Home Repair (alt.home.repair) For all homeowners and DIYers with many experienced tradesmen. Solve your toughest home fix-it problems.

Reply
 
LinkBack Thread Tools Search this Thread Display Modes
  #1   Report Post  
Posted to alt.home.repair
cj cj is offline
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 112
Default water softeners

i would like to purchase a water softener and after a bit of research i
see that there are lots of choices. should i have my water tested and
then use that info to make a choice? we do not use a ton of water ( just
two of us) so i should probably make my choice based on that also..right?
thanks, cj

  #2   Report Post  
Posted to alt.home.repair
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 22,192
Default water softeners

On Tue, 26 Feb 2008 17:46:50 -0500, cj wrote:

i would like to purchase a water softener and after a bit of research i
see that there are lots of choices. should i have my water tested and
then use that info to make a choice? we do not use a ton of water ( just
two of us) so i should probably make my choice based on that also..right?
thanks, cj


Yes on testing water hardness.
--
Oren
  #3   Report Post  
Posted to alt.home.repair
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 5,823
Default water softeners


"cj" wrote in message
...
i would like to purchase a water softener and after a bit of research i see
that there are lots of choices. should i have my water tested and then use
that info to make a choice? we do not use a ton of water ( just two of us)
so i should probably make my choice based on that also..right?
thanks, cj


Step one is to test the water. Hardness is important, but other chemicals
can be a problem also. Reputable water treatment places will do a basic
test at no charge and make recommendations based on the results.
Personally, I'd avoid Culligan and the like as they are usually the highest
priced units available.

Look in the archives for this group and ask Gary Slusser for a
recommendation and he can even sell you one at a good price.


  #4   Report Post  
Posted to alt.home.repair
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 22,192
Default water softeners

On Wed, 27 Feb 2008 02:53:10 GMT, "Edwin Pawlowski"
wrote:


"cj" wrote in message
...
i would like to purchase a water softener and after a bit of research i see
that there are lots of choices. should i have my water tested and then use
that info to make a choice? we do not use a ton of water ( just two of us)
so i should probably make my choice based on that also..right?
thanks, cj


Step one is to test the water. Hardness is important, but other chemicals
can be a problem also. Reputable water treatment places will do a basic
test at no charge and make recommendations based on the results.
Personally, I'd avoid Culligan and the like as they are usually the highest
priced units available.

Look in the archives for this group and ask Gary Slusser for a
recommendation and he can even sell you one at a good price.


Comments from Gary can come in a few days. He retired too a motor home
and travels. :-)) According to him.


--
Oren
  #5   Report Post  
Posted to alt.home.repair
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 664
Default water softeners

In article ,
"Edwin Pawlowski" wrote:

I'd avoid Culligan and the like as they are usually the highest
priced units available.


They MAY be the most reliable, though.

When my Sears softener died, I rented one from Culligan. I soon BOUGHT the
installed rental unit.

That was back in our old house. We took the unit to our new house in 1991.

It hasn't missed a beat since.

Anecdotal? Perhaps, but I'd buy this same model again in an instant.
--

JR

Mean Evil Bell System
Historical Society


  #6   Report Post  
Posted to alt.home.repair
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 59
Default water softeners

On Feb 26, 3:46 pm, cj wrote:
i would like to purchase a water softener and after a bit of research i
see that there are lots of choices. should i have my water tested and
then use that info to make a choice? we do not use a ton of water ( just
two of us) so i should probably make my choice based on that also..right?
thanks, cj


First, a water test. Then, there are other factors that determine what
you should be shopping for. Number of people in the house, number of
bathrooms, and appliances that are huge water users (hot tub,
jacuzzi).

As Edwin pointed out, you can and should call at least two local water
treatment pros. They'll come out and test the water, inspect the
installation possibilities along with your plumbing, and make
recommendations. You are not obligated to buy but can accumulate data,
info, and options with your only expense being some of your time.

You can shop locally or buy online if you are a DIYer but buying long
distance means no service unless "move it closer to the phone so I can
see it suits you". Local will cost more but you get more.

Regardless, the best choices are industry standard softeners and not
pre-built box store brands like GE, Sears, Morton, and such. Industry
standard softeners are built with higher quality components and last a
lot longer than the not always less expensive box store models.

The heart and brain of a softener is the control valve. Fleck is the
largest manufacturer of softener control valves and sells more than
all the other control valve companies combined worldwide. There is
always someone everywhere that services Fleck based water softeners.

