Is Buying a Water Softener a DIY Project?
When face to face with upcoming maintenance, appliance installation, or emergency repair in your home, there is always that singular moment where you’re stuck with the burden of the ultimate decision: Can I do this myself?
Depending on the type of person you are, this can be a loaded question. Unless you’re able to confidently answer “yes” or “absolutely not” from the gate, you might be in for a wild ride of indecision, late-night big-box hardware store hopping, and frantic Youtube binging of how-to videos where the presenters make things look far too easy.
You might rationalize an attempt at a DIY hardwood floor installation, for example, by telling yourself that you’re saving tons of money in the long run. That it’ll be a good learning experience for you. That you’ll be able to have something to show your neighbor who just got done personally building their two-bedroom, fully plumbed and wired addition onto their house last summer --- until you find yourself a quarter of the way through covered in wood glue and regret!
The gung-ho, DIY attitude is a great one to have if you’re a homeowner, and with the assistance of the internet and a healthy amount of patience, there are a lot of projects that you can accomplish around your house. But, it’s also important to remember the ancient, sacred, long passed down adage: leave it to the professionals.
When it comes to choosing a water softener for your home, you could drive down to your local hardware store, compare the units on the shelf, buy the one that the plumbing clerk recommends, and install it. You also technically could take your car’s engine apart yourself or attempt to sweep out your home’s antique chimney in the middle of a Midwest winter.
But, should you? Consider these points when contemplating whether you want to take on your home’s hard water by yourself.
A Water Professional will test your Water
The first step to treating your water is to find out just what’s in it. A professional water specialist will conduct a series of tests to get a good picture of how hard your water may be, what the pH is, and how much iron is concentrated within, amongst other things. This not only gives your professional an idea of what water treatment unit will work best for you, but it’ll also let you know if your water contains other unwelcome components such as other minerals and metals, bacteria, or volatile organic chemicals. A professional water test from a certified laboratory will get you started on the path to the water you want.
A Water Professional Will Choose the Right Unit For You
Much like how your doctor writes prescriptions for whatever might be ailing you, a water professional will choose a water softener based on the results of your unique water test. Instead of wasting the time and the brain cells on figuring out if the box store softener has enough capacity or too much capacity to treat your home’s hard water, a water pro will choose the right sized unit for your home and will program it based on your home’s water.
This ensures that you’re getting the softest water that you can while using the right amount of salt and water for regeneration. In contrast, an off the shelf, incorrectly sized and programmed unit will end up using more water, salt, and money in the long run.
A Water Professional Will Install Your Unit Correctly
Unless you’re a formally trained plumber, the act of understanding the basic principles of plumbing your water softener into your home’s system can be daunting. The consequences of doing it wrong can be expensive and messy.
Water treatment professionals are, by nature, on the cutting edge of innovation, technology, and training when it comes to installing and servicing water treatment equipment. They understand what to look for, from all the factors that go into simply choosing the best location for your softener, to knowing the physical specifications of the softener and how to best plumb them into your system to retain a solid flow rate throughout your house. The peace of mind behind knowing that everything is plumbed correctly, especially for something that will affect your entire home, is enough reason to call a pro.
And, following installation, water treatment professionals are experts at diagnosing and fixing any problems that may occur in the future. Just like your car needs regular oil changes to protect your investment, water softeners should also have regular maintenance performed so they last the test of time. If a component breaks unexpectedly or if something isn’t working as well as it used to, your dealer is trained to remedy your issue with the right parts. They have the backing of industry peers, authentic parts on hand, and first-hand access to technical support to solve your problem quickly.
Water treatment professionals in the Evolve dealer network are committed to continually educating their staff, including their technical service and installation teams, by sending them to exclusive factory training sessions. The classes presented there cover everything from water-basics to advanced techniques, ensuring that everyone in the Evolve network is at the top of their game.
The Bottom Line
If you’re stuck staunchly in the DIY frame of mind, it can be hard answering the “Can I do this myself” question with a firm “no”. But, when it comes to your home’s water, the fuel that keeps your days running smoothly, there’s no alternative to making sure it’s the best that it can be. The professional know-how, water testing, and installation expertise that a water treatment professional brings to the table will make you forget that you ever considered doing it yourself in the first place.
And when you’re looking for a professional, you can firmly trust your nearest Evolve water expert. An Evolve professional will work with you from start to finish to get you a comprehensive water analysis and choose from the expansive Evolve softener lineup to get you the perfect water softener for your home, coupled with the top of the line technology and innovation behind the Evolve name.
Call us today and save your DIY enthusiasm for that loose deck board or room that needs a new coat of paint!