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Reviews & Guides · Appliances

Harvey water softener: a three-visit London installation, with HarveyArc buying context

I had a Harvey water softener installed in my London flat over three visits; my skin feels smoother, laundry needs less softener, and drinking water stays filtered hard water.

A top-down view of a laundry area with a white LG 2-in-1 front-loading washer-dryer unit next to a compact water softener or filtration appliance on a wheeled tray, with associated plumbing and wires along the wall.
A front-loading white LG ThinQ 2-in-1 washer and dryer set in a small utility closet with plumbing fixtures to the right and an open bin to the left. The top of the washing machine is covered in various plumbing tools, plastic pipe fittings, tubes, wire wool, and red-handled pipe cutters, indicating ongoing installation or repair work.
A top-down view of an opened compact water softener unit next to a white LG washing machine, showing the internal valves, water meter, tubes, and salt compartment.
A floor covered with a protective drop cloth during renovation or plumbing work. Scattered across the floor are various tools and supplies, including a yellow and black Stanley tool bag filled with hand tools, DeWalt power tools, a roll of white John Guest Speedfit tubing, a small black bucket, a copper pipe, and screws in plastic bags. An open doorway in the background reveals a carpeted room with an extended telescoping ladder, a hand truck, and a cardboard box.
A narrow utility closet containing a white LG front-loading washer-dryer combo, with a silver telescopic aluminum ladder set up in front of it extending upward. A yellow DeWalt cordless work light sits on top of the washing machine, illuminating the space, while an underfloor heating manifold lines the lower right wall.

I am not exaggerating: after washing my face and taking a shower each day, my skin feels incredibly smooth, and the moisturising effect is excellent. The seed I planted in Japan at the beginning of the year finally came to fruition in the first quarter. I am satisfied.

I am not specifically recommending any particular brand, because I went straight for Harvey, the well-known UK number one. Although there were a few minor twists in the process, they did not cause me much trouble.

Three steps

  1. First appointment: Someone came to my home for about an hour to explain the softener’s filtration functions and principles, calculate the costs, and estimate how the pipes would be installed in my home.
  2. Second appointment: A plumber came directly to install it. If a flat is not too complicated, the work can generally be completed that day, and then it is installed.
  3. Because we actually needed additional pipework, there was also a third visit to help seal the pipe opening in the wall.

Approximate cost: £2,000.
The whole process was expected to take 1–1.5 months. The first image shows how it looked after installation. I only need to replenish the salt regularly.

Daily water: soft water.
Drinking water: I can choose soft water or filtered hard water.
But after having soft water, I no longer need to buy bottled water, I do not need to add fabric softener when washing clothes, and everywhere that uses water in daily life no longer has limescale.

Every shower makes me happy. It is worth it!

Source: 伦敦快乐崽.lol🐣 · Xiaohongshu · 2026-03-31 · 🇬🇧家里软水器终于装上了！！太香了！. Search this Chinese title in Xiaohongshu to find the original post.

Before You Buy

Models in your region

The owner names Harvey but does not provide a full model number. HarveyArc is therefore used below as a UK same-brand reference, not as confirmation of the exact installed unit. Harvey’s own guidance says installation planning should consider household size, water hardness, plumbing, pressure, space and usage, while retaining a suitable unsoftened supply for drinking and cooking.

Model in this review Related regional model What to know
Harvey water softener (exact model unspecified) HarveyArc (UK) The exact Harvey model installed is unknown. The UK HarveyArc has a non-electric twin-cylinder softener with optional WiFi salt monitoring. The photographed curved-front cabinet is not enough to confirm that it is a HarveyArc or establish its capacity and configuration.
Model in this review
Harvey water softener (exact model unspecified)
Related regional model
HarveyArc (UK)
What to know
The exact Harvey model installed is unknown. The UK HarveyArc has a non-electric twin-cylinder softener with optional WiFi salt monitoring. The photographed curved-front cabinet is not enough to confirm that it is a HarveyArc or establish its capacity and configuration.

What the installation involved

The owner’s experience included an approximately one-hour consultation, a separate plumbing installation and a third visit to seal an additional wall pipe opening. For a flat, the plumbing layout and any extra pipework can affect both the schedule and the work required; Harvey’s planning guidance recommends checking plumbing, pressure, space and household usage before buying.

HarveyArc · UK

The owner reports an expected overall timeline of 1–1.5 months and an approximate total cost of £2,000 in the source account. That amount is the owner’s reported purchase-market experience, not a current UK price quote or a universal installation cost.

Salt and ongoing maintenance

The owner says the installed system needs regular salt replenishment. For the HarveyArc reference model specifically, Harvey recommends Mini Curve Salt Blocks shaped for its salt space; because the owner’s exact Harvey model is unknown, this salt specification should not be applied automatically to the installation described here.

HarveyArc · UK

Drinking water and reported benefits

The owner distinguishes everyday softened water from drinking water, saying the household can choose soft water or filtered hard water and that bottled water is no longer needed. Harvey’s guidance says installation should retain a suitable unsoftened supply for drinking and cooking; the owner specifically reports using filtered hard water at the drinking tap.

The owner reports smoother-feeling skin after washing, no need to add fabric softener to laundry and no limescale in places used by daily water. These are the owner’s early observations, not guaranteed results for every household or a clinical skin-care claim.

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