Recognizing when your PUR filter is not solving the problem
PUR filters address taste, odor, and specific health-effect contaminants in drinking water. They do not address: scale on shower walls, faucet aerators, coffee makers, or kettles; soap that does not lather in the shower or sink; rough laundry after washing; white film on dishes from the dishwasher; water heater scale buildup. If you are experiencing any of these symptoms while using a PUR filter, the root cause is water hardness -- and a water softener is the correct solution, not a PUR filter upgrade.
Choosing a water softener to complement PUR filtration
For PUR users who need to add whole-home softening: (1) Test your source water hardness with a water hardness test strip or kit. (2) Calculate required grain capacity: (persons x 75 GPD x GPG x 7) / 0.75. (3) Select a demand-initiated regeneration softener (Fleck 5600SXT 32,000-grain is the standard starting point for families of 2-4). (4) Install at the main cold supply line. (5) Continue using the PUR pitcher or faucet filter for drinking water downstream of the softener for lead and pharmaceutical reduction -- the softener does not remove these contaminants, and the PUR filter provides meaningful protection for your household drinking water.