/>Hi, I'm Chelsea R. I live in New Hampshire.
Craig "The Water Guy" Phillips asked me to share my homeowner experience with local tap water from the city and the SoftPro® Elite HE Water Softener for City Water (Industry's Best Softener & Filter Combo) I purchased.
This is how my adventures played out. I hope this helps you in your decision.
Did you know that even "treated" city water can wreak havoc on your home's plumbing and appliances?
I certainly didn't until I started noticing white crusty buildup on every faucet, my coffee maker constantly clogging, and my skin feeling tight and dry after every shower. Living in New Hampshire, I assumed our municipal water treatment meant I was getting quality H2O. Boy, was I wrong.
After six months of frustration watching my new stainless steel appliances develop water spots that seemed impossible to remove, I knew something had to change. The final straw came when my dishwasher repair technician told me the heating element was already showing mineral buildup after just eight months of use. That's when I started researching water softening solutions and discovered the world of residential water treatment systems.
The Hard Water Problem That Drove Me to Find a Solution
Before diving into my experience with the SoftPro Elite HE, let me paint you a picture of what life was like with our city's hard water. New Hampshire's municipal water supply, while safe to drink, carries dissolved minerals that create what's technically called "temporary hardness" - primarily calcium and magnesium carbonate.
The science behind this is pretty straightforward. As water moves through underground limestone and chalk deposits, it picks up these minerals. When heated (like in your water heater or dishwasher), these dissolved minerals precipitate out, forming those stubborn white deposits I kept scrubbing off everything.
In our household of four, I was going through cleaning products like crazy. My weekly routine included:
• Scrubbing faucets and showerheads with CLR
• Descaling the coffee maker monthly
• Running vinegar through the dishwasher to combat buildup
• Using twice the recommended detergent amounts
The financial impact was adding up too. Beyond the cleaning products, I calculated we were spending an extra $40 monthly on soaps and detergents that weren't performing effectively in hard water. Our water heater was also working harder - I noticed our electric bills creeping up as mineral deposits reduced its efficiency.
But the real frustration was personal comfort. My hair felt limp and coated, and my skin was constantly dry despite using expensive moisturizers. My daughter started complaining about her hair feeling "weird" after washing, and even our clothes seemed dingy despite being relatively new.
I tried several band-aid solutions first: different shampoos, liquid fabric softener, and various cleaning products marketed for hard water. Nothing addressed the root cause.
Research Phase: Why I Chose the SoftPro Elite HE System
>Once I committed to solving this properly, I spent about three weeks researching water softening technologies. The learning curve was steep - I had to understand ion exchange processes, regeneration cycles, and efficiency ratings that weren't exactly explained in consumer-friendly terms.
The first decision point was salt-based versus salt-free systems. Salt-free systems (technically called Template Assisted Crystallization or TAC) don't actually remove hardness minerals - they change their structure to reduce scaling. For our situation with 18 grains per gallon hardness, I needed actual mineral removal, which meant ion exchange technology.
Next came capacity calculations. With four people using approximately 280 gallons daily and our hardness level, I needed a system that could handle roughly 5,000 grains of hardness daily. This pointed me toward high-capacity residential units rated for 48,000-64,000 grain capacity.
The SoftPro Elite HE caught my attention for several technical reasons:
• Upflow regeneration design that uses 75% less salt than traditional downflow systems
• High-efficiency SoftPro Valve that regenerates based on actual water usage, not timers
• Integrated pre-filtration for chlorine and sediment removal
• NSF certification for both the system components and performance claims
I also appreciated that SoftPro provided detailed water testing interpretation. After sending in my municipal water report, they confirmed the Elite HE would address our specific mineral profile, including trace iron that was contributing to the metallic taste I'd been noticing.
The efficiency aspect was crucial for me. Traditional softeners regenerate using 6-8 pounds of salt per cycle, while the Elite HE's upflow design uses only 2-3 pounds for the same grain capacity. With environmental concerns and salt costs, this difference mattered.
Unboxing and First Impressions of Build Quality
The SoftPro Elite HE arrived in two separate shipments - the main tank and the SoftPro Valve assembly came first, followed by the brine tank and installation components three days later. Everything was packed exceptionally well with custom foam inserts protecting the valve components.
