When a Grafton softener needs replacing
In a village where the utility says homes typically need a softener, an old one that quits leaves about 22 grains at every tap. The Niagara dolomite under Grafton does not take a day off.
Call (262) 829-5961Mon to Fri, 7am to 5pmWhat 22 grains does when the softener falls behind
The white spots on fixtures, the film on glassware and the scale building in a water heater's tank are all hard water's doing. With the Village's own average at 377 parts per million, those are the signs to watch for once hardness starts slipping past an aging unit.
The replacement is the kind the code calls for
Wisconsin's plumbing code, SPS 382.40(8)(j), calls for a demand-initiated softener, one with a meter or sensor. Whatever kind you had before, the replacement we supply is that kind.
Same aquifer, same starting point
The Village's six wells all draw from the same rock, so a replacement anywhere on the village system starts from the same figure, about 22 grains. Your household size and the plumber's opening reading fill in the rest.
If a private well supplies your house instead, the old unit's settings are no guide. The starting figure is whatever your lab found, or what the plumber reads before the work.
What to tell us about the old unit
Where it sits, how your main line reaches it and whether its drain line ends at a drain you can see. Its age and brand are worth mentioning, though the replacement is sized from Grafton's water and your household, not from the old label.
How the swap goes
The plumbing contractor pulls the old unit, places the new resin and salt tanks, connects the bypass, sets the air gap where the drain line meets the drain and fits the drinking-water faucet beside the kitchen sink.
Then a retest at your tap, run until it reads zero hardness.
Common questions
Is my old softener up to Wisconsin's code?
There is no way to say from here. The code, SPS 382.40(8)(j), calls for a demand-initiated softener with a meter or sensor, and that is the kind the replacement will be.
I'm on a private well near Grafton. Does any of this change?
The steps stay the same; the starting number changes. Instead of the Village's 22 grains, whatever your lab found, or what the plumber reads before the work, sets the size.
Is there a sales visit before the replacement?
No. The price is settled by phone. The plumbing contractor's arrival, on installation day, is the only visit.