The Fleck 5600SXT valve is serviceable: somewhere around 10 to 15 years down the road it may need a piston, seals or a control board, which are common parts and fairly simple to replace. The valve carries a 5-year Pentair warranty and the Vortech mineral tank a 10-year manufacturer warranty. As for the resin: in Aidan's service work, 10% crosslink resin on water protected from iron and chlorine has lasted 30 to 40 years, while iron and chlorine shorten it.

Standard water softener resin uses 8% crosslinking in the polymer structure. Our 10% crosslink resin has a tighter molecular bond that makes it more resistant to chlorine damage, oxidation, and physical breakdown. That matters most on city water with chlorine; iron still shortens any resin's life, which is why high-iron wells get an iron filter first. The higher crosslink percentage also maintains better bead integrity over time, so you get consistent softening performance year after year.

The Fleck 5600SXT tracks your actual water usage and only regenerates when the resin is actually exhausted, not on a fixed timer. This saves salt and water compared to timer-based systems that regenerate whether they need to or not. The valve calculates your remaining soft water capacity based on your programmed hardness level and the amount of water you've used, then triggers regeneration at the optimal time (usually 2 AM). You can also see the remaining capacity on the backlit LCD display.

Size by the number of people and your hardness in grains per gallon, not by bathrooms. On water up to about 15 grains, the 48,000 grain covers 1 to 4 people and is the size most homes buy; 1 or 2 people can run it on water up to about 30 grains. Five or more people, or three or more on water over 15 grains, need the 64,000 or 80,000. The 32,000 grain fits 1 to 3 people up to about 15 grains, but Aidan usually starts homes at the 48,000. Count each 1 ppm of iron as about 5 grains. Not sure? Text Aidan your water test at 443-277-2204 or call 800-460-5810 and he'll tell you the size.

We recommend one. The bypass valve comes pre-installed on the control valve and the resin ships in separate bags, loaded at install, so the plumbing is an inlet and an outlet (1" connections); the part that takes planning is the 1/2" drain line to a floor drain, standpipe or utility sink, with an air gap (drain tubing is not included). A plumber typically completes the install in 2 to 3 hours, and Aidan supports your plumber by phone at 800-460-5810, 7 days a week. Programming the 5600SXT valve is three settings (time of day, hardness and capacity), and Aidan tells you or your plumber the numbers. If you'd rather do it yourself, you can; text Aidan at 443-277-2204 with any questions.

If your water pH is below 7.0 (acidic), yes: you should install an acid neutralizer before the water softener. Acidic water corrodes plumbing over time. The neutralizer raises your pH to a safe level, and the softener then removes the hardness. We sell acid neutralizer and water softener packages that include both systems.

A water softener can take out small amounts of dissolved (clear water) iron along with the hardness, but iron shortens the life of the resin. For higher iron, or orange (oxidized) iron, an iron filter goes in before the softener. Send Aidan your water test before you order: he'll tell you whether the softener alone is enough or you need an iron filter and water softener package.