Do you want a water softener system from The Home Depot?

Brad Berdon • Oct 05, 2020

Florida Water Technologies has been in business for over 10 years now and we have heard many questions from our appointments throughout the Jacksonville area. Our content on our website is designed to assist you with making better decisions and also help you understand the many options available when purchasing a water softener system. The specific topic is about Home Depot. We are all familiar with the brand and The Home Depot is a great store with a catchy slogan. You may hear “ How Doers Get More Done ” during their commercials . Let’s break that down a little further, for example, when you buy a water softener from The Home Depot you are the actual doer and they act as the helper. Let’s take a closer look.

How much does a water softener cost from Home Depot?

You may be surprised to know that the cost of the different water softeners they sell is rather inexpensive. How can Home Depot sell water softeners at a cheap price and earn a profit? They are a publicly traded company, so the numbers have to work somehow. The brand of water softener that Home Depot sell is the GE water softener system and it is offered in three sizes (small) 30,000 grain, (medium) 40,000 grain and (large) 45,000 grain. The cost of one of these water softeners range from $397 to $705.13.

The price point of these water softener models make them attractive to your wallet, however it’s not a total price. That is the price of the water softener system that YOU the doer have to consider installing. Home Depot does offer installation services, but t he installation charges can exceed the cost of the unit itself. This installation fee can be as simple as $350 if your home is configured perfectly, to as much as $1500 and all these fees exclude an initial salt fill up.

Equally important to consider is the installation company doing the work at your home or business is a contractor that is partnered with Home Depot . These folks are not affiliated with Home Depot and they are also not affiliated with the manufacturer of the water softener system by GE. Which means that they earn their wage by performing the installation and the customer, you, are not a focal point of their tasks. Your satisfaction with the water softener is not at the highest priority and results can be hit or miss.

What is the water quality of the GE water softener system from Home Depot?

A very good question to ask and from experience we can tell you that t he GE water softeners will produce soft water in your home or business. This system will alleviate the white spots and film commonly associated with hard water. However, the water softener system from Home Depot don’t do much more. You can visit our other blogs that talk about how hard the water is in Jacksonville and how heavily chlorinated it is. Chlorine and other chemicals will pass through the GE water softener system and make its way into your home or business . Based on our discussions with people owning these systems, they are not fully satisfied with their overall water quality. Additionally, chlorine is an aggressive oxidizer that will harm the physical equipment over time and reduce the service life of a GE water softener.

Who can service my water softener from Home Depot ?

To address the kind of service that you’ll receive after you purchase the water softener, let’s revisit the slogan again. The Home Depot is where Doers (you) get more done. You will be the primary infrastructure for service regarding your Home Depot unit after the sale. You may be wondering, doesn’t this come with a manufacturer warranty? Yes, the GE water softener does have a warranty, but it is only a one year comprehensive (all parts) warranty.

The Home Depot does not have a fleet of service vans stocked with parts ready to fix things as needed. If a problem arises you’ll have to call the number on the box and go through the tech support phone call. Those are usually a good use of time. They will mail you parts and you’ll spend quality time on YouTube trying to take it apart and get it back together. In light of this, most people throw it out and buy another one which will quickly get expensive.

Florida Water Technologies versus Home Depot

I might consider this type of setup if I were in a transit situation . This is the only time this type of consideration would make sense. If you were only going to be in the Jacksonville area for less than three years and if the installation charges were in expensive , I would consider this option.

In the same consideration, if you plan on being in your home three years or more and want the overall water quality to be addressed consistently. You are a doer, but don’t usually fix household appliances yourself, I would consider Florida Water Technologies. T ruthfully, when you calculate installation charges we are very competitive with the DIY system offerings.

Give us a call when you’d like to speak in more detail or Request a Free Quote

The post Do you want a water softener system from The Home Depot? appeared first on Florida Water Technologies.

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Is a Water Softener usually Installed next to the Water Heater?

By Brad Berdon • 02 Apr, 2024

Although there are water pipes near the water heater, they may not be the right pipe to connect a water softener system. You see, the right pipe to connect a water softener to is the main supply pipe or service pipe. Connecting a water softener to the service pipe assures 100% soft water on both the cold and hot side of the plumbing system. Can the service pipe be located next to the water heater? Sometimes yes, but more often no. If your home has a water softener loop this means the service pipe is pre plumbed to a convenient location in the garage, often times near the water heater. If your home does not have the loop then you will have to located your main supply pipe to determine placement. Where is the Main Supply, or Service Pipe, at my house? To locate your service pipe the first thing you need to determine is where your water meter (out by the street) is located. Is it on the garage side or the non garage side of your home? In Jacksonville the water meter is a concrete box with the letters JEA on it. In St Johns/ St Augustine it's usually a plastic meter box with a bright blue lid. Standing out at the meter near the street, look up at your home. The plumber had to connect water to your home from this meter location. Usually, the path of least resistance is used to make this connection. 90% of the time the water enters the home on the same side of the home that the water meter is located. The point that the supply pipe enters your home (POE Point Of Entry) should be marked by a green plastic circle shaped lid. However, sometimes it gets buried under years of landscaping and mulch and sometimes it's not marked at all. Once the POE is located you can now determine where the water softener will be installed.

