My rising water main comes up in my hall, by my front door. Will this make installing a water softener difficult?

This situation is fairly common but does not make for an easy installation. It may however be possible to utilise a gas or electric meter cupboard, or fit the softener under the stairs. Flexible piping has greatly simplified this type of installation and enables a softener to be sited in confined locations, often many metres from the water supply. A softener can be installed in an adjacent garage, utility or store room. In some cases softeners can be sited on an external wall, as long as the appliance is well insulated from extreme weather conditions. It is quite common for external salt cabinets to be fitted in this way. Polystyrene lined boxes for this purpose are available from some softener suppliers. It is not advisable to install a water softener in a loft. Although convenient for installation purposes, it is a considerable chore lifting heavy salt into a loft to refill the softener. An installation that may seem impossible to the DIY handyman, may easily be tackled by the professional installer who has developed techniques and has the right tools to cope with most problems. It can pay considerable dividends to consult the experts. Most softener suppliers will visit your home and advise you without any obligation whatsoever.