|
|
| We need to do something different for water softening so I had a Kinetico salesman come out. We knew our water was over 100 hardness and surprised the sales man when he tested 121 hardness and 5 ppm Iron. I knew their systems were pricey and guessed $8k, well the price he gave me was $7k for the softener and a RO drinking water system, including tax and install. We are a family of five and plan to add onto the house to bring the totals up to 5 bedrooms and 4 bathrooms. My question is are they worth the extra money? We seem to replace the cheap big box store systems every 4-5 years and still don't get water we want to drink. As always all opinions are appreciated (haven't regretted saying that yet).
Thanks |
|
| |
|
Plain City OH | We have Kinetico, it has been trouble free for at least 15 years. We really like how we never run out of soft water. Ours has a pre filter on it, it takes the big stuff out before it gets to the softener. I don't know hard our water is but when we run out of salt it turns the sinks and toilet orange the day we run out. I would highly recommend. |
|
| |
|
west central Iowa | We liked the Kinetico system while we rented it. The bad thing was if it regenerated during the day you wouldn't have much water pressure for anything else while it was running. The flip side of that was you never ran out of solt water. We had a dispute with the dealer so we quit renting it. I don't know if I would have been able to bring myself to write a check to buy one. |
|
| |
|
Central Iowa | I live in central Iowa where the water is very hard. Our Culligan will be 40 yrs old this November and is still doing its thing with minimum repairs. |
|
| |
|
central - east central Minnesota - | They have a nice system . . . . it does the job. The issue with them is they are over priced, more then a ton !
Now, the cheapies will do as much as the Kinetico will - Basiclly all softeners work on the same principal.
There are 2 parts to a softener - the meter and the rasen bed. Pretty semple really. If you clean your resen bed, it will last for a very, very long time. if your meter goes bad (the costly part of a softener), change it out. A guy doesn't really need alll those fancy electronic meters, they cost alot and are less relayable then the machanical meters. With that said, I talked with a guy that buys water softeners that don't work - 90% of the time its' simply a clogged up resen bed. He cleans them out and adds new resen and resells them with a garrentee. He can get what every meter head a guy wants.
There are different qualities and types resen to use in beds for specific mineral removal. So, with the resen's you do kind of get what you pay for - BUT . . . they all need to be cleaned, regularily.
As far as RO - well, again, the same. they are pretty streight forward.
The thing with softeners and RO systems is people think they are some kind of magic elves in them that make it all work - so along comes the sales guy and confuse's the customer more - then low and behold - the customer buys a multi- thousand dollar contraption that doesn't do any more or less then the box store models.
Even in your tough water conditions - I wouldn't spend the money on the big name brands . .. .
Have you tryed one of your local, trusted plumbing guys - they have access to the same componants as Kinetico, Calligan and the other big name brands. (bring him the kinetico componant list and have him bid it?)
That's my opinion, you asked . . . . .
Edited by iseedit 8/9/2011 19:41
|
|
| |
|
Montevideo,Minnesota | Have heard of them on the radio before...I dont know much about them.
What kind of systems is this if cost $7k?
BTW I have Morton one...works good enough for me |
|
| |
|
Central Ohio | They are not worth the money, but they certainly do work. Parents have one.
I did it myself and went through www.apluswater.net for my sediment filter, Eraticator softener and RO drinking water filter.
We have VERY hard water with plenty of iron and some sulfur at times. So hard you cannot wash the car with it. All the spotting makes it tough to see out the windows.
Our soft water is great and drinking water wonderful.
Total cost was about $1300 and then you have to have it installed/install it yourself. The owner himself answers the phone at A+water when you call and is very helpful.
Edited by jbweston 8/9/2011 20:07
|
|
| |
|
WC MN | I updated my Kinetco system this summer-yeah sticker shock. I've never have had another system in the house but I have never had problems either. It always works and you don't need to wait for it to regenerate esp. if the wife is doing laundry. I got a quote from Plumbers Inc. and their system was a little cheaper but like I said I've never had problems with my Kinetco so I didn't want to change. |
|
| |
|
Slicker than a Yes album. | Culligan. No RO here....like the well "taste". Have one water outlet in the sink that is iron free, but still hard water. Had to have iron filter and softener with our water here. Can't remember numbers at the moment. |
|
| |
|
| We've got both the dual tank softeners and the RO. Our water is over 100 grains hard and 2300 TDS, plus 1 part iron. Had the system for close to 10 years and had no troubles. We didn't pay anywhere near that kind of money, but I do know it was pricey even then. We really like the dual tank system, never run out of soft water and never waste salt. Don't even notice it when it regens. We got ours from the dealer in Fargo. (I think they might have moved to West Fargo now). |
|
| |
|
Sort of Central to North Central Iowa | We have had the duql tank softener and the K5 RO system for over two years, worked really well. Last winter had to replace the well pump, and the well man put it at a different depth. Since then, started getting rust through. Talked to dealer, he tested the water, put in the iron/sulfer/maganese oxidizing filter. He said if that didn't work, he would take it out and refund the cost. So far has worked well. They are very expensive, but I think the dual tank system where the backflush water is treated is worth the cost. In our old system the rusty water would plug the control head of the softener during that cycle, IMO. Plus uses MUCH less salt.
Edited by DAA 8/9/2011 23:17
|
|
| |
|
Ohio | My Kinetico dealer did not know what a flow meter was !!! |
|
| |
|
Iowa | I write a check each month to Culligan for a water softener rental. For what they charge for rent, versus shelling out to buy a system, I did not see any value in buying a system. |
|
| |
|
Upstate New York | I have a kinetico in my home, works great, did the same thing with box stores softeners, big improvement! Mine was 6k with RO and infared to kill bacteria. My water is 105 grains hard. I figured with the 10 year warranty so 600$ a year and the wife is happy, priceless! |
|
| |
|
Berks County Pa. | I had a Kinetico and after about 15 years the resin was bad as previously stated. Kinetico wanted $1200 to change the resin. I could have bought the resin on line for a little ovr $100. Kinetico wanted about $2400 to replace the whole unit with me doing the installation. I bought a Sears for $500 and it has been working for several years already.
As other posters have stated, the resin will get "sticky" and "clumpy" in any unit. They all use the same resins. There are only a few manufacturers of softener resins.
As you can tell, I do no think that Kinetico is worth the outrageuos price that they charge. |
|
| |
Kinetico water system, worth the money?
