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Reviews & Guides · Appliances

Harvey water softener: London scale and separate RO notes for HarveyArc buyers

I installed a Harvey water softener in London and saw less bathroom limescale, while keeping a separate RO system for drinking water.

A HarveyArc water softener installed inside a cabinet next to bags of salt blocks.
A polished chrome gooseneck drinking water faucet mounted on the edge of a stainless steel sink beside a dark wood backsplash and white wall.
Mobile app interface for a Culligan Harvey water softener, displaying full battery, Wi-Fi connection, and both left and right salt levels at 100% with 31 days remaining.
An itemized quotation table listing water softener products, installation, and filter systems with prices in British pounds, showing a grand total of £2,716.45.

I used to think a water softener was optional, but after moving to London I realised how much hard water affects everyday life.

London has very hard water, and the limescale problem is obvious

Taps, showerheads and bathroom glass doors quickly develop a white film;

The bottom of the kettle scales up easily;

After showering, my skin feels dry and my hair is not as smooth.

I later started using a Harvey water softener. After using it for a while, the most obvious change was:

There was noticeably less white limescale around the house.

The change was especially noticeable on the bathroom glass door.

Previously, every shower left a layer of water marks and limescale. It looked dirty and was difficult to clean.

After installing the softener, the old limescale gradually faded even without deliberately using descaler, and the whole area looked much cleaner.

The areas around the taps and showerhead also became less likely to turn white, making bathroom cleaning noticeably easier. This was not because I cleaned more often; the water became softer, so limescale naturally decreased.

I did not install only a water softener.

The softened water is mainly for household uses such as showering, laundry, cleaning and protecting appliances.

I installed a separate RO reverse-osmosis system for drinking water.

I think this point is important. If you drink water directly or cook frequently, I suggest considering the drinking-water arrangement from the beginning. I do not use softened water as drinking water; using RO makes me feel more reassured.

Maintenance is not complicated

I service the water softener and the RO system approximately once a year;

The softener can take four salt blocks at a time;

With my household's usage, one bag of salt lasts about one and a half months.

The exact period varies with the number of people in the household and the amount of water used, but overall I find it manageable.

For me, the biggest benefit of a water softener is not that the water tastes better, but that it improves the overall water experience:

Showering feels more comfortable;

My skin feels less tight;

My hair feels smoother;

The bathroom and kitchen are easier to keep clean;

With less limescale, the cleaning workload is noticeably lower.

If you live in London or another hard-water area of the UK, you will probably understand the nuisance caused by limescale.

A water softener is not inexpensive, but it is an investment whose effects can be felt every day.

If you order through a referral by contacting the salesperson, both of us can receive an extra 20 bags of water-softener salt.

If you are also considering installing a water softener, you can look into it first.

Once the limescale is reduced, everyday cleaning really does become much easier.

Source: Serenahehehe · Xiaohongshu · 2026-06-23 · 伦敦的硬水真的不是开玩笑，装完软水器我懂. Search this Chinese title in Xiaohongshu to find the original post.

Before You Buy

Models in your region

The owner identifies the installation as a Harvey water softener in London, but the source does not give its complete model number. The UK HarveyArc is an official regional reference, not proof that it is the same unit; its manufacturer describes it as a UK-made, non-electric twin-cylinder softener with WiFi salt monitoring. The owner's separate RO system is also not identified, so its specifications and filtration performance cannot be confirmed here.

Model in this review Related regional model What to know
Harvey water softener (model unspecified) HarveyArc (UK) The owner’s exact Harvey model is not identified, so the experience cannot be assigned to HarveyArc specifically. HarveyArc is the documented UK reference: a non-electric twin-cylinder softener with WiFi i-Lid salt monitoring, but buyers should confirm the quoted model and configuration.
Model in this review
Harvey water softener (model unspecified)
Related regional model
HarveyArc (UK)
What to know
The owner’s exact Harvey model is not identified, so the experience cannot be assigned to HarveyArc specifically. HarveyArc is the documented UK reference: a non-electric twin-cylinder softener with WiFi i-Lid salt monitoring, but buyers should confirm the quoted model and configuration.

What changed in the owner's home

The owner reports less visible white limescale after using the Harvey softener, especially on the bathroom glass door, taps and showerhead. She also says the old deposits gradually faded without deliberately applying descaler, which made routine cleaning easier; this is one household's observation rather than a measured comparison.

The reported benefits extend beyond surfaces: the owner describes more comfortable showers, less skin tightness and smoother hair. These are personal outcomes under her household's conditions, and the source does not provide water-hardness measurements, a test baseline or a controlled comparison.

Softened household water is separate from drinking water

The owner uses softened water for showering, laundry, cleaning and appliance protection, while using a separate RO system for drinking water and cooking. The RO unit's brand and model are unknown, so its actual purification method and performance cannot be verified from this account.

Harvey's UK guidance explains that softening uses salt to regenerate resin and adds sodium to the water; it excludes softened drinking water for infant feeds and medically prescribed low- or zero-sodium diets, and notes that a separate drinking-water tap is an available arrangement. A generic filter should not be treated as proof of reverse osmosis or purified water.

HarveyArc · UK

Salt use and servicing

The owner says her softener accepts four salt blocks at once and that one bag lasts about one and a half months in her household. She services both the softener and RO system about once a year, but this is her own maintenance practice, not a confirmed manufacturer requirement; actual salt consumption depends on household size and water use.

The owner's account supports planning for recurring salt handling and servicing, but it does not establish the capacity, regeneration schedule or service interval of every Harvey model. Confirm those details with the installer for the exact UK configuration.

What to confirm before buying

HarveyArc is the official UK product reference supplied here, but the source does not identify the owner's complete Harvey SKU, so readers should not assume that every feature of HarveyArc applies to her installation. Confirm the exact model, included salt capacity, monitoring features, installation conditions and service arrangements on the quotation.

The owner's main reason for buying was reduced limescale and easier cleaning rather than improved drinking-water taste. If drinking water matters, plan that separately: the owner chose RO, while Harvey's guidance distinguishes softening from filtration and identifies situations in which softened water should not be used for drinking.

The owner discloses a referral arrangement that would give both parties 20 additional bags of softener salt. That incentive is part of this specific sales route and should be considered separately from the softener's everyday limescale performance.

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