We are doing a significant renovation on our house and switching over to Matt Black for a lot of our fixtures. This combined with relatively hard water in our area is driving the desire for a water softener. I am looking at installing it myself. I can install it either in the attic or outside near where the water main comes into the house.

The biggest challenge in the attic is getting the main waterline run through my attic across To the location.


The biggest challenge with an outdoor install is getting electrical to the installation, location and protecting the unit from the elements.


Feedback on Brand as well as optimum location is appreciated

Been there and done that, after a few years if exposed to weather you will be sorry. Freezing tempts in winter, sun and uv rays will destroy plastic after a few years. They will become very brittle and crack. Do you think the unit outside could survive a freeze like Uri in 2021? If you do decide to go the outside route plan for the worst, hope for the best and have back up plan in place when that one oh **** moment happens.

I am putting mine outside as the water softener will need a place to dump the brine(I think that's what it's called) and my existing system had that setup outside.

I don't know for sure however I imagine it just goes into our septic so you would need to tap into your dirty water pipes to run a hose.

With the previous poster comments, I am building a shed around mine along with some water filtration as they are absolutely correct that the elements would wreck the water softener case.

If you want the best with the least problems, get a Kinetico water softener. Uses no electricity and very simple to use. Not the cheapest but as the Fram commercial puts it pay me now or pay me later. I paid $2000 for a Water Max system years ago that lasted only about 3 years before it failed with all of its electronic parts. Kinetico has been going 10 plus and no issues whatsoever. However, you must not expose the system to the elements. Make plans to keep the system from freezing. I put an electric heater in near my Kinetico when it gets down near freezing.

Kinetico system here. Only needed minor parts in 12 years of service. Built a wooden enclosure around it to keep out of the elements and throw a heat lamp inside during cold snaps. No issues at all.

Mines been outside for a few years with no problem. During the hard freeze I had a heat lamp on the pipes. Plastic has held up fine so far.

What Kinetico systems do yall have? I currently got a cheap model from Home Depot by GE and now yall have me concerned however mine is still in the box and unused so I can take it back if needed.

Can yall recall what it ran? I would not need the install just the actual products.

cena05 said:

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Mines been outside for a few years with no problem. During the hard freeze I had a heat lamp on the pipes. Plastic has held up fine so far.

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Thinking I rig up a bypass of some kind during freezes? not having to run power to it would be a huge plus.

Need to figure out draining too, if it's outside.... simple french drain/trench to the street?

Is your furnace in the attic? I installed a water softener about 3 years ago, went with a Fleck. Mine is in my mechanical room in the basement. I ran a line from the water main to the mech room and back to the main line. Make sure you build a loop to bypass the water softener. Hopefully, you can also bypass your sprinkler system as everything I read said soft water should not be used for garden/turf.

Mine is outside just behind our sink and the install directed the drain into our sink drain. I guess it all depends where you are placing it.

I don't have a good spot. Outside next to water inlet into house, no power or drain. In attic by power and drain and a long run of inlet pipe.

cena05 said:

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Mines been outside for a few years with no problem. During the hard freeze I had a heat lamp on the pipes. Plastic has held up fine so far.

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What if your power goes out?

You could use candles. They'll generate enough heat in an enclosed space that the ancient temp won't be freezing. It won't be warm by any means, but it won't be freezing.

Wrapped very good. The salt portion won't freeze, but you just have to wrap all the piping. I created a barricade over the whole thing.

Might be just as easy to valve in a bypass and drain the unit, no?