How cold is too cold to add water?

[kervis]

Now, I am no expert, but you are adding "salt" or whatever is in that bag-to your water system.  You do not want to be drinking that stuff on a regular basis--that is MY opinion, but also a reason they should only hook it up to your hot water pipes.

So, if I wash my clothes in cold water, yes, it is hard water.  If I wash in warm, then I am getting some hot mixed in so it becomes soft water!  Like your shower water.  

When you drink or cook with your water, you don't want to use the hot water with the "salt" in it.  You want the fresh, cold, "natural"-haha-chlorinated, flouridated city water.  Or well water.

I clean out my softener on a regular basis, as it prolongs it's life considerably.  You would not believe the rocks, sticks, gravel, dirt--all in the bottom of the container.  YUCK.  It was years of build-up from before I owned this house.   It all comes packaged in your salt!  It's filthy.  Don't drink it.  I pay a little extra to have salt delivered right to my basement from the water guys.  That salt is much cleaner than what I described above.  Last cleaning I only found a rock and a giant twig--go figure.

[Bonibelle]

Now I will have to go look in my salt!! ..My softner filters all of my water. I bipass to fill my tub or fish pond or pool. But I also have an RO system so I am not drinking the water, although I believe the amount of salt left in the soft water to be minimal. Probably a whole lot less in a week of drinking softened water than in one bowl of pork fried rice  

[kervis]

Now I will have to go look in my salt!! ..My softner filters all of my water. I bipass to fill my tub or fish pond or pool. But I also have an RO system so I am not drinking the water, although I believe the amount of salt left in the soft water to be minimal. Probably a whole lot less in a week of drinking softened water than in one bowl of pork fried rice  

Ok, you, Michiganwinter and Aduvall have all mentioned RO water.  For the life of me, I can't figure out what that stands for--help!

And, while we are at it, we should all google something about softener salt and find out what's in it.  Indeed, drinking my warm water has NEVER caused me to bloat like Chinese Buffet does!

[aduvall]

Ok, you, Michiganwinter and Aduvall have all mentioned RO water.  For the life of me, I can't figure out what that stands for--help!

And, while we are at it, we should all google something about softener salt and find out what's in it.  Indeed, drinking my warm water has NEVER caused me to bloat like Chinese Buffet does!

For your hot tub you do not necessary need all the filteration that you would get from RO water it was just an option in order to get good clean water for a good price without lugging gallon jugs from the stores.

Reverse osmosis
A method of producing pure water by forcing saline or impure water through a semipermeable membrane across which salts or impurities cannot pass. Reverse osmosis is used for water filtration, for desalinization of seawater, and in kidney dialysis machines.

[Hubjeep]

Thanks Kervis, we don't actually have any indoor shut offs for the outdoor spigots (freeze free types - not quite sure I believe that).

You should be fine as long as you disconnect the hose after use.  How a frost-free silcock worked was a mystery to me until I picked one up at Home Depot.  The actual water valve is about 12" from the outside, as long as you disconnect the hose after use (some are not self-draining, the ones with the handle next to the spout usually are, but more $$$, only needed if you forget to remove the hose) the water will be shut off inside the house and drain through the 12" or so of tube going out through the wall.

 

[Bonibelle]

Thanks, that's a great visual  

[michiganwinter]

Yes, very helpful. Thanks for posting it

[wmccall]

You really shouldn't have evaporation with a good cover, and I have a good cover..but I am saying that I definately notice less evaporation with a spa blanket...maybe it is just me :-/

Now that you mention it, I realized I've been topping off a lot less this winter since I bought my new cover from Doc.  Last weekend we had our first thaw where it got to 45 degrees. I went out to look at the tub and was glad to see the cover with no snow or ice on it. I was surprised my water level wasn't low despite using the tub 25 out of the last 30 days.   My spigot is 8 feet from my tub, so I just keep a 10 ft piece of hose in the basement behind my washing machine.  I went ahead and bailed out about 50 gallons and added 50 fresh in.  That should hold me till March.