Telltale signs: water softener installation
Homes supplied from Lake Ontario receive moderately hard water. Many people never mind it. Others grow tired of white crust on shower glass, spotted dishes, and a water heater that rumbles as scale gathers in the tank. A softener exchanges the calcium and magnesium for sodium or potassium, which means less scale throughout the plumbing.
- Chalky deposits on taps, shower heads and glass
- Dishwasher spotting despite rinse aids
- Rumbling or popping from a tank water heater
- A new tankless heater that needs protecting from scale
What we bring
- Bypass valve and shut-offs either side
- Drain line and air-gap fitting
- Hardness test strips
Tested before we leave
- Bypass and service positions tested
- Backwash drain run to the floor drain
- Water hardness checked after start-up
On the job: what we open, clear and test
We test the hardness of your water so the unit is sized correctly, and we discuss whether you need softening, filtration, or both; our water filtration systems page covers the latter. Installation follows a straightforward sequence:
- Choose a spot near the main entry with a drain and power nearby
- Cut into the main line after the meter and shut-off
- Install a three-valve or integral bypass for servicing
- Connect the brine tank and route the regeneration drain line to an air gap
- Program the control head and run a first regeneration
Outdoor hose bibs are often left on unsoftened water, which saves salt on lawns and gardens.
What can change the job
Space near the main, a nearby drain for the discharge, and the condition of the existing shut-off valve all matter. If that valve is old and stiff, now is a good time for shut-off valve replacement. Pipe material and size also affect the fittings required. Copper, PEX and older galvanized lines each take different connections, and a three-quarter-inch main deserves a valve head that will not restrict flow when two showers and the washer run together. Finally, salt bags are heavy; a spot reachable without carrying them down a narrow staircase is a kindness to yourself.
Etobicoke homes and this job
The main water line in most Etobicoke houses enters at the front basement wall, often close to the furnace room. Older homes may have little clear floor space there, so we plan the layout before arriving. Condo suites around Humber Bay Shores rarely have room or permission for an individual softener, though point-of-use filtration is often possible.
If you are also weighing whether to keep renting your water heater, our guide on renting versus buying is a sensible companion read, since a softener extends a heater's life.
Before you call
Locate the main valve, plus whichever floor drain or laundry sink is closest. Measure the floor space available. Then ring (365) 816-2905 and we will talk through sizing and placement.