Whole-home water softener

gmb3

JORBA: Sourlands
JORBA.ORG
I live in Madison and my hard water has already claimed 2 shower temp cartridges, my fridge filtered water system and i should really just replace my shower door at this point. I think it's time for a whole-home water softener. I know nothing about the topic and i'm not much a DIYer so that's probably out of the question. What do i need to know, how much will it set me back and can someone recommend an installer? thanks in advance :)
 

shrpshtr325

Infinite Source of Sarcasm
Team MTBNJ Halter's
Whatever you do, don't fall for one of these scam water products - like this ridiculous scaleblaster, that claims to change the chemical properties of dissolved minerals via water rushing through a weak magnetic field. Some clown in our development in FL fell for this scam and was trying to justify it on nextdoor. I blew him out of the water - with science:

https://www.amazon.com/s?k=scaleblaster+sb-175&gclid=Cj0KCQjwov3nBRDFARIsANgsdoHdRhVzUKhuGgmnWAIr1CHBnlyuNXLJIyZOg966RkEEITM2z5Ty6NkaAvAMEALw_wcB&hvadid=174238899084&hvdev=c&hvlocphy=9003924&hvnetw=g&hvpos=1t1&hvqmt=e&hvrand=16228496349679785371&hvtargid=aud-646675773986:kwd-50927613997&hydadcr=8435_9618948&tag=googhydr-20&ref=pd_sl_2z9wia61e1_e


wait people actually fall for that shit? the only thing that MAY help with is reducing iron content, but then it would need a cartridge to empty it out of . . . .
 

Patrick

Overthinking the draft from the basement already
Staff member
I put in a waterboss - it softens all the hot water, and the water to the baths and laundry.
drinking water, including ice, and the hose outside are not softened. hard water tastes better......

add salt every few weeks, plumb the drain into a sump pit, sewer, or ejector, and away you go.
note that the water being ejected will kill most stuff after awhile if you go above ground.
every few years it needs maintenance of the valves, but not a big deal, lots of video.

these are small, no huge tanks to deal with.
 

Santapez

Well-Known Member
Team MTBNJ Halter's
I went with the ScaleBlaster, I think it was model SB-175 and couldn't be happier. On recommendation from my neighbor.

Easy to install, didn't even need to open up any piping. 100% would buy again. Don't fall for those scams using equipment that requires actually attaching to your plumbing where water flows through it, bags of salt (Big Salt pushes that scam a lot) or other consumables like filters.
 

Jmann

Never gonna let you down.
I bought a typical water softener setup, iron pro something something off amazon. I feel like most of them are the same just rebranded. Happy with it, no iron staining and dishwasher isn’t spotty. Around $600 is I remember correctly. The plumbing is pretty simple, just need an inlet and outlet valve installed somewhere on your supply and a drain hose to a drain. Mine goes to our slop sink. We don’t use a lot of water so we don’t go through a lot of salt.
Our previous owner was renting a water softener and was installed randomly in a spot in the plumbing that was ineffective.

I tried convincing my parents to get one, they have super hard well water, but they are stubborn and or cheap. Their dishwasher is a nightmare, everything that comes out looks it was dredged from the ocean.
 

Patrick

Overthinking the draft from the basement already
Staff member
I bought a typical water softener setup, iron pro something something off amazon. I feel like most of them are the same just rebranded. Happy with it, no iron staining and dishwasher isn’t spotty. Around $600 is I remember correctly. The plumbing is pretty simple, just need an inlet and outlet valve installed somewhere on your supply and a drain hose to a drain. Mine goes to our slop sink. We don’t use a lot of water so we don’t go through a lot of salt.
Our previous owner was renting a water softener and was installed randomly in a spot in the plumbing that was ineffective.

