Installing water softener. How much work is it?

[C-Law]

Hi, I'm considering buying a fleck water softener and using their installation service. I'm just wondering how involved install is and if they will have to tear anything up. The water comes into my house on the right side and there is a drain sticking out of the ground on the left side on the other side of the driveway. Does that mean they have to drain it there? There are two pipes sticking out of my house not far from where the water goes in. I think they said they are clean outs? Could they connect the drain to there? Does the softener have to be in the garage or can it be outside? If they have to run pipes from where the water comes into the house around the front to the other side of the house to the garage that makes me nervous, especially if they have to tear into the house because I'm sure it will become expensive fast. It would be nice if they could just connect to where the water goes in the house and drain to the clean out next to it and keep it all on the side of the house. This is in the Houston area so it doesn't really freeze here too often and the house has a slab foundation
Thanks for any advice.
-Chris

 

[ditttohead]

Too many variables to know for sure. Sometimes cleanouts can be converted to a p-trap, sometimes they cant. Local and UPC codes will dictate what can and cant be done. I would avoid buying water treatment from Am>>>

 

[Sponsor]

 

[WorthFlorida]

Like Florida, water softeners are install outside were the water main enters the house and hopefully it is on the side of the home. If the water main enters the home near the garage it then can be installed in the garage but require more pipe. As far as the drain, when I bought my current home I removed the water softener and the drain tube was laid under ground to a dry well. You'll need to have power so an 120v outlet will need to be installed. Don't rely on an extension cord.

The only issue you'll have is all your outdoor spigots will be on soft water. Plants do not like this water and will be stymied if watered including the grass. At the water softener a spigot before the softener should be installed. If you have an irrigation system you'll need to be sure the connection to the irrigation is before the softener. You'll love the soft water when washing the vehicles, no spotting at all, use half the soap when doing laundry and running the dishwasher. If you are in a HOA community it will need to be screened by a fence or by plantings.

 

[ditttohead]

Most houses already have the irrigation bypassed due to code requirements where the water mains enter the house. Spotting will definitely occur with soft water, it should be much less that unsoftened water and the spots are easy to wipe off. If you want a spot free rinse for the cars then a RO or DI would be needed.

 

[C-Law]

Like Florida, water softeners are install outside were the water main enters the house and hopefully it is on the side of the home. If the water main enters the home near the garage it then can be installed in the garage but require more pipe. As far as the drain, when I bought my current home I removed the water softener and the drain tube was laid under ground to a dry well. You'll need to have power so an 120v outlet will need to be installed. Don't rely on an extension cord.

The only issue you'll have is all your outdoor spigots will be on soft water. Plants do not like this water and will be stymied if watered including the grass. At the water softener a spigot before the softener should be installed. If you have an irrigation system you'll need to be sure the connection to the irrigation is before the softener. You'll love the soft water when washing the vehicles, no spotting at all, use half the soap when doing laundry and running the dishwasher. If you are in a HOA community it will need to be screened by a fence or by plantings.

Damn I forgot about power. I have power outlets on all sides of the house except the one where the water main enters. I'll have to turn the water off and see if water still comes out of the other outdoor spigots or not. I'm not sure if they are connected or not.

 

[ditttohead]

In the US, we don't install softeners under the kitchen sink. This is common in many European countries. The US home construction simply does not accommodate that.

In my 30+ years of field service, I still have never seen one installed under the kitchen sink except for when I am overseas. it ids fairly common practice outside of North America.