FAQ

Kinetico water softeners are priced about the same as what most dealers call their “good stuff.” Also, remember that Kinetico water softeners last longer, require zero maintenance, and use about 70 percent less salt. In the long run, these things make Kinetico the least expensive water softener you can buy.

A common complaint about other water softeners is that they suddenly start delivering hard water for days or a week at a time, even when there’s plenty of salt in the tank. That usually happens when something throws off the softener’s finicky computerized timing. It doesn’t take much—extra laundry days, a houseguest increasing the shower load, or even leaving for a few days of vacation can do it. When that happens, the water softener regenerates later than it should, which allows your water heater to fill with hard water that takes time to dilute away. It can take up to a week before before it fills with soft water again. This problem will keep repeating itself until someone goes down in the basement and figures out how to reprogram the computerized timing.

We think that’s a design flaw. Kinetico’s patented, computerless dual-tank design eliminates that problem and ensures you’ll have soft water nonstop, 24/7.

Kinetico cuts salt use three ways:

1. A typical water softener doesn’t regenerate based on actual water use; its computerized control guesstimates. To stay on the safe side, they are set to regenerate earlier and more often than needed. Since most softeners cannot regenerate and soften at the same time, they move up regeneration to a time when no one is likely to be using water, usually in the middle of the night. All in all, that translates to burning through about 25 to 30 percent more salt than necessary.
   A Kinetico water softener doesn’t have either problem. It regenerates based on real-time water use instead and guesstimating, and it can regenerate anytime day or night and never stop softening. That much alone cuts salt use by about 25 percent to 30 percent.
2. Other water softeners regenerate starting at the top of the brine tank and work their way down. That’s a problem because hard water contaminates are most concentrated at the top, and as the regeneration process moves down, that concentration of contaminates moves with it. As a result, the water softener regenerates contaminated water using contaminated water—like washing glassware in water you just used to clean greasy pots and pans. Only Kinetico, with its patented “countercurrent regeneration” starts at the bottom and works its way up. It’s an innovation that cuts salt use by about another 25 percent.
3. Most water softeners regenerate using hard water. If you think that sounds like they’re working against themselves, well, you’re right. We designed Kinetico water softeners to regenerate using soft water. That cuts salt use by another 20 percent.

There you have it: 25 percent, 25 percent, and 20 percent. Add it up and you get 70 percent. That’s how Kinetico uses about 70 percent less salt than competing water softeners. That’s 70 percent fewer trips you’ll make to buy salt and 70 percent fewer bags you’ll lug in from the car.

Kinetico cuts salt use three ways:

1. A typical water softener doesn’t regenerate based on actual water use; its computerized control guesstimates. To stay on the safe side, they are set to regenerate earlier and more often than needed. Since most softeners cannot regenerate and soften at the same time, they move up regeneration to a time when no one is likely to be using water, usually in the middle of the night. All in all, that translates to burning through about 25 to 30 percent more salt than necessary.
   A Kinetico water softener doesn’t have either problem. It regenerates based on real-time water use instead and guesstimating, and it can regenerate anytime day or night and never stop softening. That much alone cuts salt use by about 25 percent to 30 percent.
2. Other water softeners regenerate starting at the top of the brine tank and work their way down. That’s a problem because hard water contaminates are most concentrated at the top, and as the regeneration process moves down, that concentration of contaminates moves with it. As a result, the water softener regenerates contaminated water using contaminated water—like washing glassware in water you just used to clean greasy pots and pans. Only Kinetico, with its patented “countercurrent regeneration” starts at the bottom and works its way up. It’s an innovation that cuts salt use by about another 25 percent.
3. Most water softeners regenerate using hard water. If you think that sounds like they’re working against themselves, well, you’re right. We designed Kinetico water softeners to regenerate using soft water. That cuts salt use by another 20 percent.

There you have it: 25 percent, 25 percent, and 20 percent. Add it up and you get 70 percent. That’s how Kinetico uses about 70 percent less salt than competing water softeners. That’s 70 percent fewer trips you’ll make to buy salt and 70 percent fewer bags you’ll lug in from the car.

Most people with an ordinary water softener end up in the basement on a regular basis resetting its electronic controls or, worse, replacing them. (They’re the most expensive part to replace.) A Kinetico water softener doesn’t use electricity, so there are no electronic controls to set, and there are no filters to change. That’s why Kinetico water softeners last years longer than other systems and cost next to nothing to maintain.

Kinetico’s all-mechanical design means:

• No finicky controls that need constant resetting.
• No expensive electronics to replace.
• No regenerating too soon (which wastes salt).
• No regenerating too late (which gives you hard water even when you still have plenty of salt).
• Constant flow of soft water even during regeneration.
• Lasts years longer.
• Costs next to nothing to maintain.
• No filters to change.
• Economical—costs much less to operate.
• Optimal softness 24/7.

Now and then a water softener must flush out the particles it has removed from household water. We call that process regeneration. Most softeners can’t regenerate and deliver soft water at the same time, which is why they’re usually programmed to regenerate at night. Only a Kinetico softener does both at once. As long as you keep up with the salt (70 percent less than other softeners need), you’ll always have soft water.

Kinetico takes its name from kinetic energy, that is, energy in motion—because Kinetico water softeners are powered by flowing water instead of electricity. It’s an important difference that gives you a number of advantages: No programming is ever required, even after a power outage; it can regenerate even when your electricity is off; you’ll never have to worry about a power surge zapping costly electronics; regeneration is precisely timed (which saves salt); soft water is delivered 24/7; and there are no costly electronic parts for water and salt to corrode.

The “hard” in “hard water” is literal: It refers to water with 121 or more milligrams per gallon of metal particles—such as magnesium, calcium, manganite, and others. If you have hard water and a family of four, over a half-ton of those particles flow into your home every three years.

Most people are surprised when they see how much those particles build up and the damage they cause. Hard water deposits build up and cause dishwashers, clothes washers, and other appliances to wear out years before their time. They leave rock-hard rings in tubs and toilets, stubborn deposits on shower walls, and spots on dishes. And most people report that hard water gives them dry, itchy skin. One of the biggest dangers of hard water damage is that it often goes unseen until something breaks down and costs you money. Take, for instance, water heaters. Heat makes hard water particles clump and attach to the heater’s walls and floor. The clumping and buildup double every time you increase the setting by 20 degrees. A heater must heat the clumps before it can heat the water, which wastes energy, and, worse, the clumps eat away at the water heater from the inside out, reducing its life by years.

Utah’s water is famously hard. There are kits you can purchase if you’d like to test it for yourself. You can also call your local water utility, who can tell you the average hardness of water where you live. Or give us a call at 800-969-4420 and ask us to test your water for you. There’s no charge.

You’ll love Kinetico’s warranty. It’s designed to protect you, not us. Find out more about our warranty here.

All Kinetico products are manufactured right here in the good old USA. Kinetico Inc. is headquartered in Newbury, Ohio.

Salt. Period. The only exception is water with unusually high iron content, which is rare unless you have a private well. Look for telltale signs like rust-colored stains in sinks, toilet bowls, shower walls, bathtubs, and on clothing. In that case, all you need is a rust-removal product such as Rustout or Iron OUT, which you can buy from a store or online. Don’t fall for it if anyone tries to sell you other additives.