New to a Grafton house: what to learn about its water
A house in Grafton comes with one of two kinds of water: a connection to the Village's very hard supply, or a private well somewhere outside it. A few questions before closing, and a few checks after, tell you which one you have and what the softener in the house is up against.
Call (262) 829-5961Mon to Fri, 7am to 5pmA village connection or a private well?
Ask the seller or the listing agent how the house gets its water. A village connection means the Village's 2025 report describes it: approximately 22 grains, 377 parts per million on average.
A private well means the report does not apply, and the well itself has to supply the number. Homes in the Town of Grafton and around Saukville are worth asking about directly, since the Village's figures cover only the Village's own system.
Finding the softener
On village water the Village itself says homes typically need a softener, so look in the basement, the utility room or the garage, near where the main line comes in. Expect a tall tank with a control valve at its head and a shorter tank beside it for the salt.
Lift the lid of the salt tank: it should hold salt or potassium chloride. Then follow the drain line from the softener; its end should sit above the drain with an air gap between them, not pushed down into it.
Questions for the seller
How old is the softener, and does it decide when to regenerate by a meter or sensor, or by a timer? The demand-initiated kind is the one Wisconsin's code asks for, in SPS 382.40(8)(j). Has anyone changed its hardness setting, and to what?
If the house is on a well, is there a lab report, and how recent is it? A seller will not always know every answer. What you do learn is useful on the call, and the rest is covered by the plumber's reading at the tap.
The first weeks in the house
Compare the softener's hardness setting with the water: about 22 grains on village water, your lab figure on a well. The guide to softener settings on this site goes through that check one step at a time.
On a private well, put the Wisconsin DNR's advice on the calendar: a bacteria test once a year or more often. A softener is not designed to treat bacteria or nitrate, so that test stands apart from anything softening does.
If the softener is missing or worn out
Call any weekday between 7am and 5pm. Tell us how many people live in the house, where the main line comes in, where the old unit sits if there is one, and whether the water comes from the Village or a well. You hear the price on that call, and the only visit is the plumbing contractor's, on installation day.
Common questions
Should I keep the old softener's paperwork?
Yes, if there is any. A manual or a model label tells you how to read its settings, though the call does not need it.
We bought in the Town of Grafton. Is a softener typical there?
That depends on the water in your house. The Village's description fits the village system; a private well has to be tested before anyone can say.
More for Grafton homes
- Water softener installation in Grafton, WI
- Water softener replacement in Grafton, WI
- Well water softeners in Grafton, WI
- Grafton, WI water hardness
- Grafton water guides
- About Grafton Water Softener Co.
- Water softener quotes in Grafton, WI
- How to read Grafton's annual water report for hardness
- What setting does a softener need on Grafton village water?
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