Water Softener Or Salt Free Conditioner Whats The Difference? 

As a former electrical contractor and current instructor, I really appreciate the quality of your content. Very nice work!

You are a straight BADASS brother! Clean work, professional attire, well-spoken and knowledgeable. Thanks for sharing your expertise

The filtered and softened water hose bib is genius

Thanks for a great explanation of the components. Made it all white easier for me to understand what I might need. Great job. Thank you.

As a fellow plumber I think this video was fantastic. Especially the music!!!👍

Thank you so much for such a great video. The soundtrack made the video even better.

Nice work and thanks for explaining the differences and types.

I have this exact same model installed in my California home. System performance is excellent.

Thank your so much! Very straight forward and informative. My wife and I bought our first home in December and are hearing a lot of conflicting things from coworkers, plumbers, our family about water softeners and filters. I wish there was a system that could soften and filter the water without having to worry about putting sodium in our irrigation system and killing our new trees if we intercept the water main, but it sounds like no such system exists. Nonetheless, your video is VERY appreciated.

Great install!

That is beautiful work man!

awesome video. love the background music during timelapse install. quintessential GenX vibes.

Awesome video by a knowledgeable water treatment professional. That noise masquerading as music was like an old 78 RPM LP in reverse.

Great video! Few doctors don't realize that skin dermatitis is caused by minerals blocking the skin pores. I moved in my lake house in summer and my sweat kept my pores open. By November I was itching terribly! The first three docs had no idea. #4 told me I needed a water softener. Then I moved to the city and still wanted soft water. But my handyman and I could not figure out how to use it besides just running it through the water heater. So I turn down the heater so I mostly bath in soft water. I have reverse osmosis by the kitchen sink. Had to tell my wife and step daughter that was for drinking and not washing hands.

So informative! Thank you

Awesome explanation!

Hello Jack, Thank you posting this video. I understand that you mentioned that it has to thru back wash cycle and flush it down the drain. But in this video I did not see you doing that?

Im in socal. I want that setup and id like this gentlemen to install it! Great video!

great video, excellent choice of music! thanks!

This is great stuff - thanks!

very insightful!

No matter what "soft water" system is used, you taste the salt. It does not satisfy your thirst, nor do get the soap/detergent off of your body. I kicked my water softener out the door. Yes, the water is still hard, but the descaling does stop the hard scale from sticking to my showerheads and pipes. So, I will stick with that system. 2 tanks. 1 activated charcoal the other a descaler. With a 3rd sediment filter (string type). Works for me.

Excellent video, very informative. Except for the music, I did mute that part.

I realize prices can vary drastically, but can you give a ball park figure of what a system like that would cost?

Thanks for the useful information! Nicely done job and video. How did you handle the waste stream from the backwashing?

Good information and loved music 😂

Great job. I wanted to know if you could recomend something like this for a dug well?

this guys the best!! best plumber out there!

Awsome setup up! I was struggling to decide which method works best and yours by far suits me! 1 question my pressure reg valve is a 1 1/4 Watts and its in need of replacement. Do I have to buy an exact one or can I replace it with another brand? Im using the WATTS LF25AUB-Z3 1-1/4 if so please advise which one

very informative, thanks.

very informative, thank you God bless you

Lots of good info, thank you! I read that carbon filters are great at removing chlorine from muni water supplies, however, they are not so great in cases where the municipalities use chloramine to treat their water supply (ammonia is left behind), is this correct?

Great Video! How does Novo compare to Springwell whole home water filters? I’ve heard good about both. Does the Novo filter out the PFASs and PFOSs and such like the Springwell? Thanks!

Nice job 🤙🏼

Thank you,Jack. Nice explanation. I'm from Maryland, Frederick County (Municipal Water). I'm shopping for a water softnere and trying to get Culligan HE Municipal Softener. Could you help in decide the system?

Great video.

Great video

My favorite part of this is the hose bib to wash the car!

thank you for sharing! Texas Tony

The work music did for me😂😂❤

Do you isolate other hose bibs thru out the house or at least isolate the water that feed irrigation?

9:36 Hit the nail on the head!

Mister did you also installed a reverse osmosis under the sink or it’s enough clean with those 2 tanks, thanks for the informative video.