I'm not in the water treatment business but have been royally screwed
by self-proclaimed water treatment professionals so take care that the
person giving you advice doesn't have an ulterior motive and their
hand in your pocket.

In real estate it's location, location, location and with water
treatment it's DEALER, DEALER, DEALER.
  #7   Report Post  
Posted to alt.home.repair
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 199
Default water softeners

On Tue, 26 Feb 2008 17:46:50 -0500, cj wrote:

i would like to purchase a water softener and after a bit of research i
see that there are lots of choices. should i have my water tested and
then use that info to make a choice? we do not use a ton of water ( just
two of us) so i should probably make my choice based on that
also..right? thanks, cj


Ask Culligan to analyze your situation and water. Get a bid of what they
propose. Shop around and then find best price.
  #8   Report Post  
Posted to alt.home.repair
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 118
Default water softeners

On Feb 26, 11:01 pm, wrote:
On Feb 26, 3:46 pm, cj wrote:

i would like to purchase a watersoftenerand after a bit of research i
see that there are lots of choices. should i have my water tested and
then use that info to make a choice? we do not use a ton of water ( just
two of us) so i should probably make my choice based on that also..right?
thanks, cj


First, a water test. Then, there are other factors that determine what
you should be shopping for. Number of people in the house, number of
bathrooms, and appliances that are huge water users (hot tub,
jacuzzi).

As Edwin pointed out, you can and should call at least two local water
treatment pros. They'll come out and test the water, inspect the
installation possibilities along with your plumbing, and make
recommendations. You are not obligated to buy but can accumulate data,
info, and options with your only expense being some of your time.

You can shop locally or buy online if you are a DIYer but buying long
distance means no service unless "move it closer to the phone so I can
see it suits you". Local will cost more but you get more.

Regardless, the best choices are industry standard softeners and not
pre-built box store brands like GE, Sears, Morton, and such. Industry
standard softeners are built with higher quality components and last a
lot longer than the not always less expensive box store models.

The heart and brain of asofteneris the control valve. Fleck is the
largest manufacturer ofsoftenercontrol valves and sells more than
all the other control valve companies combined worldwide. There is
always someone everywhere that services Fleck based water softeners.

I'm not in the water treatment business but have been royally screwed
by self-proclaimed water treatment professionals so take care that the
person giving you advice doesn't have an ulterior motive and their
hand in your pocket.

In real estate it's location, location, location and with water
treatment it's DEALER, DEALER, DEALER.


Justalurker was/is a customer of mine. He bought a 1.5 cuft softener
from me Jul 15 2004. As far as I know he still is using it and he has
never said it wasn't working. Anyone can search for Justalurker and
read for themselves.

He installed the softener himself. For the next 13 months he couldn't
tell enough people how great his softener was and how I was the best
dealer he ever came in contact with and how much I knew; he heaped a
lot of praise on me on my forum etc..

Then about Aug 20 2005 he and I parted company after he disrupted my
forum and refused to say "sorry Gary". We had a disagreement about the
use of potassium chloride on my forum and the thread is still there.
At that time he called me numerous times and he threatened to do his
best to prevent me from making any sales that he could.

That is the basis and obvious agenda in this post here. He does the
same thing in all the other newsgroups and forums that I have ever
posted in since Feb 1997.

He couldn't get along with the previous dealers and the manufacturers
of softeners he had owned, and now me. I helped him many times to
attempt to fix his Braswell twin tank softener from Oct 2003 until he
bought from me in Jul 2004. He has only paid me $650, that was the
delivered price to his home in Edgewood NM.From OCt to teh next Jul I
charged him nothing and paid for the phone calls on my 800 number
while donating many hours and a lot of knowledge. IMO he is dishonest,
selfish and self absorbed and if I can not satisfy him, no one can.

You all can see that Ed suggested me by name. Justalurker never
mentioned me by name yet he is a customer of mine, Ed is not, and
justalurker did not buy a softener with a Fleck control valve. Yet he
didn't mention what he bought; a softener with a Clack WS-1 control
valve.

Clack is the latest improved version of the Fleck seals, spacers and
piston design and much better than Fleck. Many companies and dealers
that historically over the last 30 years used nothing but Fleck have
gone to Clack.

So I must ask, why would a person tell people to buy something
different than he bought and has had no problems with over the last
3.5+/- years and to buy from another DEALER DEALER DEALER? And why
would he see himself as "royally screwed" by me?

