Water Softener Installation in Troy

Water softener installation Troy NY homes book removes the calcium and magnesium that leave white scale on faucets and inside water heaters. One local water treatment seller lists Troy water at about 9 grains per gallon, though the city report does not publish a hardness number. A plumber tests your water, sizes the unit, installs it with a bypass and drain, and sets it up.

Our Troy plumbers install softeners for homeowners, landlords and small businesses that want less scale and longer lasting appliances. We test first and tell you plainly if a softener is worth it for your home.

• A hardness test. A quick test at the kitchen tap shows how much hardness your water carries, so the unit is sized to real numbers.
• Sizing. Household size and daily water use set the capacity, so the softener does not run out between cycles.
• Softener and brine tank. A resin tank that removes hardness and a salt tank that cleans the resin.
• A bypass valve. Lets you send water around the softener for repairs or for outdoor faucets. It is a simple lever anyone in the house can turn.
• Drain and overflow. A proper drain line with an air gap so wastewater cannot siphon back.
• Setting regeneration. The cleaning cycle is set to run at night when nobody is using water, usually around 2 a.m.
• Filter options. Whole house carbon filters for chlorine taste and smell, if you want them.

• City water source. Troy water comes from the Tomhannock Reservoir and is treated at the John P. Buckley Water Treatment Plant, according to the city's annual water quality report.
• Scale in heaters. Hard water leaves scale in tank bottoms and tankless heat exchangers, which cuts efficiency and shortens life. You may hear it as popping when the burner runs.
• Fixture wear. Scale clogs aerators and shower heads and wears faucet cartridges and toilet flappers faster. Replacing those parts every year or two adds up.
• Neighbors on the same water. Brunswick, western North Greenbush and the East Greenbush Common Water District buy water from Troy, so their homes see similar water.
• Tankless owners. Many tankless makers expect soft water or yearly descaling to keep the warranty valid.
• Spotty dishes and glass. Hard water leaves spots on dishes and shower doors, and soap does not lather as well.

• Salt based softeners, the standard choice that removes hardness with ion exchange.
• Salt free conditioners, which change how minerals behave but do not remove hardness. The salt free vs salt water softener choice comes down to one question: do you want truly soft water, or just less scale sticking to surfaces?
• Whole house carbon filters that reduce chlorine taste and smell. A whole house water filter Troy homeowners add often sits next to the softener.
• Sediment filters that catch grit and rust before it reaches fixtures. They are a good first stage in homes with old pipe.
• Under sink drinking water filters for the kitchen tap. Look for one certified for what you want removed.

One local water treatment seller lists Troy water at about 9 grains per gallon, which counts as moderately hard. The city's annual report does not list a hardness number, so a home test gives you the real figure.

• What it means: Enough hardness to leave white scale on fixtures and in water heaters over time.
• When a softener is worth it: If you see heavy scale, have a tankless heater or replace cartridges and elements often.
• When it may not be: If scale is light and you are fine with yearly cleaning, a softener is optional.
• Do I need a water softener? A test and a look at your fixtures answer that in one visit.

These are the softener calls we hear most often.

• New tankless owner who wanted to protect the heat exchanger and the warranty.
• Heavy scale on shower glass and faucets in a home with a large family.
• Landlord adding a softener to a two family home to cut repeat cartridge and element repairs.
• Electric water heater that kept burning out elements, protected with a softener after the second repair.

Here are the plain facts on softened water at the tap.

• A little sodium. Softened water adds a small amount of sodium. People on low sodium diets can keep one unsoftened tap in the kitchen.
• Lead is a different problem. A softener does not remove lead. If you have a lead service line, use a filter certified for lead and plan to replace the line.
• Taste. Some people notice a slightly different feel or taste, which a carbon filter at the sink can help.
• Outdoor faucets. Many installs leave outside spigots on hard water, since lawns and gardens do not need softened water.