Not all water softener systems impact your entire homes plumbing. This article explains how to remove a water softener correctly. Follow the manufacturer's instructions for running a backwash (regeneration) cycle on the water softener. Using a ruler or tape measure, find the length between the mark you made and the tip of the string. Sound easy enough? The cost of installing a water softener system can vary widely depending on the system you choose. In our example, the owner has installed a dedicated drain pipe with a trap, into which they have run the two drain tubes for the water softener. Labor Cost to Install a Water Softener System, Factors That Affect Water Softener System Installation Costs, Additional Costs Associated With Water Softener System Installation, DIY Water Softener System Installation vs. Installing a water softener will be easier if you understand precisely how a water softener works. Pipe Compatibility 9 Total Available Products Display 12 | 18 | All Toilet Connection Kit Shower / Tub Connection Kit Watch how to calibrate your PEX clamp tool to properly install barb fittings. If youre prepared to take on a bit of handiwork, the cost to install a water softener is less than a professional installation. Dont insert the drain line fully inside the drain, as this increases the risk of back-siphoning. The pipe connected to where the main line continues into your home should be installed onto the outlet side of the softener. HOMESERVE, the HOMESERVE Design and HOMESERVE Canada are trademarks of HomeServe PLC. How do I connect my water softener to the main line? The unit comes with a 10 foot power cord. If there are no leaks, allow a couple of minutes for trapped air to be released. Open the faucets in your home to drain the water. Expect to pay between $150 and $1,000 on labor costs to install a water softener in your home. Now that PVC that I'm tying into leads to this spigot. They are great for DIY-installation and cost around $50 to $4,000 to install. 12 feet of drain tubing is supplied but if your drain is further then 5 feet away, you will need to purchase enough tubing to reach your drain. As long as the water source enters your home in the same fashion as a municipal water supply, the installation steps are identical. Does SharkBite work with Schedule 40 PVC? Labor costs vary not only based on complexity, but also handy labor rates in your area. Lets look at how to install a water softener at your main supply line. Tighten the fittings using an adjustable wrench or channel-lock pliers. If youre not particularly handy and you cant get your head around the installation process, we would advise considering hiring a licensed plumber to avoid costly mistakes. Pushing the clip against the release collar, pull the tube with a twisting motion to release. How Much Does It Cost to Install a Water Softener? community. Follow the manufacturers instructions to prepare your softener for use. This 2023 guide breaks down the different costs associated with installing a water softener system and the average costs you can expect. Add to List. Hello, SharkBite model # UIP134 is designed for use with Schedule 40, 80 or 120 PVC pipe with an O.D. The brand of water softener you choose will also affect the price. Quote from Youtube video: Also we were attaching two PVC up there so we wanted to make sure we could push on and make that connection for PVC. However, if youre doing this project by yourself, the SharkBite fittings will save you money. Lexie is a Deputy Editor who is responsible for writing and editing articles over a wide variety of home-related topics. To avoid this, have the anode rod regularly inspected and replaced when necessary. Similar to the requirement for dishwashers, the drain line needs an air gap fitting designed to prevent back-siphoning of contaminated drain water into the water softener. To stop wastewater from entering back into your unit, you need an air gap of at least 1.5 inches. Most brands offer a range of systems, including larger and higher-end softeners. . Please see our. 5-6 People: ~40,000 grains minimum. The number of people in your household and how much water each person uses will also affect the kind of water softener youll need and, therefore, the total cost. This will happen before the end of the pipe reaches the tube stop. Push the fitting to the insertion mark you made. Measure the Outside Diameter (OD) of your pipe or fitting: Make a mark on the pipe where the string touches together. The Shark Bite fittings are incredibly easy to use. Some cities and regions have more minerals in the water than others. Over time, it can strain appliances by clogging pipes and reducing the water flow. If youre installing a whole-home system, youre going to want to place the softener as close to the entry point for water in your home. To replace an existing water softener, youll only need 1-2 hours. Insert the pipe into the SharkBite fitting. Because the chemical method by which a water softener removes minerals from water can be a little difficult to understand, it's easy to imagine that installing a water softener is quite complicated. They can also work in tandem with additional water softener systems that you might have already installed in your home. All water softeners make use of two tanks: a mineral tank (sometimes called a resin tank) which contains plastic resin beads that capture hard minerals through an ion-attraction process, and a brine tank containing salt or potassium chloride solution that periodically pumps water through the mineral tank to wash and regenerate the plastic resin beads. The average cost to install a water softener is $300 to $500 USD so its fairly expensive. SharkBite carries a wide range of braided and corrugated flexible water heater hoses that connect to PEX, copper, CPVC, or HDPE pipe. Installing a water softener yourself allows you to work on the project at your own pace and without spending extra money on a plumber. Enable Performance and Targeting Cookies to view this content. 