Gary Slusser
Quality Water Associates
  #9   Report Post  
Posted to alt.home.repair
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 118
Default water softeners

On Feb 26, 10:11 pm, Oren wrote:
On Wed, 27 Feb 2008 02:53:10 GMT, "Edwin Pawlowski"
wrote:



Look in the archives for this group and ask Gary Slusser for a
recommendation and he can even sell you one at a good price.


Comments from Gary can come in a few days. He retired too a motor home
and travels. :-)) According to him.

--Oren


Thanks Ed.

Nope Oren, not retired, still working full time but shorter hours a
day by 2; only 9.5 hrs/day now. Still six days a week though and the
occasional customer call on Sunday or Christmas mornings. I have only
done internet water treatment sales and service since the end of Dec
2004. I shut down the well pump business mid 2005. Aug 2006 we bought
a motor home and moved into it in the driveway Oct 1 2006 and have
lived in it full time ever since. We sold everything in PA and 'moved'
to Texas; she even has the hat, so we are officially Texans. We have
been traveling around the country since Oct 5 2006 when the house and
everything we owned and not packed into the motor home was finally
sold. And business is still very good. I've sold 984 pieces of
equipment with a Clack valve on it in the last 48+ months and have had
only 22 problems.

We are currently in Livingston TX. Going to have about 650 watts of
solar panels put on the roof and 4 or 6 golf cart batteries
installed.and then we are heading for NM.

Gary Slusser
Quality Water Associates
  #10   Report Post  
Posted to alt.home.repair
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 59
Default water softeners

Justalurker never mentioned me by name

Because you know who you are and how you do business. You often make
personal attacks and post personal information and I choose not to.

I'm trying to help the OP while you're trying to help yourself to a
sale.

So I must ask, why would a person tell people to buy something different than he bought and has had no problems with over the last 3.5+/- years


You can ask all you want but you know the answer. You also know that
the softener I bought from you is not in service at my home.

We all pay for our mistakes and buying a softener from you was among
mine.

and to buy from another DEALER DEALER DEALER? And why
would he see himself as "royally screwed" by me?

Gary Slusser
Quality Water Associates


What a selective memory you have and how frequently you put it to use.

As I stated in my post "take care that the person giving you advice
doesn't have an ulterior motive and their hand in your pocket".

Good advice on any subject.

"In real estate it's location, location, location and with water
treatment it's DEALER, DEALER, DEALER".

That's the best advice there is on buying water treatment equipment. A
consumer can learn that before or after the sale... it's their choice.


  #11   Report Post  
Posted to alt.home.repair
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 59
Default water softeners

Anyone can search for Justalurker and read for themselves.

Gary Slusser
Quality Water Associates


Gary,

As usual, truth and accuracy are rarely observed nor practiced by you
in these forums and newsgroups, BUT they are important to many people
so let's set the record, and you post, straight...

Regarding your invitation quoted above from your post, you are well
aware that there are many, many, people on the Internet using the
handle "Justalurker" and that a search will not differentiate my posts
from the multitude of posts by others using that same handle.

As for this remark, "IMO he is dishonest, selfish and self absorbed
and if I can not satisfy him, no one can"... you have me confused with
yourself.
  #13   Report Post  
Posted to alt.home.repair
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 118
Default water softeners

On Mar 12, 5:56 pm, wrote:
Justalurker never mentioned me by name


Because you know who you are and how you do business. You often make
personal attacks and post personal information and I choose not to.

I'm trying to help the OP while you're trying to help yourself to a
sale.


You have proven my point of what you are and there was no personal
attack in my identifying you as what you are doing.

So I must ask, why would a person tell people to buy something different than he bought and has had no problems with over the last 3.5+/- years


You can ask all you want but you know the answer. You also know that
thesoftenerI bought from you is not in service at my home.


No I don't "know" that. You have always refused to post or send me a
picture proving your claim that it is not in the same place you
pictured it on my form in 2005. Also, in another forum recently you
posted a picture from above the control valve, and said it was your
softener.

We all pay for our mistakes and buying a softener from you was among mine.


Another baseless unsubstantiated unproven claim of yours but I'll
bite. Tell us all why that was it a mistake.

Gary Slusser
Quality Water Associates
  #14   Report Post  
Posted to alt.home.repair
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 59
Default water softeners

On Mar 13, 12:01 pm, Gary Slusser wrote:
On Mar 12, 5:56 pm, wrote:

Justalurker never mentioned me by name


Because you know who you are and how you do business. You often make
personal attacks and post personal information and I choose not to.


I'm trying to help the OP while you're trying to help yourself to a
sale.


