Whole House Water Softener Installation & Repair in Orange County, CA
Ever notice scum on your faucet or shower head, low water pressure or failing appliances? That’s from hard water scale buildup in your pipes, water heater and more. A water softener can fix that!
Benefits of a Water Softener
Hard water increases costs by using more energy, soap, appliance repairs, and early replacements. Softening water provides these benefits:
- Pipes, Faucets & Showerheads: Dissolved minerals eventually evaporate in hot water and form tiny crystals (limescale) that stick to faucets, pipes and more, leaving behind clogged pipes and soap scum.
- Appliances: Dishwashers, washing machines, coffee makers, and ice makers don’t get clogged with scale, and in turn use more energy before breaking down prematurely.
- Water Heater: They last longer and scale buildup leads to increased energy costs, low flow and repairs.
- Clothes: Towels stay fluffy, whites don’t turn grey and colors don’t fade as fast.
- Dishes & Glasses: No more white film or water spots.
- Skin & Hair: Hard water can make your skin and scalp feel itchy or dry and your hair feel brittle and rough. Dyed hair fades much faster.
- Shampoo & Soap: Hard water makes it difficult to lather resulting in use more soap and shampoo.
Why Choose Liquid Plumbing?
✅ Trusted, licensed & insured since 1976. Our experience shines through after being in business this long.
✅ We specialize in installing, repairing and maintaining water softeners.
✅ You know the price before we start, no surprises, just fair, local family-owned prices.
What is a Water Softener?
A water softener is a type of filtration system that removes minerals in water that cause hard water. The most common type of home water softeners work by ion exchange. During this process, water flows through a tank lined with negatively charged resin beads that attract and bind with the positively charged calcium and magnesium ions in your water. The minerals are trapped in a salty brine solution and are flushed away before they ever reach the tap. This type of system requires a steady supply of water softener salt and effectively removes unwanted hard water minerals.
What is Hard Water?
Hard water contains calcium, magnesium, and other trace amounts of dissolved minerals. According to the United States Geological Survey, more than 85 percent of homes in the United States have some degree of hard water. The more the minerals dissolved in the water, the harder the water becomes.
Why Does Orange County Have Hard Water?
Water hardness in Orange County varies by city due to differences in local groundwater and imported water sources. However, no OC city has soft water, even though each water district in Orange County uses a different mix of these three sources.
3 Main Sources of Orange County Water
Colorado River: The Colorado river is loaded with minerals resulting in very hard water that is high in calcium and magnesium.
Northern California: Moderately hard water from the Sacramento-San Joaquin Bay Delta.
Local Ground Water: Moderately hard to hard water from the Santa Ana River, stormwater, and recycled water.
Cities like Fullerton, Anaheim, Tustin, and Westminster source a greater amount of water from the Colorado river thus rank among the hardest water in Orange County. Huntington Beach and Fountain Valley use more local ground water and water from NorCal so they rank among the lowest out all OC cities.
Water Softener Services
Installation & Replacement
We provide professional water softener installation including sizing the right softener for your household and plumbing it into your main water line. We then add a drain line and brine tank, and test the system. If it’s a replacement we’ll remove and dispose of the old unit. Installation typically takes about 3 to 6 hours.
Repairs
We repair error codes, stuck valves, a leaking brine tank, no regeneration, salty water and more. We’ll diagnose the issue and replace any broken parts.
Maintenance
DIY is always an option but if you feel need an expert we’re a call away. We clean the resin and brine tank, remove salt bridges, check salt levels, valves and seals, and ensure the system is fully optimized.
Frequently Asked Questions
- Can any plumber install or repair a water softener?
While any plumber is licensed in California to service water softeners many do plumbers do not specialize in servicing water softeners. - Can water softeners eliminate limescale that has already built up?
Water softeners are great at stopping new limescale from forming, but they can’t get rid of old deposits. To get rid of hardened scale, you usually need to use chemicals (like vinegar, citric acid, or stronger commercial/professional acids), high-pressure jetting, or, in very bad cases, you may need to replace the pipes. - Can I use salt-free water softener in my Orange County home?
A traditional water softener, which uses salt, removes calcium and magnesium, thus preventing scale buildup. In contrast, a salt-free conditioner, aka TAC conditioner, doesn’t remove these hard minerals. Instead, it changes how they crystallize, which greatly reduces, but doesn’t completely eliminate, scale formation. Salt-free conditioners perform better where water hardness is low to moderate, but Orange County water is generally classified as hard to very hard, so they won’t be as effective there as in softer water areas. Bottom line, we recommend a salt-based water softener for the best possible protection. However, if you’re looking to avoid using salt, a salt-free conditioner is a better choice than nothing, even though it does not perform as well as real softening. - Where in Orange County are water softeners banned?
Homeowners in the Irvine Ranch Water District (IRWD) cannot use traditional salt-based water softeners that discharge brine (salty wastewater) into the sewer system. IRWD uses recycled water for irrigation and the salt can be harmful to plants, trees and landscaping. Homeowners in this district can choose to do nothing and live with hard water, install a salt-free water conditioner that does not discharge waste, or use a service that picks up and exchanges cylinders so the salt does not enter the sewer system. The IRWD service area includes the City of Irvine and portions of Costa Mesa, Lake Forest, Newport Beach/Newport Coast, Orange, Tustin and unincorporated areas of Orange County. - How long do water softeners last?
A water softener typically lasts 10 to 15 years if properly maintained while it also depends on water usage and water hardness. - Do water softeners go bad if not used?
If it’s less than two weeks you should be safe to turn it back on. If it’s more than two weeks, we recommend having a water softener expert service the unit and ensure there is no bacteria or mineral buildup. - Will a water softener prevent pink stains in toilets, sinks, showers, and bathtubs?
While not a direct solution, it might slow down the pink discoloration caused by this airborne bacteria. This is because it removes part of its food source, specifically the minerals in hard water, and the rough surfaces that help the bacteria stick. To prevent pink water stains, keep affected areas dry and minimize moisture. Regular cleaning with bleach will also keep it from returning.
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