Rainsoft Water Treatment - good or bad???

I can't recommend RainSoft equipment.

Keep your test results handy and keep shopping.

Do not buy it. It is way overpriced and you don't use KDF for an iron problem.

Look in the yellow pages and call a few independent dealers; that's those without national brand name equipment. You want someone that sells equipment using Clack or Fleck control valves. Get pricing and what type of equipment they are proposing and make them tell you how it works and compare it to other types and how they work. I say that because there are many ways to treat iron.

Also search the internet and read posts like this so you can learn.

Then decide if you want to be dependent on a local dealer or be self sufficient as a DIYer and buy the same type of equipment that local dealers sell but at much less expense online. If you want to be a DIYer, the Clack WS-1 control valve is your best choice for a softener or iron filter.

I am not familiar with the "EC4" system. How big is the tank (height x diameter)? Is it a timer system or a demand operated one? How many people in your home? What size is the plumbing leading into the softener? Did he test for TDS before and after the RO? Did he test the pH? Did he pass the water through another mini softener to determine if the iron is dissolved or solid?

These are some of things you need to be aware of before shelling out big bucks...or even little ones.

As you can see, there is much data that needs to be understood before a system can be recommended.

I have never heard of anyone saying: "we will put in a softener to handle only part of your iron and a KDF filter for the remainder." Very unusual! Did he explain just what KDF is and how it was supposed to work? Not recommended for those applications, in my opinion.

This is a very important question(s). Is the KDF filter a flow-though filter or a backwashing type? If so (with either) how big a filter did he recommend or how many pounds of KDF did he say it would provide? KFD CAN be an effective filter media but only when used in proper conditions.

Although 3.5ppm iron is demanding and can cause problems, iron of much greater amounts can still be handled with standard ion exchange.

As H20man said shop around (Culligan, Kinetico, Hague, etc.) and prepare questions for each.

I am not too impressed with the soap package. Yes, you will save on soaps and like products, but just get your own and save that way. Extras added to sales deals are to the benefit of the seller more than the buyer.

Look carefully at the system you are now using and get back with us. Info on the valve or from the company that services it may help.

Andy Christensen, CWS-II

Yea, there are numerous benefits of the pure water. And DONT listen to people who sit there and bad mouth. I work for a competitor of rainsoft. I hear bad stuff about them all day. But, they are a huge company that does do what the product claims it does. It works. simple. You can shop around but, everyone will say something bad about the other company all day. 99% of people are ignorant to what a treatment system does. The ones who don't buy the systems. They don't get it because they sent a weak rep out and he convinced the people to spend more money to keep the shitty water with all the side effects for more money. HORRIBLE SALES!!! But, don't take it out on the systems and the demo taking forever. They are the screwed ones that just didn't understand. No never means no. No means you either screwed up and I don't understand. Or wow you know it sounds great but, that is a lot of money. Just understand a softener at the store is cheaper. Not as good and your media bed will decompose. When it runs out you are stuck randomly fixing it or replacing it.It's not woth the hassle. To top it off it just adds salt to everything and not a trace. Like a lot. Softenersare the devil haha.

It seems you have a bit of that going on, there is no such thing as pure water. And RS has many customer complaints and I have worked on a lot of their equipment that was misapplied and/or undersized along with not working right.

Less expensive same type resins do not "decompose" any quicker than the most expensive same type resins. They will all "decompose" equally if the there is something in the water that can cause decomposition; like chlorine.

I just got off the phone from a person from the Rainsoft coorporate office in Orlando, FL. We were originally quoted a Rainsoft purification system for about $4000, but after doing research (much of it on this website) cancelled before the 3 day period. Now the guy is quoting me the same system, including the warranty, soaps, etc. for only $2300. He says it is because my wife and I are teachers, and we would be great as referrals, which makes sense. I know I have read that Rainsoft systems are highly over priced. Is it more resonable at $2300? Are the systems themselves good, or are they not something you all would recommend at any price? I also have a person from Ecowater coming out to talk to us tomorrow. He quoted me over the phone before I talked to Rainsoft at about $3000. I'm sure if I tell him I have a quote from Rainsoft for $2300, he will probably try to match or beat it. We have hard water (tested at 10) and high levels of chlorine. This is something I would like to solve, but I want quality as well as a good price. I am not much of a plummer, so doing any of the installation or service on it myself would be out of the question. What are your recommendations? Thanks for any feedback you may have.

If they can come down that much, you have no idea of their best price but, you do know the original price was a rip off.

Their equipment is proprietary, meaning you get parts only from the one'n only local RS dealer for whatever he wants to charge you for service and the parts.

You can do much better by buying a nonproprietary softener from an online dealer like me and hiring a plumber to install if for $200-$450. You'll save about $1500 off their "best price".

Run away from RainSoft!

Look for a local independent water quality improvement dealer that sells, installs and services what they sell.

Avoid internet sellers that offer low priced equipment that is drop shipped to your door.

LOL Really?

I say that if the person wants to know all there is about their softener, and that it is put together right, and how to repair it themselves without having an expensive service call, they should buy from a knowledgeable online dealer that will teach them how to correctly size the equipment and program it and why BEFORE they buy it.

Yes - REALLY!

WOW. I'm Having troubles with my RO system from R.S. and they are telling all kinds of BS. They evan put the wrong date on the invoice so I only have 2 days to cancel, I'm VERY VERY disapointed in RS Syatems all togther after reading on the internet.

Get this I can Fill up a Shot glass full of RO water and the syatem refills for about an hour. Over a gallon of water to mnake a shot glass full? Doesnt sound right to me. But Hey who am I to tell them!!!!!

Just got off the phone with them and they assure me dont worrie the about the 3 day cancelation.... yea right!!!!!! Thay also said they will do whatever it takes to get t5his thing resolved, There gonna send a service guy out next week. "This guy is the best they have" Hes been doing these for over 35 years!------- Big freakin deal.!!!!!! I feel like I'm getting the shaft and smilling about it. Only time will tell..

Well Everyone, I can say now that I'm Happy with my system. The Expert with 35 yrs experiance showed up a few hrs ago. Very Nice Guy. He found the RO system was Hooked up backwards. and the Big Blue Pre filter was cross striped.
Everything was corrected and working Properly now. I was getting alittle scared about the whole deal after reading so many bad reports on the net. But They stood behind there product and instalation and that makes me Very Happy.

Does the Expert with 35 yrs experience live close to you?

We had a rainsoft system in NJ and it was the greatest. Then we sold that house and moved to florida and put a different system in it was about the same price Not as good. We are back to the rainsoft. Skin is soft plumbing does have the build up cleaning is easier, use less soap when cleaning etc. We Love it. We also had the rainsoft RO in the kitchen and the water just was so good to drink. No more bottled water for us. Our hair didn't have the smell of iron etc.

LOVE IT

Just wondering, I thought EC4 System can make your water drinkable. Is this true? or you need you still need the RO? (The salesman claims EC4 does it all... for softening and drinking)

Rigs

How hard was your water (GPG)?

Our R.S. EC4 system is great. I would recommend it to anyone. we also have the R.O. installed with an RSAP Ultra Violet Light disinfection Unit. We payed approx. $5800 for the whole set up and have been extremely happy for about 2yrs now. Rain Soft has backed everything they said they would and more. Our water was actually making us ill, and after testing at a local lab turned out parasites in well etc. Many recommendations from people to have new well drilled after it being put in just 7 or 8 yrs prior. Rain Soft saved us a ton of money, and system is working great. No problems....

I love my RainSoft System! Do whatever your gonna Do!