You have proven my point of what you are and there was no personal
attack in my identifying you as what you are doing.

So I must ask, why would a person tell people to buy something different than he bought and has had no problems with over the last 3.5+/- years


You can ask all you want but you know the answer. You also know that
thesoftenerI bought from you is not in service at my home.


No I don't "know" that. You have always refused to post or send me a
picture proving your claim that it is not in the same place you
pictured it on my form in 2005. Also, in another forum recently you
posted a picture from above the control valve, and said it was your
softener.

We all pay for our mistakes and buying a softener from you was among mine.


Another baseless unsubstantiated unproven claim of yours but I'll
bite. Tell us all why that was it a mistake.

Gary Slusser
Quality Water Associates


Gary,

Your lack of professionalism and lack of ethics are the best examples
I could submit. Anyone considering the purchase of water treatment
equipment will be better off making the purchase from anyone other
than you.

Every forum you post on, that you haven't been banned from, you
receive the same treatment after you personally attack, lie, ridicule,
misquote, quote out of context, blatantly misrepresent facts,
conveniently forget facts, and purposely twist and distort facts.

You suffer from oral hemorrhoids, see a doctor.

That's you in the mirror, Gary, not me or anyone else. Since you don't
like what you see then put yourself out of our misery.

  #15   Report Post  
Posted to alt.home.repair
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 118
Default water softeners

On Mar 12, 7:22 pm, wrote:
Anyone can search for Justalurker and read for themselves.


Gary Slusser
Quality Water Associates


Gary,

As usual, truth and accuracy are rarely observed nor practiced by you
in these forums and newsgroups, BUT they are important to many people
so let's set the record, and you post, straight...


I notice that so far you haven't proven that anything I said is
untrue, and you have proven that you are who and what I said you
are...

Regarding your invitation quoted above from your post, you are well
aware that there are many, many, people on the Internet using the
handle "Justalurker" and that a search will not differentiate my posts
from the multitude of posts by others using that same handle.


Anyone looking for you only should search for justalurker + softener.

Gary Slusser
Quality Water Associates


  #16   Report Post  
Posted to alt.home.repair
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 59
Default water softeners

On Mar 13, 1:45 pm, Gary Slusser wrote:
On Mar 12, 7:22 pm, wrote:

Anyone can search for Justalurker and read for themselves.


Gary Slusser
Quality Water Associates


Gary,


As usual, truth and accuracy are rarely observed nor practiced by you
in these forums and newsgroups, BUT they are important to many people
so let's set the record, and you post, straight...


I notice that so far you haven't proven that anything I said is
untrue, and you have proven that you are who and what I said you
are...

Regarding your invitation quoted above from your post, you are well
aware that there are many, many, people on the Internet using the
handle "Justalurker" and that a search will not differentiate my posts
from the multitude of posts by others using that same handle.


Anyone looking for you only should search for justalurker + softener.

Gary Slusser
Quality Water Associates


I must remember to... "never argue with a fool, they will lower you to
their level and then beat you with experience".

My apologies to the group.
  #17   Report Post  
Posted to alt.home.repair
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 5,823
Default water softeners


"Gary Slusser" wrote in message
So I must ask, why would a person tell people to buy something
different than he bought and has had no problems with over the last
3.5+/- years and to buy from another DEALER DEALER DEALER? And why
would he see himself as "royally screwed" by me?

Gary Slusser
Quality Water Associates


Some people are just that way. OTOH, Gary has been helpful with water
treatment questions on this group for a few years. Seems like you've been
straightforward with answers no matter the brand of softener or where they
bought it.


Reply
Thread Tools Search this Thread
Search this Thread:

Advanced Search
Display Modes

Posting Rules

Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Trackbacks are On
Pingbacks are On
Refbacks are On


Similar Threads
Thread Thread Starter Forum Replies Last Post
water softeners? Fred UK diy 26 November 11th 07 07:10 PM
Water softeners Richard UK diy 1 March 27th 07 12:29 PM
Water Softeners Quiggles UK diy 29 February 20th 06 10:25 PM
Water Softeners Ian Cornish UK diy 2 August 8th 05 01:56 AM
Water softeners JLamm Home Repair 6 January 11th 05 12:38 AM


All times are GMT +1. The time now is 09:58 AM.

Powered by vBulletin® Copyright ©2000 - 2024, Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd.
Copyright ©2004-2024 DIYbanter.
The comments are property of their posters.
 

About Us

"It's about DIY & home improvement"