RESIDENTIAL WATER SOFTENER SYSTEMS

We sell Hellenbrand, Clack and Fleck control valves.

We service most major brands, including Hellenbrand, Clack, Fleck, Autotrol, Masters, Culligan (some), Pentair, and US water systems. If you are not sure what you have, we will come out and evaluate it for free. If we can work on it, we will schedule a service call. Otherwise, we can refer you to someone who does.

Yes.  Your water softener works 365 days a year to provide conditioned water. It goes through a regeneration cycle with moving parts about 40 to 60 times a year. During installation or since your last service call, the unit is programmed for peak efficiency based on your specific water tests (which we do at your home). A yearly tune-up is essential for best results, especially if you have iron or iron bacteria in your water.

Yes. We deliver solar salt crystals, salt pellets, and potassium chloride (salt-free). When given access, we also add salt to the brine tank and ensure the salt tank is not bridged (rocked up).

A brine tank is a component of a water softener. It looks like a big garbage can, but its job is to store salt (or potassium chloride) and make brine (salt water). The brine cleans and recharges your water softener. Depending on your system, the brine tank will either be dry until right before the cleaning cycle, or it will always have water in it. As a general rule, digital systems have a dry brine tank, while non-digital systems always keep water in the tank. A dry brine tank is considered a more advanced and efficient option.

Pro Tip: Only fill the brine tank halfway for optimal performance.

When looking for a water softener, it’s best not to listen to reviews that are really just advertisements. Follow these 6 tips:

1. Find a company that has been around for at least 5 years. This is a long-term relationship with no dating, so pick one that will last.

2. Choose a softener with a digital valve. It provides you with essential information and the technician with valuable diagnostic and performance information.

3. Choose a system with a separate brine tank. Technicians hate working on systems with built-in ones, resulting in more expensive service calls.

4. Avoid proprietary companies like Culligan, Ecowater, and Lowe’s. Not that their products are bad, but if you don’t like them later, you can’t leave, and no one else can get the parts.

5. Do not buy a saltless or salt-free system like Pelican or EasyWater. They do not remove the minerals that cause hard water. Check this out: https://answers.angieslist.com/Do-Pelican-NaturSoft-Salt-free-water-softeners-work-salt-type-water-softeners-q38845.aspx.

6. Check out Hellenbrand, Clack, and Fleck systems. Technicians trust them for their durability and ease of service.

Saltless systems are not water softeners. They do not remove the minerals that cause hardness. Minerals like calcium and magnesium can only be removed with a water softener that uses ionic exchange. Take a look at these Angie’s List reviews on Pelican water systems: https://answers.angieslist.com/Do-Pelican-NaturSoft-Salt-free-water-softeners-work-salt-type-water-softeners-q38845.aspx.

Pro Tip: If you don’t want to use salt, use potassium chloride in your water softener instead.

For iron removal, we recommend the Hellenbrand ProMate 6. It has a high backwash and vortex mineral tank, and it’s built to handle high iron problems. It also has unique features that keep the softener cleaner than other brands. This means a longer life and fewer service calls. The second best for lower iron is the ProMate 1. It has similar features but is not as good as the ProMate 6.

Put no more than 6 to 8 inches from the bottom of your tank. The water level does vary depending on the size of your system. Bigger systems require more water in the brine tank, but none of the systems need a brine tank half full of water. If you have that much water, call for service. It’s usually a clogged injector in the valve itself.

Yes. However, the amount depends on how much iron, hardness, and manganese you have in your water. For households with an average amount of hardness and minerals in the water (8 grains), the amount of sodium added to one 8-ounce glass of water is 15 mg. An 8-ounce glass of milk averages 114 mg of sodium.

Yes, hard water is generally safe to drink, but higher mineral levels can affect taste and may lead to buildup in pipes and appliances.

If you start with a quality water softener and give it a much-needed annual tune-up, then:

• 20+ years: If you only have hard water from a well.
• 15 to 20 years: If you have hard water from city water.
• 5 to 10 years: If you have well water with iron or iron bacteria in addition to hard water.
• 1 to 5 years: If you neglect your water softener.

Like any other appliance, the components of water softener systems break and become worn over time. They can also encounter electrical problems and may stop working.

Regular maintenance is a key factor in the longevity of your water softener. Iron bacteria must also be addressed with well chlorination.

There is much debate about that. CT does not allow you to discharge water softener wastewater to your private septic tank. You must install a designated disposal system that does not get pumped out, inspected, or monitored. It’s like a giant bucket with holes buried in your ground.

The water softener usually gets blamed whenever there is a problem, regardless of the cause. However, tens of thousands of people have discharged to their septic tanks without issue. Most septic companies will say it is bad to discharge because it can produce sludge. But then why have the “sludge” go to a system that you never pump out? Isn’t the best place to pump anything out in your septic system? Many independent sources have stated there is no evidence of harm to a septic system, but if you live in CT, you must install a designated disposal system (dry well). For an in-depth review, check out: https://www.uwsp.edu/cnr-ap/watershed/Pages/GWSofteners.aspx.

No. Per the State of Connecticut, a water softener must discharge to a designated disposal system, aka dry well.