Water hardness - water softener system

[resonator]

pvc, I've not seen a water softner loop made of pex. Easily replaced or extended to pvc if it is.

[JerryChapman23]

Originally Posted by ByWayofNYC

Hello everyone,

I'm considering a new development and a line item option is pre-plumbing for a water softener system. I was wondering how the water hardness is in the area and how many home owners have (or don't have) a softener system.

Thanks in advance!

I lived in California before and water there in some area is hard though so i used water softener for that i use potassium chloride and works well for me.

[TexasRedneck]

Originally Posted by resonator

pvc, I've not seen a water softner loop made of pex. Easily replaced or extended to pvc if it is.

If the piping is pex, replacing it w/pvc is a waste of time imo. Simply cut a "T" into the pex, then make the run to wherever you want the hose bibb w/1/2" pex - add a pex x fpt adapter and install the bibb. Do that for customers all the time, but I have to tell you, most who've had it that way don't do it a 2nd time. They've said that while they had the best of intentions, they found it way more convenient to just go to the car wash, so they never used it.

Just do yourself a favor - whatever piping system you use, do NOT use "shark bite" fittings. In the long run, you WILL have leaks. It's enough of a concern that my insurance company will cancel my policy if I use them for ANYTHING other than an emergency repair (under 72 hours).

[resonator]

T-Red, thanks for the advice on sharkbite and such. They are heavily promoted on youtube and had me thinking "well-ok".


I've never used or run into Pex on a personal project. I understand some training is supposed to be required to buy/use the tools for it but Home Depot / Amazon will sell you anything you want without question.



I do use my soft water hose bib on the cars in the driveway, but really only 3 or 4 times/year. I'm retired with too much time on my hands !

[TexasRedneck]

Anyone willing to use a modicum of care can run PEX properly. The biggest "catch" appears to be the tools used to do so. Compression style tools run around $120 or so - the expansion ones can run about $600. Since I never know what kind I'm going to encounter, I have both tools (and the fittings required). I personally prefer the expansion type such as Uponor uses because of their higher flow rates and (IMO) better connection method, but either one will do the job. The guy remodeling our bathroom and I were talking about them last week when discussing that I had the tools if he needed to do any rerouting on our PEX, and he was telling me of several shark-bite fittings he'd run into that failed on jobs he'd done - he won't use them any more, either.