Water softener installation

1,439 Views | 8 Replies | Last: 4 yr ago by Jason Ag
Bluecat_Aggie94
How long do you want to ignore this user?
AG
Any advice on getting a water softener installed? Or anybody want to talk me out of the direction I'm headed?

The "water guys" like Culligan etc. are simply ridiculous. The retail cost of a water softener system is between $800-$1500 depending on size and features. Culligan and other similar business want to charge $6,000-$7,000, plus they want to sign you up for monthly "maintenance" contracts that push the cost of the first 5 years of ownership close to 10K. One guy told me with a straight face that "it would pay for itself just by the savings from using less detergent." Right, I don't know if I'll spend 10K in detergent the rest of my life.

I don't feel like I have the plumbing skills to do it myself, although lots of online discussions indicate it is a relatively easy installation.

What I'd like to do is purchase the unit on my own, and then hire a plumber to install it for me. Even at the hourly rate of a typical plumber, if it takes a full 8 hour day to install, I'd come out way head of those ridiculous quotes.

I've had a couple plumbers simply say they don't do it, and a couple people tell me it's not a good idea, but nobody has explained why.

Any thoughts or recommendations? (I live in Canyon, so if anybody knows someone up here in the Amarillo market to recommend, that would be awesome)
FatZilla
How long do you want to ignore this user?
AG
Just buy the unit yourself. Have a water hardness test done first to determine what you really need. Then find a unit at a box store for the size you need. Pay a licensed plumber to install on your main intake line. If you have a costco/sames nearby, they usually sell the salt you need for the units. I installed one of these recently to see if it would help. https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B0744TC3PW/ before deciding if I want to go the full softener route. Just wrap the wires around the main intake like and plug it in. Easy install if you have access to your main intake water line.
BEaggie08
How long do you want to ignore this user?
AG
I just called a plumber and bought a softener from them and had them install it. $1550 all in.

I considered what you're considering. I was going to order a fleck softener off Amazon and have a plumber install it. Going through Amazon for the whole thing, including hiring the plumber I could have been out the door for right around $1,000. --> when you buy the softener off Amazon, they offer installation from a local professional.

Ultimately, with so much going on with a move, I just decided to go with a recommended local plumber. I assumed a contracted plumber would charge me for "extra" supplies and such. Also, I got a 1 year warranty on the install and salt for the first go-round. I probably could have got out of it cheaper, but I got up and running pretty hassle free.

FYI, my house was pre-plumbed.

Good luck!
Bluecat_Aggie94
How long do you want to ignore this user?
AG
BEaggie08 said:

--> when you buy the softener off Amazon, they offer installation from a local professional.


THAT is news to me. Thank you!
FatZilla
How long do you want to ignore this user?
AG
Bluecat_Aggie94 said:

BEaggie08 said:

--> when you buy the softener off Amazon, they offer installation from a local professional.


THAT is news to me. Thank you!
Its not free but yes, lots of their major items from appliances to electronics they offer install services.
Bluecat_Aggie94
How long do you want to ignore this user?
AG
FatZilla said:

Bluecat_Aggie94 said:

BEaggie08 said:

--> when you buy the softener off Amazon, they offer installation from a local professional.


THAT is news to me. Thank you!
Its not free but yes, lots of their major items from appliances to electronics they offer install services.
"coming soon" to my zip code. argh.
Jason Ag
How long do you want to ignore this user?
AG
I just installed one in our house. We have a basement so changing the plumbing was pretty straightforward. Is your house plumbed for one? Do you have a location picked out? A place to drain? Generally outside faucets are bypassed around the softener, is that a problem? I also put a whole house filter right before the softener.
Bluecat_Aggie94
How long do you want to ignore this user?
AG
We have a sink in our garage, so there is plumbing and drainage. Does that count as being "plumbed for one" or is there more that has to be done?
FatZilla
How long do you want to ignore this user?
AG
Bluecat_Aggie94 said:

We have a sink in our garage, so there is plumbing and drainage. Does that count as being "plumbed for one" or is there more that has to be done?
No that doesnt work. Plumbed for one means it has an intake line for the whole house's water supply that you can tap into. One that bypasses the sprinkler/hose bibs outside (Dont want softened water on your yard)
Jason Ag
How long do you want to ignore this user?
AG
Bluecat_Aggie94 said:

We have a sink in our garage, so there is plumbing and drainage. Does that count as being "plumbed for one" or is there more that has to be done?


As others said you generally don't want softened water out the outdoor faucets (hose bibs). My in-laws had a house where a softener was added by tapping into the mainline to the house. Therefore the faucets on the outside walls of the house were ran through the softener. To deal with this there was a separate line ran from the main in the ground around the house for non-softened faucets. Which also by passed the house filter. They used the softened outdoor faucets to wash cars, not a total waste.

I was able to redo the plumbing in my basement such that my outdoor faucets and water powered sump pump (back up) are not softened. I had to tap into a sanitary line for the drain. Code typically requires an air gap (in addition to a p-trap).

I used this thing for the air gap (it seems to have gone up in price). You can also just position it above a drain/sink.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01N8VR4GP/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_nsG2Cb46J3P57

I did not use the built in bypass, instead i made one with full sized valves.
Refresh
Page 1 of 1
 
×
subscribe Verify your student status
See Subscription Benefits
Trial only available to users who have never subscribed or participated in a previous trial.