I tried convincing my parents to get one, they have super hard well water, but they are stubborn and or cheap. Their dishwasher is a nightmare, everything that comes out looks it was dredged from the ocean.

replace dw with one with built-in softener.
it stops etching the dishes, and no more spots!

i think i add salt once per month, and it doesn't use a whole lot. it is also plumbed to the cold water drinking line,
so i needed it (dw heats its own water, cause it doesn't use enough to get 'hot' from the tankless system)

also - for people with stainless dw interiors that look like crap. Run one of these through it every 6 months.
https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B00P8BWSM4
 

Captain Brainstorm

Well-Known Member
Buy one of these, the price is actually very good:

https://reverseosmosis.com/products/fleck-5600sxt-water-softener-with-digital-metered-valve?adg_id=48594749217&cmp_id=1024639355&device=c&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIwPu5t4qs3AIVAQAAAB0BAAAAEAAYACAAEgJVzfD_BwE&kwd=fleck 5600 sxt water softener&variant=8277865070636

After you receive it, hire a plumber to install in it professionally. This is one of those things best not done as DIY. A plumber will also test your water on the spot and help to program the system to purge and recharge the resin at the correct intervals. Once that's completed, you can move the time up or down yourself depending on how soft/hard you want the water. The water will feel "slimy" at first, but that's what soft water feels like, and you can adjust that like I mentioned before. Once the system is installed, arrange salt delivery with any of said local companies and you're good to go. The water where I live is very hard, this has helped tremendously, my fixtures have all sent me a thank you letter.
 

MadisonDan

Well-Known Member
Team MTBNJ Halter's
Buy one of these, the price is actually very good:

https://reverseosmosis.com/products/fleck-5600sxt-water-softener-with-digital-metered-valve?adg_id=48594749217&cmp_id=1024639355&device=c&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIwPu5t4qs3AIVAQAAAB0BAAAAEAAYACAAEgJVzfD_BwE&kwd=fleck 5600 sxt water softener&variant=8277865070636

After you receive it, hire a plumber to install in it professionally. This is one of those things best not done as DIY. Once you have it, arrange salt delivery with any of said local companies and you're good to go.

this is the same brand/similar model we had installed by these guys...


We used these guys after our renovation.
http://aquatechwater.com/
Can't remember what it cost.
 

Magic

Formerly 1sh0t1b33r
Team MTBNJ Halter's
I went with the ScaleBlaster, I think it was model SB-175 and couldn't be happier. On recommendation from my neighbor.

Easy to install, didn't even need to open up any piping. 100% would buy again. Don't fall for those scams using equipment that requires actually attaching to your plumbing where water flows through it, bags of salt (Big Salt pushes that scam a lot) or other consumables like filters.
This looks like something Billy Mays sold on TV before OxyClean.
 

jmanic

JORBA Board Member/Chapter Leader
Staff member
JORBA.ORG
Team MTBNJ Halter's
Okay, I’ve got one of these jammies that came with the house-
I just try to remember to dump salt in it.

Is there a way for me (non-plumber) to test to make sure it’s set up well?
 

Patrick

Overthinking the draft from the basement already
Staff member
Okay, I’ve got one of these jammies that came with the house-
I just try to remember to dump salt in it.

Is there a way for me (non-plumber) to test to make sure it’s set up well?

there are test strips for hardness -
depending on the system, some use a timer, some use volume of water,
some use both, for regeneration. google and yt should help.
 

one piece crank

Well-Known Member
OP in Madison - are you well water or public? It almost sounds like you should check your water inlet source for particulate. Your fridge water filter will not filter/clog from hardness. Maybe you need a inlet filter/strainer?

I've got a 19 year old shower temp cartridge running Hunterdon County's finest well water (HARD!).
 

Magic

Formerly 1sh0t1b33r
Team MTBNJ Halter's
Okay, I’ve got one of these jammies that came with the house-
I just try to remember to dump salt in it.

Is there a way for me (non-plumber) to test to make sure it’s set up well?
Do you have to salt your water when you cook pasta? If so, you need more salt.
 

gmb3

JORBA: Sourlands
JORBA.ORG
OP in Madison - are you well water or public? It almost sounds like you should check your water inlet source for particulate. Your fridge water filter will not filter/clog from hardness. Maybe you need a inlet filter/strainer?

I've got a 19 year old shower temp cartridge running Hunterdon County's finest well water (HARD!).
As Dan said, public and HARD AF. Here's a fridge water system pic. Fridge is only 4 years old.
22299.jpeg
 
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