Great information! I saw another video from a plumber stating he recommends allowing city water to flow in the house once a week so that chlorine is introduced to avoid bacteria. What are your thoughts? He was installing a Halo 5 by the way. Thank you for your time.

What's your take on portable , apartment softening units?

Fuggin money!! Excellent plumbing, very impressive. What pants are those?

Thank you Jack for the great tutorial! Residing in Orange County, and leaning towards a Water Softener from a recent Simple Lab water test indicating a hardness of 15.8 grains/gal in addition to other minerals, metals and salts. Finding much value in your installation for piping, would like to see how you accommodated the drain. Thank you,

This was a great video taught me alot wish you worked in Florida brother instant customer from me. Is there any links you can add for that company you mentioned in the video thank you.

Is the Aquasure Harmony a good water softener?

Isn’t the water softener on the right with the control head and the carbon tank on the left?

Have you tried Filtersorb CT or Filtersorb SP3?

Hey Buddy, is a RO system even necessary if we have a high quality carbon filter? All these companies are pushing the RO systems and say the drinking water won’t be that good without a R/O system

Hi Jack. Do you service San Diego area? I’m interested in adding a whole property water softener system to my property. I have to install two systems, because I have two buildings on separate water meters. If you don’t service San Diego, do you have anyone that you can refer me to? Thanks!!!

The reason coconut carbon is so obvious has nothing to do with it being premier. Hardwood charcoal/carbon is even better. It's simply that coconut shells are a waste product of the food processing industry, so they're 1) large (which walnut or pecan shells are not), 2) completely renewable (they're the seed of a plant, so you're not cutting down a tree), and 3) Readily available because the food processing companies use a LOT of coconut.

I wish the sales consultants who come to my house to give quotes on these systems had half the knowledge of the sales and support people in these youtube videos

You didn't mention a bypass/blender valve that allows an adjustable amount of un-softened water to go past the softener. This allows you to set the water so you don't have that annoying "can't get the soap off" effect that fully-softened water gives you. My plumber didn't know about it either, but when he asked the manufacturer, they had the valves in stock. I highly recommend it.

Can you tell me how often, or if it all, the carbon filter media needs to be replaced? Thank you for taking the time for your explanation and installation video.

Does this system require a drain?

wjwhats the average price of a good full home water softner?

What brand are you using?

I need that setup.... i'm in the Tampa Bay area... where are you?

How about Nuvoh2O water softner systems?. They claim to be the best on the market. Are they any good in your opinion?

My garage is set up very similar and looks as if it could be the same builder but very curious about the drain line? Was there a drain down at the bottom of the wall that was tapped into or did we drill through the wall to a drain outside the garage? Im looking to have a plumber setup my own system but yet to figure the best way to drain the system. A very nice set-up that I want to do in my own garage!!

Note Novoclear 485 HTO is a municipal system water conditioner. Not for wells.

You should install a bypass line to the system.

Wouldn’t it be better to put the sediment filter before the Conditioning equipment?

Can you recommend a similar DIY system. Im pretty handy and dont really want to pay the installation cost of one of these systems that are only sold by plumbers.

Very good presentation....I do have one criticism, the carbon has nothing to do with the TDS level of your water. The explanation is in the definition of TDS (Total DISSOLVED Solids). I don't care what you have out in the garage, it is doing nothing for the TDS level because they are dissolved solids. They are so small it is going straight through that system. The only thing that effects the TDS level is the semi-permeable membrane of an revese osmosis system because it's actually squeezing the water. The EPA has a max contamination level of 500 ppm they allow your water board to give their customers. If your TDS level is at 450 ppm going into that system in the garage, then it's 450 ppm coming out of that system in the garage. The membrane in the RO will drop that 450 number all the way down to 20-30 ppm making it ideal drinking and cooking water. But, very pleased to see a video on RU-vid with 99% accurate information. I will also note that the sediment filter you added to this install probably isn't necessary for city water. If you're on well water...absolutely. But, city water should be treated anough that filter is not needed. Just another way for water companies to get a little more money from you. One last thing...I'm not familiar with this exact water softener, but every 2 tank system I have ever seen or sold, the resin tank is the tank with the head on it. You had mentioned that first tank was the carbon tank? I'm not really sure how the resin tank would regenerate with the head on the carbon tank. But, you are correct, the carbon tank should be the first tank in the process. The enemy of resin is chlorine. You definitely want to let the water go through the carbon first to remove the chlorine before it hits the resin to lengthen it's life span. I've just never seen a 2 tank system with the backwashing head on the carbon tank...weird. Other than that...good job buddy.

