downhole check valve?

 

[Richard]

Yep to what they said.

What I did was replumb some things so that I now have a hot/cold frostproof faucet next to the garage. This is plumbed such that it will be softened water once I add one into my garage. The other spigot I added is plumbed in as hard water.

now, when we wash the cars/dogs outside.... everthing comes out fluffly. When the wife waters her plants.... she uses the other one which happens to also be closer to her plants.

 

[Hawghauler]

I would say that if you change it, set it up so that you can select either hard or soft water ......

Each has their uses and is good for different things: hard water should be fine for watering plants, soft for washing (cars equipment, etc.), and for use with spraying .... if you do that.

+1 Need soft water for washing the cars and toys.

 

[SPYDERLK]

That is a hefty power washer. You might want to check your max continuous water delivery. Long term [hr or more] use of my well at 5gpm will have it sucking air.
larry