Kinetico versus Rain Soft
Kinetico versus Rain Soft
(OP)
I just brought a house and am having a heck of a time on deciding which water treatment system to get. The water down here in south Texas is rough.
I think I have it narrowed down to Rain Soft and Kinetico. Right now I am leaning towards Kinetico simply because of the cost of the Rain Soft system. I was quoted about $6,000 for the computerized model. The Rain Soft sales person put on a good show, but I think the Kinetico system has a lot going for it. I’ve heard that replacing the filters in the Kinetico system can run into some money compared to the Rain Soft system.
Can anybody give me a review/opinion?
Thanks.
I think I have it narrowed down to Rain Soft and Kinetico. Right now I am leaning towards Kinetico simply because of the cost of the Rain Soft system. I was quoted about $6,000 for the computerized model. The Rain Soft sales person put on a good show, but I think the Kinetico system has a lot going for it. I’ve heard that replacing the filters in the Kinetico system can run into some money compared to the Rain Soft system.
Can anybody give me a review/opinion?
Thanks.





RE: Kinetico versus Rain Soft
RE: Kinetico versus Rain Soft
RE: Kinetico versus Rain Soft
The above discussions sound rather subjective. What is good, what is bad. Is there reverse osmosis for drinking water and "zeolite" saot regenerated softener for washing, etc, water? It's hard to compare quotes.
Being engineers and project managers and all, and in any case, perhaps it'd be good to put together a bid package, and just fax it to at least three qualified suppliers?
All you'd need is to specify something like:
- a raw water quality analysis: calcium and magnesium, carbonate and total alkalinity, pH, conductivity, sodium, iron, manganese, turbidity, and perhaps total suspended solids and the like. Water analysis may perhaps obtained free of charge from your local health authority
- water temperature range, perhaps
- estimate of peak and average water flow desired
- water quality desired (eg: for drinking or washing or both)
And asking about:
- size (eg: will it fit in your home), diagrams, specifications, brochures.
- estimated annual maintenance cost (eg: annual usage and cost of regenerant salt or whatever, and filter cartridges, if any, etc).
- installation cost, if applicable
- sketches, brochures or whatever
- other?
- oh yeah, of course, price.
- performance guarantee?
They could just fax, mail or email you quotes, saving a visit to your home and perhaps also thereby getting better price. Keeping the old saying in mind, "buy cheap and pay twice", it is always good to have more than two quotes.
For a five to eight thousand dollar home purchase, sounds like it might be worth it. You could decompress the sales situation, too, make it fairer for all, like that poor young hungry sales guy, as well as yourself, and more easily screen out any "scammers", too. ?? ? Anyhow ...
Good luck.
RE: Kinetico versus Rain Soft
RE: Kinetico versus Rain Soft
Having folks drive out to your house has gotta cost those folks (time is money). Looks like they are even working on a different market, house calls and pre-sales service, vs just getting you the water treatment you want? Gotta give'm credit for their effort.
Cheers//
RE: Kinetico versus Rain Soft
I've been associated with the industrial water business for many years. When I recommend and buy home water softening/iron removal/RO systems, I go to Lowes, Home Depot, Sears, etc. The cost is about 1/5, less if the unit is last years model. The equipment lasts for around 10 years, has all the similar controls, uses (generally) the same components, same resins. It's tough to justify, for me, spending that kind of money on something this basic.
On the downside, time is money. If you don't know anything about water pretreatment and try to educate yourself, you'll probably spend several manweeks to KNOW what you need, and by then you've wasted thousands of dollars you could have billed.
Generally, if you have municiple water and choose to pretreat, get a simple softner with salt economizer/usage meter control and install it yourself. The dual systems out there are pretty neat, but not worth the money, except to talk to the neighbors about. The "non-electric" units are neat too, but not worth paying extra for. Put an RO under the sink and you're done. If you have well water, a chlorinator and/or iron filter is a possibility, along with a whole house particulate filter.
Just my opinion. Good luck.
RE: Kinetico versus Rain Soft
RE: Kinetico versus Rain Soft