Well, kind of. Conditioners don't "soften" the water, so yeah, no such thing as salt free softeners. But the conditioners do sequester the hard minerals in such a way as to prevent the scale from building up. Most people like have those minerals in their water, too.

How much is the system you installed including the 2 faucets, filter, pretty much everything on the video + labor. I ask so I can have a rough idea what dollar amount I'm looking at. Because im looking into installing the same system for my home. Thank you👍

I’ve had the fleck 5600 with carbon filter For 14 years Replacing it three years ago I haven’t had any problems with appliances But it does leave spots on my car if I don’t dry it off Is there anything else I can add so it doesn’t leave spots Thx

Beautiful installation! I have been installing systems for years! I didn’t see where you ran your drain line to. I have installed many Kinetico 4040 units they are carbon based as well.

got a link to that water pressure regulator with gauge?

A sediment filter makes sense on the incoming side, to protect the carbon filter and softener, but it appears to be plumbed on the output side, at the top hose bib. All that does is keep sediment off the car when washing.

1:14 Cool, local plumber. Got lucky!

I have some questions about the carbon filter. I had a system installed about 7 years ago that I am happy with. However my system only has the brine tank and then one other that contains both the carbon filter and the resin beads. The company comes out every two years to change out the carbon filter portion of the tank. This raises some questions. Is my system as effective as yours and how long does your much larger carbon filter last? By the way my one single tank is no larger than either of your tanks.

Any opinion on using solar salt vs salt pellets?

I’m new to Las Vegas and I have had some bids on systems. Can a one tank solution really work decently? Salt with 10% resin filter and a coconut carbon filter in the same tank.

Can you use a point of use reverse osmosis filtration system to feed a whole house humidifier?

Fun music choice. Beats the generic country stuff.

Why no full system bypass, two foot of pipe and a valve? Perhaps not required back flow prevention for the hose bibs.

I’m in Murrieta CA, you guys seem local. Can I get a quote online for a 3400 sq ft home or do you guys need to come out?

Can you regulate the softness of the water? I hate that feeling that you cannot rinse off when taking a shower.

What does the system like that normally cost

Hirsch pipe and supply,San Marcos California

So, please tell me why I have water spots with a Kinetico Dual/Quad Tank System? I have water spots that I've been told are salt spots under my refrigerator ice dispenser and very noticeable on my vehicles after washing.

Does this system need a drain or did you install one?

Great job But i dont want the taste of sodium ..so add another charcoal at end of line

How about a whole house distiller... distilling absolutely will remove everything

I need a solution to stop my girlfriend whinging about her dry skin from our water. I don’t know if carbon filter units or vitamin c or softener will solve the problem

Rather good vid, however lose the "noise" during the install...

You didn’t tell the how much it cost average at least

Anything over 10 grains is considered extremely hard

A salt-free conditioner does not claim to remove the minerals from the water. They claim to prevent scale build up. The higher end units use TAC (template assisted crystallization) to achieve this. If you can share experience where these systems don't meet their claims, then please share so we can all learn something. Further confusing people by harping on the fact that they are not water softeners without explaining how they work is not helpful...

Jump Around by House of Pain is a classic song. Haters on this thread. I bet you all like the hold music when making phone calls about your bill.

I don’t see where you installed a drain for the salty wastewater. The salt goes in the sewer system and is not easily removed in a treatment center. Also as of 2014, California effectively banned the installation of salt softeners by leaving it up to the local governments. But also fining municipal water districts whose treated wastewater did not meet certain standards. I can taste the salt in a whole house salt water system. It gives me a stomach ache and doesn’t quench my thirst, actually making me thirstier. When visiting someone who has a system, I see that they buy bottled water to drink.

Looks like $6000 to me

Your customer won’t be happy with that system! I have the same one, absolute junk. Soft water lasted for a few weeks. All my faucets developed the buildup on them them very quickly. Worst system I have owned in 40 years and the most expensive.

Great video and very informative until you lost me with the the blasting music during the time lapse.

1 bag a week= 52 bags a year x 6.00 a bag = 312.00 a year way too much. that's why Canature uses inferior resin. they need more salt to clean the iron off of them. No thank you.