/>Hi, I'm Diego M.. I live in New Mexico.
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.
The Hard Water Nightmare That Started It All
Did you know that hard water can actually shorten the lifespan of your water heater by up to 42%?
I discovered this the hard way when my 8-year-old water heater started making concerning noises and my energy bills kept creeping higher each month. Living here in New Mexico, our municipal water supply carries a hefty mineral load—around 18 grains per gallon of hardness, which puts us firmly in the "very hard" category.
The problems were everywhere I looked. White crusty buildup covered every faucet and showerhead in the house. My coffee maker died after just two years, completely clogged with mineral deposits. My wife complained constantly about her hair feeling like straw after washing, and our youngest developed persistent dry skin patches that seemed to worsen after baths.
I'd tried the typical band-aid solutions—CLR for the fixtures, expensive shampoos, moisturizing soaps—but nothing addressed the root cause. The turning point came when our dishwasher repair technician bluntly told me that the mineral buildup was so severe, replacement made more sense than repair. That $800 wake-up call sent me straight to researching water softening solutions.
After testing our water with a TDS meter, I measured 320 parts per million of dissolved solids, with calcium and magnesium making up the bulk of those minerals. The EPA considers anything over 300 ppm as "very hard," so we were definitely past the threshold where a water softener becomes essential rather than optional.
Why I Chose the SoftPro Elite Over Everything Else
>My research phase lasted about three weeks, and I quickly learned that not all water softeners are created equal. The market is flooded with options ranging from $400 big-box store units to $3,000 premium systems, each claiming to be the "best" solution.
I narrowed my focus to salt-based ion exchange systems after discovering that salt-free "conditioners" don't actually remove hardness minerals—they just alter their structure temporarily. For our level of hardness, I needed genuine mineral removal, not temporary conditioning.
The SoftPro Elite HE caught my attention for several specific reasons. First, the high-efficiency design uses up to 75% less salt than conventional softeners through its advanced regeneration cycle. With salt prices climbing and environmental concerns about sodium discharge, this efficiency appealed to both my wallet and conscience.
Second, the built-in sediment pre-filter addressed another issue I'd noticed—occasional cloudiness in our city water, especially after heavy rains when the treatment plant seemed overwhelmed. Having both softening and filtration in one compact unit meant I wouldn't need separate systems competing for space in my utility room.
The SoftPro Valve technology sealed the deal for me. Unlike traditional time-based regeneration that wastes salt by regenerating on schedule regardless of actual water usage, the SoftPro Valve monitors real water consumption and only regenerates when the resin bed is actually exhausted. For a family of four with varying schedules, this demand-initiated regeneration made perfect sense.
Warranty coverage also factored heavily into my decision. The 10-year manufacturer warranty on the SoftPro Valve and 5-year coverage on the resin tank demonstrated confidence in build quality that cheaper alternatives simply couldn't match.
Unboxing and First Impressions
The system arrived about four weeks after ordering—COVID-19 supply chain delays were still affecting deliveries at the time. The shipping company called ahead to schedule delivery, which I appreciated since the unit weighs around 180 pounds fully assembled.
Unpacking revealed immediately impressive build quality. The resin tank features a thick-walled fiberglass construction with a smooth gel coat finish that looks far more professional than the plastic tanks on budget units. The brine tank uses food-grade polyethylene with reinforced walls and a secure, gasketed lid.
What really impressed me was the pre-assembled nature of the system. The SoftPro Valve came factory-mounted and pre-programmed, with all internal connections completed. The bypass valve assembly was included but not installed, allowing for custom plumbing configurations.
The installation manual exceeded my expectations—clear diagrams, step-by-step photos, and QR codes linking to online videos for visual learners. Having tackled DIY plumbing projects before, I felt confident about self-installation after reviewing the documentation.
Component quality inspection revealed solid construction throughout. The bypass valve uses brass fittings rather than plastic, the drain line connections employ compression fittings for leak-proof operation, and all electrical connections feature weather-resistant designs.
Installation Reality Check
> Was I prepared for the plumbing adventure ahead?
Definitely not completely, but the experience proved more manageable than expected.
My house uses 3/4-inch copper supply lines, which required a trip to the hardware store for reducing adapters to connect the 1-inch inlet/outlet ports. This wasn't unexpected—most residential plumbing uses 3/4-inch while high-capacity softeners need 1-inch connections for optimal flow rates.
The installation location required some creativity. My utility room has limited floor space, so I positioned the system in the corner near the water heater, allowing easy access to the main water line and existing floor drain for the regeneration discharge.
Cutting into the main water line felt nerve-wracking, but the process went smoothly. I shut off water at the meter, drained the lines, and used a pipe cutter to make clean cuts for the bypass valve installation. The push-in connectors on the SoftPro Valve made connections foolproof—just insert the pipe until it clicks, and the internal grip mechanism holds everything secure.
Electrical connection proved simple since the unit only requires a standard 110V outlet. The SoftPro Valve draws minimal power—just enough to operate the electronic controls and drive the regeneration motor when needed.
The most time-consuming aspect was running the drain line to my utility sink. The regeneration cycle discharges about 25 gallons of salty backwash water, so proper drainage is essential. I used 5/8-inch vinyl tubing with an air gap at the drain to prevent any possibility of backflow contamination.
Total installation time stretched to about 6 hours over a weekend, including the hardware store run and careful leak testing of all connections. The system pressurized without any issues, and the initial startup sequence completed automatically.
Performance Testing and Real Results
> I waited 24 hours after installation before testing water quality, allowing the resin bed to fully condition and any air bubbles to clear from the lines. The transformation was immediately noticeable, even without test strips.
Baseline testing with my TDS meter showed 320 ppm hardness before treatment. Post-softening measurements consistently read 85-95 ppm—a reduction of approximately 70% in total dissolved solids. More importantly, https://www.trustpilot.com/review/softprowatersystems.com specific hardness testing using pool test strips showed virtually zero calcium and magnesium content in the treated water.
The first shower provided unmistakable evidence of the system's effectiveness. Water felt noticeably "slippery"—the characteristic feel of truly soft water that allows soap to lather easily and rinse completely clean. My wife noticed the difference immediately, commenting that her hair felt softer and more manageable after just one wash.
Coffee brewing revealed another dramatic improvement. The mineral buildup that previously clouded every cup disappeared entirely. Coffee flavor became noticeably brighter and more nuanced without the mineral interference that had masked subtle flavor notes.
Dishwasher performance improved dramatically within the first week. Spots and film that had plagued our glassware for years simply vanished. Dishes emerged spotless without rinse aid additives, and the interior of the dishwasher began showing signs of existing mineral deposits dissolving away.
I tracked regeneration cycles carefully during the first month. With our family's usage pattern averaging 280 gallons daily, the system regenerated every 8-9 days, consuming approximately 8 pounds of salt per cycle. This aligned perfectly with the manufacturer's efficiency specifications.