How to avoid a Salt Bridge in a Water softener System

By Brad Berdon • 13 Sep, 2023

If a water softener system stops using salt you will not get soft water. The most common reason a water softener stops using salt is due to the formation of a "Salt Bridge". A Salt Bridge is a clump of salt that has been fused together due to moisture that's spans entire diameter of the salt tank. This clumped salt resembles concrete and is very hard to break up. Consequently, the salt bridge prevents the salt on top from coming in contact with the water beneath it. That is why we call it a Salt Bridge. How is a Salt Bridge formed? A salt bridge is formed when the dry salt is exposed to moisture. Moisture causes the once granular salt crystal or pellet to merge into one giant clump of salt. By chance if it makes it from one side of the tank to the other side a bridge is formed. Once the bridge of salt is formed the salt level will no longer go down. At this point the salt bridge needs to be broken up. How to remove a salt bridge. I hope you ate your Wheaties because removing a salt bridge can be intense. Once the salt has fused together the consistency resembles concrete. So, breaking it up will take some effort. Method 1. The Rubber Mallet First. Use a rubber mallet and gently tap/hit the side of the salt tank all around it. Next, grab the rim of the salt tank and give it a good shake. Note, the salt tank is hundreds of pounds so shaking it may be difficult for some people. Method 2. The Broom Stick If Method 1 did not work it's time to move onto method 2. Brut force and a firm tool. By using a broom stick, a shovel, or an iron rod, you will attack the salt bridge until you succeed. Start by removing all the loose salt from the salt tank into a bucket or onto a drop cloth. Once you see the bridge start pounding trying to locate a weak area of the bridge. Keep working the weak area until you make it all the way through the bridge. It might be a few inches to a foot thick. Then keep working the salt bridge until the entire bridge breaks up and falls down inside the salt tank. Remember, the greater the obstacle the greater the glory when you overcome it. Method 3. The Water Method If you cannot physically break through the salt bridge then you may have to add water. To do this, use a hose to spray water into one dedicated spot while continuing to work the area with a broom stick. The salt bridge will quickly give way however your salt tank will have a lot of water left in it. Stop spraying water and thoroughly break up the remaining clumps of salt. From here, place the system into regeneration either immediate (right now) or delayed (tonight at 2am). Different models of water softeners will have different configured buttons and programming. You may have to consult your owners manual. Note, adding water is an effective way at breaking up a salt bridge but all the salt gets wet during the process. Wet salt will have the potential to bridge again. If you have to use the water method, break up the salt daily to avoid another salt bridge. How to Avoid a Salt Bridge Preventing a salt bridge in a water softener system in Jacksonville FL is easy. Either before you refill a low/empty salt tank, or if you are filing the tank for the first time simply place two pieces of scrap pipe in the shape of an X. As the salt level lowers it falls around the pipes and avoids bridging. This is our standard practice when installing our water softener systems in Jacksonville FL.

Installing a Water Softener System Part 1

By Brad Berdon • 30 Apr, 2022

The Drain As part of the water softener system regeneration process, it will produce discharge water that needs a place to drain. The water softener will need access to an effective drain that will discharge the water. The most common places to drain the water system discharge to is the washing machine drain, utility sink, […] The post Installing a Water Softener System Part 1 appeared first on Florida Water Technologies.

Installing a Water Softener System Part 2

By Brad Berdon • 29 Apr, 2022

The Water Supply Pipe Installing a water softener system is a great idea especially if you have hard water. Where will the water softener be installed? Will it go in the garage, if so where in the garage, or will it be installed outside on the side of the house. These are common issues we […] The post Installing a Water Softener System Part 2 appeared first on Florida Water Technologies.

What a Water Softener System Does

By Brad Berdon • 12 Apr, 2022

When a homeowner finds they have hard water a water softener system may help. This post answers the question, What Does These Systems actually do. You see, 85% of US homes have some level of hard water. Hard water forms white scale formations that can damage appliances and fixtures. Also, hard water makes cleaning harder […] The post What a Water Softener System Does appeared first on Florida Water Technologies.

Why A Water Softener.

By Brad Berdon • 03 Feb, 2022

When water is hard, it can clog pipes and soap will dissolve in it less easily. Water softening can prevent these negative effects.Hard water causes a higher risk of lime scale deposits in household water systems. Due to this lime scale build-up, pipes are blocked and the efficiency of hot boilers and tanks is reduced. […] The post Why A Water Softener. appeared first on Florida Water Technologies.

3 Types of Water Filtration Systems

By Brad Berdon • 03 Nov, 2021

The three types of water filtration systems are water softener systems, a whole home filtration system, and drinking water systems. Here are the three water filtration systems that may be a fit for your home or business. Water Softener System Application: Hard water removal system The primary water concern in Jacksonville FL is excessive hard […] The post 3 Types of Water Filtration Systems appeared first on Florida Water Technologies.

Water Softeners and Water Filtration Systems

By Brad Berdon • 28 Jul, 2021

What they are and how they differ. A common question that we get every day is, “what’s the difference between a water softener and a water filtration system?” It’s a great question. Water softeners focuses only on the removal of hard water minerals (Calcium Carbonate CaCo3) to produce soft water. While a water filtration system […] The post Water Softeners and Water Filtration Systems appeared first on Florida Water Technologies.

How To Set the Hardness Level on a Water Softener in Jacksonville FL

By Brad Berdon • 03 Jun, 2021

Setting the hardness level on a water softener in Jacksonville FL is simple. First, you have to know your water’s hardness. Secondly, you’ll have to know how to access the water softener hardness program screen. Once you have these two items you’re ready to go. Let’s take a closer look. Hardness Level Relevance Setting the […] The post How To Set the Hardness Level on a Water Softener in Jacksonville FL appeared first on Florida Water Technologies.

Why do Water Softeners sometimes release resin into your homes pluming system?

By Brad Berdon • 06 May, 2021

Water softeners contain a mineral tank filled with water softener resin media. The resin media is the main part of a water softener system. When resin media breaks down it can exit the water softener tank clogging your homes plumbing system, yikes! Consequently, this will cause quite a surprise along with a costly plumber bill […] The post Why do Water Softeners sometimes release resin into your homes pluming system? appeared first on Florida Water Technologies.