1 Clear and sweep the area. Dont mix up the inlet and the outlet sides, as this will prevent your water softener from being able to produce soft water. To connect the drain tubes, attach a length of 1/2-inch (inside diameter) flexible tubing to the drain elbows on both the control valve and the brine tank, using hose clamps, and run the tubes to the selected drain location. A step-by-step guide on how to install a SharkBite FIP supply stop valve on a 1/2 inch iron pipe stub-out. Heres a diagram for all you visual learners out there! While this is less expensive up front, you may end up paying more in the long run. Fast, efficient and reliable, our transition fittings are compatible with Polybutylene, PEX, PVC, CPVC, PE-RT and SDR-9 HDPE, and are approved for behind-the-wall installation as well as burial. How To: Install Push-to-Connect Supply Stop Valves Watch how to properly install and remove SharkBite push-to-connect supply stops. In most communities, it is illegal to connect the water softener drain directly to the home drain system without an air gap. When it is complete, check the water level in the brine tank and make whatever adjustments are recommended by the manufacturer. this time. Installing SharkBite fittings on copper piping essentially involves only two necessary steps. This trend has changed in recent years, and state health departments now recommend that water softeners are advisable only when tests show that the mineral content of the water exceeds 7 grains per gallon. A slight separation between the drain tubes and the drain pipe provides the required air gap. The pipe connected to the main water supply where it first enters your home should be installed on the inlet side of the water softeners bypass valve. Providing you have a basic grasp of DIY and an ability to follow instructions, you should be able to install a water softener within 2-4 hours. She has over five years of experience in the home improvement space and harnessed her expertise while working for companies like HomeAdvisor and Angi (formerly Angies List). Sharkbites are approved for use underground and behind walls, but installing them there could be risky. Position the water softener where it belongs so you can easily measure for the connecting pipes. Using a slight twisting motion, push the pipe firmly into the SharkBite fitting until you hit the tube stop. To connect the water heater using flexible supply tubes, first shut off the water to your home and drain the pipes. Systems, equipment, issues and circumstances vary. // ]]>. Watch how to properly install and remove SharkBite large diameter push-to-connect fittings. When a project requires this kind of investment, designating it to a professional is often the best route. Check out this quick hose bibb and sillcock installation tutorial. If your home uses an electric water heater, you should turn this off as a precaution. 49. It should click or snap into position. Make sure to use plenty of plumbers tape to seal the connections. However, if you opt for an ion exchange water softener that adds sodium to your water, this can pose problems for those monitoring their sodium intake. Thanks & Welcome to the Forbes Home Improvement Community! Consult your user manual to check what type of valve your softener uses. Your recently viewed items and featured recommendations, "sharkbite water softener connector 1 inch". Her passion We may earn compensation from some providers below. Update your cookie settings to view this content. Quote from Youtube video: So you lay your pipe into this you mark the bottom of the clip. There are special air gap fittings that allow you to connect the water softener's drain tubes directly to a drainpipe or standpipe. Quote from the video: Then simply push the SharkBite Push-Fit end onto Copper, PEX or CPVC pipes and your Water Softener is connected. They are the simplest to connect and dont even require tools to attach PVC to PEX To make the connection, just insert the PEX pipe into one end of the fitting; it will lock into place internally. Share. To prevent the brine tank from overflowing, your water softener should come with an overflow connection. Prepare your SharkBite fittings for underground installation by watching this tutorial. Eliminating the cost of labor means that the price largely depends on the capabilities of your water softening unit, which is measured in grains. HomeServe is an independent company separate from your local utility or First, switch off your water supply. Each of these plumbing types may require different materials and different tools for installation. However, most require the same basic installation process. 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