What the work is
These two do different things and most houses here want both. The softener protects the water heater, the fixtures and the appliances. The reverse osmosis unit handles what you drink and cook with.
Installed together they cost less than installed separately, and more importantly they get plumbed in the right order the first time: sediment and carbon, then the softener, then reverse osmosis at the tap.
What is included
- Water test at your tap before anything is sized
- Softener with bypass, drain and programming to the tested hardness
- Under-sink reverse osmosis with its own faucet
- Fridge or ice maker connection where you want one
- One written schedule for salt, cartridges and service
What is not
- Whole-house carbon and sediment, if you want that too. Quoted alongside
- Countertop cutting for the reverse osmosis faucet
- Electrical beyond an existing receptacle
What each one is for
The softener is what a tankless water heater's warranty is asking for. The reverse osmosis unit is what makes the water taste like water. Neither one substitutes for the other, and being sold one as if it were the other is the most common thing that goes wrong in this category.
What to ask anyone quoting this, us included
- What order are these plumbed in?
- What did my water test at?
- What is the yearly running cost of both together?
