[Fatty Matty]

I have to buy a new one this week, and was trying to get an idea of how hard I'm going to get raped. I'm staying away from what any chain stores sell, since most of their warranties are only a year or so.

I'd like to get a Water Care Elan. They say around 1300 installed, includes about 6 bags of salt and getting rid of my old one. I really don't need it to be installed, but would only save $50.

Any thoughts?

 

[deuce228]

My dad used to work for Rainsoft. He says the $400 units from sears are as good as any other softener out there. Obviously considerably less cost.

Do you have a Sears in Russia? :tonka:

 

[Haggar]

My dad used to work for Rainsoft. He says the $400 units from sears are as good as any other softener out there. Obviously considerably less cost.

Do you have a Sears in Russia? :tonka:

My experience, is that the $400 GE ones from Home Depot seem to work well, but they get plugged up inside with rust deposts, and for us, last 3 years before they are so plugged they are junk.. After reading online, its apparently a common problem with softeners that use that particular valve head.

 

[matt3liv]

http://www.clearwatersystems.com/mich.php

I like these guys.

 

[deuce228]

My experience, is that the $400 GE ones from Home Depot seem to work well, but they get plugged up inside with rust deposts, and for us, last 3 years before they are so plugged they are junk.. After reading online, its apparently a common problem with softeners that use that particular valve head.

If they are getting plugged with rust deposits then every 3rd salt treatment should be treated with iron out.

 

[Bratworst]

So what did you end up doing? I'm in the same boat. Mine is PLUGGED with rust.
I talked with the guy from Lakeland Water Softener in downtown Oxford. Seemed stright forward and told me how to take mine apart and what to check/clean and retest.

 

[Flexin' XJ]

My parents have Culligan. I don't believe they have replaced it in at least 10 years. My dad cleans it out every couple of years. Removes all salt, disassembles it and clean it. Quite nasty really.

 

[Dave Kerwin]

I bought a used one from an independant guy, I think it was 650 or 700, and was near new, and the install was not bad, I think it was less than a grand OTD. If you want his number, PM me. He was a little goofy, but had the right product and the install was pretty nice, except how he wired the outlet for the power to the softener.

 

[deuce228]

Buy a Sears unit for under $600 bucks and be happy.

Clean it once a year.

 

[ScOoTeR]

I sell a stool softener, 4 inches at a time. PM me for details.

 

[Stan]

I sell a stool softener, 4 inches at a time. PM me for details.

why scooter why.

 

[cracker$]

I got mine at Sears for $250. It was "last years model". The plumber I had install it told me I should have got a more basic model without all the fancy electronics and digital readouts and shit but it works just fine.

 

[Haggar]

Buy a Sears unit for under $600 bucks and be happy.

Clean it once a year.

I know the last one of ours that died, I completely disassembled it for autopsy. The problem was every piece was blocked with rust. The screen/filter at the bottom of the tube down in the resin. I couldn't find a way to get the out and clean it, and then get it back into the resin tank. The rust also then kills the sealing surfaces on the valve body when it rotates, so eventually it leaks little bits in there. And those parts aren't repalceable.

Of course, our water was very rusty, I even had the inlet 1" pipe to the house get completely blocked with rust buildup (poly pipe, not iron).


From a function stand point, it softened the water great, just didn't last long in the heavy rust conditions.

Our new house we have stuff from lakeland water, the type with a big salt tank, then two other separate tanks for resin.

 

[deuce228]

I got mine at Sears for $250. It was "last years model". The plumber I had install it told me I should have got a more basic model without all the fancy electronics and digital readouts and shit but it works just fine.

Yep. Dad says keep an eye there. Typically every month or so they run 'closeouts'.
also says like furnaces, they are made by only a few companies.

There are rust and other treatments you can do on a preventative basis on your softener.

 

[Hacksaw]

I sell a stool softener, 4 inches at a time. PM me for details.

Why did you pay me then?

 

[ScOoTeR]

Why did you pay me then?

Because I've never had someone do such a good job licking the instrument clean; figured it was worth $5.