Want to remove a water softener


  #1  
Old 10-24-14, 12:40 PM
L
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Mar 2007
Posts: 60
Upvotes: 0
Received 0 Upvotes on 0 Posts
Question Want to remove a water softener

Why can't I find anything about this? Doesn't anyone NOT want a water softener?

We bought our house 14 years ago. At the time we were told it had a water softener and there is a big autumn gold tank sitting next to the water heater, and years ago we gave away the salt that had been left behind. Frankly, I don't know if it works, or if it ever worked. We've literally never touched it, never cleaned it, never filled it. It just sits there taking up space. We live in a smaller town and the city water is perfectly good. We just don't need it. I don't even know if water runs into it or if its been shut off...which kind of grosses me out now that I think about it, because if it's been running through there, what kind of germs have we been building up for 14 years? Ugh.

It's in my laundry/utility room and we're actually getting ready to sell in a year or so and I'd like to fix that room up a bit and put shelving there. Really, I'm tired of it taking up space I could use for something else.

But I've googled my fingers off and can't find anything to tell me how to uninstall the thing. Is it as simple as seeing if it has any water, draining if it does, shutting off the water to it (assuming it isn't) and cutting and capping the pipes? Heck, how do I even know if water is running through it? Actually, I'm pretty sure it isn't plugged in. (I'm writing this at work...spur of the moment.)

I know I sound like an idiot, but that's because where this is concerned I am. My husband and I neither one have ever even seen a water softener before we bought this house...and really we haven't seen this one...we keep the vacuum attachments and bag of cat litter sitting on it.

Help a lady in distress?
 
  #2  
Old 10-25-14, 05:46 AM
biermech's Avatar
Member
Join Date: Aug 2008
Location: USA
Posts: 1,707
Upvotes: 0
Received 3 Upvotes on 3 Posts
Some people want good water and some people don't. To unhook a softener, you have to cut the 2 pipes connected to the back of the unit. Move the softener away and reconnect the 2 pipes together. This will allow water to flow to the house. If you cap each pipe, you will not get water to the house. Disconnect the drain and brine line and you can hall the softener away. If you know what type it is, you could call water treatment companies to see if they will remove it for free if you give them the softener.
 
 

Thread Tools
Search this Thread
 
Ask a Question
Question Title:
Description:
Your question will be posted in: