Water softeners and filters treat water at the point it enters your house or at one tap. They do different jobs, and buying the wrong one is the usual mistake. Call (630) 822-9290 to talk it through. Planned work is by appointment, and our 24/7 line is open if a unit is leaking.
If a softener or filter tank is leaking now, shut off the bypass valve or the main supply and unplug the controller. Keep the area dry and call. Salt and brine on a basement floor can stain, so mop it up once the leak stops.
Test first, buy second
Hard water, chlorine taste, iron staining and sediment are separate problems. A softener helps with hardness minerals. A carbon filter helps taste and odor. A sediment filter catches grit.
So the first step is a test of your tap. A home test kit or a certified lab report shows what you actually have. Without it, you risk paying for a system that does not touch your problem.
What we know about Darien water, and what we do not
Darien buys treated Lake Michigan water from the City of Chicago, delivered through the City's own system. The City does not publish a hardness figure that we can point to, so we will not give you one.
Instead, test your tap. You can also ask the City water operator at (630) 353-8105 what the City reports and how to read it. Your own result is what counts, because plumbing in your house can change what comes out of the tap.
Symptom, likely cause and what fits
Use this as a guide, then confirm with a test.
| What you notice | Possible cause | What might help |
|---|---|---|
| White crust on faucets and showerheads | Dissolved hardness minerals | Softener, after a test confirms |
| Chlorine smell or taste | Disinfectant in treated water | Carbon filter at the tap or house |
| Grit in aerators | Sediment from the main or old pipe | Sediment filter |
| Rusty or orange stains | Iron or corroding pipe | Depends: test first, check pipe |
| Cloudy water that clears | Air bubbles | Usually nothing |
| Water heater that sounds noisy | Scale at the bottom of the tank | Flush the tank, then consider softening |
A symptom is a clue, not a result. A test decides.
Softener or filter: which job each one does
These are not the same device, and many homes use both.
- Water softenerSwaps hardness minerals for sodium or potassium. It uses salt and a drain connection. It does not filter taste.
- Carbon filterReduces chlorine taste and odor and some chemicals. Cartridges need changing.
- Sediment filterCatches grit. It protects other equipment downstream.
- Whole house or one tapA house system treats everything. A tap filter treats drinking water only.
Filters for specific contaminants, such as lead, should be certified for that claim. Ask the maker for the certification, and ask the City water operator about your service line record.
How an install goes
- 1
Review your test
The plumber reads your water test and talks about what you want fixed.
- 2
Find a spot
We choose a place near the main with room, power and a drain.
- 3
Plumb in
Bypass valves, unions and supply connections are set so the unit can be isolated.
- 4
Drain and overflow
The softener drain and brine overflow are routed to a proper discharge.
- 5
Program and test
We set the controller, run a regeneration and check for leaks.
What affects softener and filter pricing
Equipment and labor vary, so we outline each piece first.
Ask for a realistic plan by calling (630) 822-9290.
Want a straight answer on your water?
Call and describe what you see. We will tell you whether a test, a filter or a softener makes sense.
Pipes, heaters and what hardness does to them
If hardness is high, it can build scale in a water heater and on fixtures. If you see noise from your tank, ask about a water heater repair visit. A softener can also affect a tankless water heater, which is sensitive to scale.
Treated water does not replace good piping either. If rusty water is a pipe issue, see repiping before spending on equipment.
The softener drain and overflow connections are made to meet the standards in the Illinois Plumbing Code (Title 77, Part 890 of the Illinois Administrative Code), and we set the unit up according to the manufacturer guidelines.
Before the plumber arrives
Softener and filter questions from Darien homeowners
Yes. Dispatch answers 24/7 at (630) 822-9290. Planned installs are by appointment, and same-day appointments are offered when available.
We do not state a figure because none is published that we can cite. Test your tap and ask the City water operator at (630) 353-8105.
Darien buys treated Lake Michigan water from the City of Chicago. What reaches your tap also depends on the piping in your house.
Maybe not. Spots and scale have other causes. Test first, and decide from the result.
Only filters certified for lead do. Ask for the certification, and ask the City water operator what is recorded for your service line.
Yes. See Willowbrook and Woodridge, and give dispatch your address.