My first impression was how substantial everything felt. The mineral tank is constructed from high-grade fiberglass with a seamless design - no visible joints or seams that might fail over time. At 54 inches tall and 13 inches in diameter, it's definitely a presence in our utility room, but the neutral beige color blends well.
The SoftPro Valve is where the engineering really shows. Unlike the plastic valves I'd seen on cheaper units, this has a robust construction with clearly labeled ports and connections. The LCD display was already functional out of the box, cycling through system status information.
The brine tank included a high-efficiency salt grid system that keeps salt elevated above water level, preventing bridging issues I'd read about in other systems. The safety float and overflow fitting gave me confidence about flood protection.
Documentation quality exceeded my expectations. The installation manual included actual plumbing schematics, not just cartoon drawings. More importantly, the water testing guide helped me understand how to monitor system performance after installation.
One pleasant surprise was the inclusion of a TDS (Total Dissolved Solids) meter and testing strips. This allowed me to establish baseline measurements before installation and track performance improvements.
Installation Experience: Medium Difficulty But Manageable
> The installation manual rated this as "intermediate" difficulty, and I'd agree with that assessment. While not requiring professional plumbing skills, you definitely need comfort working with pipe connections and basic electrical wiring.
**Pre-installation preparation took longer than expected.**
I needed to install a dedicated 15-amp electrical circuit in our utility room, as the SoftPro Valve requires consistent power for its efficiency monitoring. The drain line connection was more involved than anticipated - the system requires a 1.5-inch drain line with specific air gap requirements for the regeneration cycle.
The bypass valve installation was straightforward thanks to SoftPro's compression fittings. I chose to install unions on both sides of the system, which added $30 in materials but makes future maintenance much easier. The whole setup connects into your main water line with a simple three-valve bypass system.
**Where I encountered challenges was getting the system level and properly supported.**
The filled mineral tank weighs approximately 400 pounds, so positioning it correctly the first time was crucial. I ended up building a small platform to ensure proper height for the drain connection and to protect our concrete floor.
The initial startup sequence took about 90 minutes. The SoftPro Valve runs through an automatic calibration process, testing valve positions and flow rates. During this phase, I could hear various mechanical sounds as the system cycled through its functions - completely normal but good to expect.
Programming the control valve was intuitive once I understood the logic. You input your water hardness level, iron content (if any), and household size. The system calculates optimal regeneration timing based on actual water usage rather than arbitrary time intervals.
**My total installation time was about 6 hours, including the electrical work and platform construction.**
A professional installer could probably complete this in 3-4 hours, but taking my time ensured everything was done correctly.
Performance Results: Measurable Water Quality Improvements
> **The transformation in water quality was noticeable within 24 hours of installation.**
Using the included TDS meter, I measured our incoming city water at 340 parts per million total dissolved solids. After the SoftPro Elite HE system, that number dropped to 195 PPM - a significant reduction that translates to real-world benefits.
Hardness elimination was complete according to my test strips. Our incoming water tested at 18 grains per gallon hardness (quite hard), while post-system water showed zero hardness minerals. The ion exchange resin was performing exactly as designed, swapping calcium and magnesium ions for sodium ions.
**But the real proof came in daily usage scenarios.**
Within one week, I stopped seeing new mineral deposits on faucets and showerheads. Existing buildup actually started dissolving as the softened water worked through our plumbing system. My coffee maker, which had been producing increasingly bitter coffee due to mineral buildup, suddenly started making noticeably better-tasting coffee.
The integrated carbon pre-filtration addressed our chlorine taste and odor issues immediately. New Hampshire's municipal water carries a strong chlorine smell, especially in summer months. That characteristic "pool water" taste disappeared completely.
**I tracked several measurable improvements over the first month:**
• Soap usage dropped by approximately 60% - softened water lathers much more effectively
• Dishwasher detergent usage decreased from 2 tablets per load to 1
• Laundry detergent requirements reduced by half
• Shampoo and body wash became significantly more effective
My skin and hair changes were dramatic. The tight, dry feeling after showers was gone within days. My hair became softer and more manageable - apparently, hard water minerals had been coating each strand, preventing proper moisture absorption.
**Energy efficiency improvements became apparent on our first electric bill after installation.**
Our water heater was operating more efficiently without mineral deposits interfering with heat transfer. I calculated roughly a 12% reduction in water heating costs, which helps offset the system's operational expenses.
