# Water Softener Recommendation in Livingston County



## Hartland-Hunter (Jan 2, 2011)

I'm looking to replace my Kinetico Water Softener and was looking for recommendations from someone who has recently had a Water Softener System installed and which system/company did you go with? I wasn't too impressed with the cost and/or function of the Kinetico system that I have been feeding crazy amounts of salt over the past several years. Douglas, Wolverine & American Aqua systems had pretty good reviews from what I've read. Thanks in advance for you feedback and experience (good & bad).


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## Cat Power (Jan 6, 2013)

Douglas


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## d_rek (Nov 6, 2013)

If culligan is in your area I have owned a culligan water softener going on 6 years. I use a stupid amount of salt because our water is hard as a brick but I am faring a lot better than my neighbors as far as corrosion on fixtures and failure rate of appliances. We have the largest residential water softener they offer and it filters 1000gal before the filter media needs to be regenerated/rinsed. We use 12lbs of salt per regeneration. I feel like the 'natural' crystals work best for regenerating media, but could just be bias. 

Regardless of who you go through I would recommend they thoroughly and accurately test the water. You may need to send a sample to the state or UofM. Local water treatment plant may be able to tell you as well. 

IMO I have known two people with Kinetico and Rain soft systems who's water was absolute garbage even after being softened... come to find out they did not have an appropriately sized softener for their household so it was filtering only a small part of the water being used, nor was it being regenerated frequently enough.


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## bobberbill (Apr 5, 2011)

I've had a Hague for a lot of years. Normal maintenance, but regens on usage, and uses very little salt. My mom had the Kinetico and it was always a PIA.


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## Zkovach1175 (Mar 29, 2017)

Call beauchamp water and ask for Scott. He’s fantastic. Also most of Livingston county’s water has a bit of arsenic in it. Just a heads up.


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## TroutFishingBear (Aug 31, 2007)

What helps with the arsenic removal other than extreme measures such as RO


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## Zkovach1175 (Mar 29, 2017)

TroutFishingBear said:


> What helps with the arsenic removal other than extreme measures such as RO


nothing to my knowledge I believe-we Paid 3200 for filter and salt system and was quoted I think 1500 for RO at the tap of the sink. Beauchamp had excellent service and fantastic installers.


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## Hartland-Hunter (Jan 2, 2011)

Thanks for all of the feedback....... I agee about the Kinetico system being a PIA and a salt eater. I have Douglas, Wolverine & American Aqua scheduled to come out for quotes; so I'll let you know how I make out. With all of the "Red-out" salt that I've gone through in the past several years; I probably could have paid for the new softener.....


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## Hartland-Hunter (Jan 2, 2011)

Zkovach1175 said:


> nothing to my knowledge I believe-we Paid 3200 for filter and salt system and was quoted I think 1500 for RO at the tap of the sink. Beauchamp had excellent service and fantastic installers.


I added Beauchamp to the list as well; I had forgotten about them..... Thanks for the feedback.


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## Zkovach1175 (Mar 29, 2017)

Hartland-Hunter said:


> I added Beauchamp to the list as well; I had forgotten about them..... Thanks for the feedback.


make sure Scott comes to your house. He really knows his stuff. They also do a 12 month finance option. At least they used to. Check it out.

side note supposedly cullingan is offering a salt free system. Might be worth it.


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## d_rek (Nov 6, 2013)

Zkovach1175 said:


> side note supposedly cullingan is offering a salt free system. Might be worth it.


IMO salt free is only worth it if your water is not very hard... and even then I struggle to recommend them. Salt free softeners use a special type of media to trap sediment and disolved minerals in hard water, but aren't nearly as effective as traditional salt softener filter media. Just watched my neighbor go through the 'salt free' ordeal... sounds nice on paper, the reality is that your water hardiness must be very low for it to work. 

Sounds like the OP also has some iron in their water. Iron comes in two forms: disolved and iron bacteria. It's important to find out which you have. If it's dissolved it can be removed with the filter media, or the right type of filter media. If it's iron bacteria it has to be floculated or shocked out (chlorinated) before it gets to point of use.


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## Hartland-Hunter (Jan 2, 2011)

Zkovach1175 said:


> make sure Scott comes to your house. He really knows his stuff. They also do a 12 month finance option. At least they used to. Check it out.
> 
> side note supposedly cullingan is offering a salt free system. Might be worth it.


Thanks..... Scott's coming out tomorrow morning to give me a quote. As it turns out; back in 2002 he sold me the Kinetico system that I currently have. I had Wolverine out this morning for a quote; my Livingston County swamp water tested 22.7 for hardness, coming from my well (Over 3.0 is considered "hard" water). There's no shortage of iron, manganese & sulfur....


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## d_rek (Nov 6, 2013)

Hartland-Hunter said:


> Thanks..... Scott's coming out tomorrow morning to give me a quote. As it turns out; back in 2002 he sold me the Kinetico system that I currently have. I had Wolverine out this morning for a quote; my Livingston County swamp water tested 22.7 for hardness, coming from my well (Over 3.0 is considered "hard" water). There's no shortage of iron, manganese & sulfur....


Nice try… I believe mine is in the 50s for hardiness. On top of heavy mineral content we are also blessed with iron bacteria and dissolved salt in our water. Basically our well water is garbage. 

Also I would look into RO for point of use. You can also ask for whole house RO quote just for ****s and giggles, but last I had one it was $16k for the install. 


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro


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## BoonDog (Feb 21, 2006)

Douglas has been great for us for years.


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