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I know that there will be a range of opinions here, but I'm trying to get an idea of what brand/model of water softener to install in a 1700 sf home with an average hardness GPG of 20 and two people. A salt type system is fine with me, I'm not looking to spend more than maybe $500-$800 for the system - I'll install it.
Please offer suggestions only if you've had direct experience with a particular brand/model, thanks.
There are a lot of gimmicks out there. No magnets are not going to soften you water. The experiment where ti worked involved massive high super powered magnets like the size of your garage and there is a question whether it worked at all. The two tank systems do seem to use a lot less salt but they are crazy expensive. Even the big companies tend to go out of business, so replacement parts become unavailable. Companies like Culligan with a long long history of being huge may be around for a while, but you pay a premium for the name. There really is no new or unique technology that makes any difference. There are a few patented tweaks here and there that make some small improvement on ease of use or salt use, but they all still work basically the same. However there are a ton of BS systems that claim to employ completely different technology (like magnets that clamp on to your pipes) which are just scams to take your money.
I'm well acquainted with all the scammy stuff out there with coils of wire and magnets, as well as the companies like Culligan who lease and require nothing short of a firstborn child to commence service. I didn't ask for that. I asked for people with direct experience with specific products.
I know that there will be a range of opinions here, but I'm trying to get an idea of what brand/model of water softener to install in a 1700 sf home with an average hardness GPG of 20 and two people. A salt type system is fine with me, I'm not looking to spend more than maybe $500-$800 for the system - I'll install it.
Please offer suggestions only if you've had direct experience with a particular brand/model, thanks.
RM
We were going with a Kenmore model from Sears, we managed ten years life out of them although they are no longer available so we did some research and went with a Whirlpool from Lowe’s. So far so good and we also did the installs ourselves.
Prices seem to be climbing on water softeners. The same one we bought for $360 in February is now $661.
For the heck of it I just checked Amazon and they appear to be about $200 cheaper from the Whirlpool store.
I know that there will be a range of opinions here, but I'm trying to get an idea of what brand/model of water softener to install in a 1700 sf home with an average hardness GPG of 20 and two people. A salt type system is fine with me, I'm not looking to spend more than maybe $500-$800 for the system - I'll install it.
Please offer suggestions only if you've had direct experience with a particular brand/model, thanks.
RM
Did you have your water checked for other contaminants like iron? Not all softeners will reduce/remove those. That capability can increase the cost of an effective system.
Did you have your water checked for other contaminants like iron? Not all softeners will reduce/remove those. That capability can increase the cost of an effective system.
I have a neighbor who has shared their water test results, and iron and other contaminants aren't an issue. I'll have an OR system on our driving water and icemaker. I just know that the water is pretty hard, like 20 grains per gallon.
I've owned other softeners in the past, specifically a WaterBoss, which lasted about 5-6 years. I was not impressed with the longevity. I see the units in the big box home improvement stores, but I'm a bit leery of them. I want to find out what has worked well for those who have gone before me, so to speak.
I know that there will be a range of opinions here, but I'm trying to get an idea of what brand/model of water softener to install in a 1700 sf home with an average hardness GPG of 20 and two people. A salt type system is fine with me, I'm not looking to spend more than maybe $500-$800 for the system - I'll install it.
Please offer suggestions only if you've had direct experience with a particular brand/model, thanks.
RM
I see what you did there!
A poster named Morton, asking about salt use!
btw~ I have a complete filtration/conditioning whole house system from CostCo. I no longer buy water at the Carlsbad high alkaline water dispenser. It was a lot more than $500-$800, but it's worth it.
btw~ I have a complete filtration/conditioning whole house system from CostCo. I no longer buy water at the Carlsbad high alkaline water dispenser. It was a lot more than $500-$800, but it's worth it.
Can you elaborate? I'm a Costco customer and have been please with my purchases there.
Water softeners are like automobiles, in that you can buy the fanciest one or just one that gets you from point A to point B. The lifespan of the average water softener in areas where there is a lot of iron and other minerals in the water is around 10 years, but if one follows the maintenance instructions about cleaning, one can stretch the softener's life span a little.
Most new water softeners at Lowe's and Home Depot come with a water-test kit and the instructions about how to test the water. Then you use the test result to set the water softener's water hardness level. The only thing to keep in mind is that sometimes there are a few installation steps that are better left to a plumber to do. I do it myself, however.
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