The carbon filter always goes first. The correct order is: water main or pressure tank, then sediment filter if you have one, then carbon filter, then water softener. Chlorine in city water slowly degrades softener resin, so removing it with carbon first protects the resin and makes it last longer. The carbon filter dechlorinates the water, then the softener removes the hardness minerals.

They solve two different problems that most city homes have at the same time. The carbon filter removes chlorine, taste, odor, VOCs, and disinfection byproducts, so the water is cleaner and smells better at every tap. The water softener removes the calcium and magnesium hardness that causes scale buildup, soap scum, dry skin, and shortened appliance life. Run together, you get clean, soft, better-tasting water throughout the house, and the carbon protects the softener resin from chlorine damage.

It removes free chlorine, taste, and odor extremely well. If your utility disinfects with chloramine (ammonia plus chlorine), call us before ordering. Chloramine removal works best with a backwashing catalytic carbon filter that periodically refreshes the bed, and we can configure that version of the package for you. Check your annual Consumer Confidence Report or call your water utility if you are not sure.

Yes, most of our customers do. The carbon filter is the simpler install: no electricity, no drain, just plumb it in with 3/4" CPVC or push-fit fittings. The water softener needs a standard 120V outlet and a drain line for regeneration. Plan 3 to 5 hours for both. If you hire a plumber, they can call Aidan directly at 800-460-5810 for help programming the Fleck 5600SXT valve. We walk customers through installation 7 days a week.

This pairing is ideal for a 2 to 4 person household with up to 3 bathrooms. The 1.5 cubic foot carbon filter handles that flow comfortably, and the 48,000 grain softener covers 5 to 30 grains per gallon of hardness. If you have 5 or more people, 4 or more bathrooms, or unusually high chlorine, step up to the 2.5 cubic foot carbon filter and a larger softener. Call Aidan with your water test and household details for a personalized recommendation.

The carbon filter is virtually maintenance-free day to day. Refresh the carbon media roughly every 3 to 5 years on typical city water, poured in through the fillport without removing the tank. For the softener, just keep salt in the brine tank, most households add a 40 lb bag every 4 to 8 weeks. Regeneration is automatic and demand-based, so there is no timer to manage.

Yes, for wells with clean baseline chemistry where the goal is to polish taste, remove dissolved organics, and soften hardness. If your well has measurable iron, a rotten egg sulfur smell, or a pH below about 6.5, those problems need to be treated first, with an iron filter or acid neutralizer ahead of the softener, so the resin is not damaged. Send us your well water test and we will confirm whether this package is the right fit or whether you need pre-treatment.

Both tanks carry a 10-year warranty and both valves carry 5-year warranties. The Fleck 5600SXT is the most widely used residential softener valve in America, so parts are everywhere and technicians know it. The 10% crosslink resin lasts 12 to 15+ years, and because the carbon removes chlorine upstream, the resin lasts even longer than it would on raw city water. The carbon media itself is a routine refresh item every few years.