Need Help: I am being sold on Watermax by Hague. Any feedback? $2700! OUCH!

[atwnsw]

My GE water softener finally died and I have been researching water softeners and was pointed to a Watermax by Hague. From what I can tell, here are the pros/cons:

Pros:
25 year warranty on entire unit except digital component
10 year warranty on digital component
Big Water Flow
Treats Chloramines (never heard of it until today)
Reduced Regeneration times (although not sure why important)

Cons:
Expense

Has anybody bought one of these?

I started the process by looking for a simple water softener and am
now leaning towards this unit. I don't want my clock cleaned if this
is "junk".

Please advise.

Thanks

Anthony

[larakorth]

Did you make any decisions yet. I see you post was in July. I am currently shopping for one an Hague and Culligan are too busy bashing each other that I can't seem to get the truth.....

Have you looked at any others?

[atwnsw]

The answer is I went with Hague but not at $2700.

I found out that an ex-employee that works with me moved out of state and works for Hague. He didn't sell me a unit but said that Hague was a far superior unit than Culligan. My brother has Culligan and likes it however, he just had a major problem in his house and it ruined several shower heads. They were clogued with some orange resin junk that flowed through the pipes. Sounded pretty ugly to me.

Anyways, I stumpled upon a person (on ebay) who had a unused unit and sold it to me for $1,000. I paid a hague person to install it. So, my total out of pocket was $1,200.

When I told my friend (ex-employee), he said that it was significantly below his cost.

So my advice is check out ebay!

Good luck.

[upser]

Hello i was thinking about purchasing this water system for my house and was wondering after you had it put in if you liked it or not? thanks butch bonning

[Ed Imeduc]

Try sears they cost less and work just fine.Had mine now for 5 years.

ED;)

[B Connelly]

.... too many bells and whistles and you are stuck with the Hague dealer to fix it . Go with a a more generic Fleck or even Autotrol ............even Sears for that matter . A Water Softener is a water softener too many companies are trying to re- invent the wheel here. You can get ANY water treatment company to fix a Fleck or Autotrol. You buy Hague you are stuck with Hague ... you buy Culligan .. you are stuck with Culligan .. I worked for Hague ... my thoughts? fagetaboutit!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[kcblueyes]

I know that this information may be too late for you, but it may help others. Check out the Better Business Bureau...www.bbb.com. I did and read that the company has an unsatisfactory record. At least in my area it does.

[captwally]

So many times, we are assaulted by sales weasels painting a brighter picture than is factual. And we have manufacturers adding bells and whistles that are totally unecessary. A water Softener is a water softener. Period. The End. This technology has been around for decades. Simpler is better. Less stuff to break. It's like a Mercedes Benz with windsheild washers on the headlights. Do you really need them? No you don't. If you want them, who am I to say not to get it? But it's just one more thing that can go wrong. Windshield wipers on headlights won't impede the operation of the car, but fancy digital displays and computer boards in close proximity to salt and water fail frequently and WILL cause you problems. So many times I see a unit I install for $800 being sold for $1500, or one worth $2000 being sold for SIX TO NINE THOUSAND DOLLARS, and it's the EXACT same equipment! Someone is making a serious boat payment!

[ka24510]

Hague units are about quality.

Car is not just a car. A 1994 Hyundai will get you where you need to go. But do you want it to? Most of us buy whats best on the market.

If your looking specifically for a water softener then I would buy a quality unit....one that doesnt leak and actually creates 0 grain water.

But for me and my family, I want to remove chemicals and chlorine and have good flow rates. Most basic softeners out there end up with a half inch or even smaller of plumbing inside them. If you have a 3/4 or 1" main line into your home you will over have problems there. And they use less salt and water during regeneration then any other ion exchange system out there. And it only has 3 moving parts. And its made in Ohio. And...and....and....

But be careful of whoever your distributer is, make sure they have a good record in your area. The dealer in my area treats me great.

[AndyC]

ka24510,

How is it you are removing chlorine with the softener? I mean that is a good idea but does your have a carbon bed in it or what?

Just curious,
Andy Christensen, CWS-II

[jdp38]

Andy has a good question.....and exactly what "chemicals" does a Hague remove?

[jdp38]

:coffee: :coffee: :coffee:

[ciapillo]

I have the hague watermax system with the digital control valve on top. This is on a well, there are three tanks one of them is salt, the other two have the digital controls on top of them.

The digital controls are both peeping, and the screens both say home not found. I tried to use the control, but it does not recognize that I'm pressing the buttons. Is there some code sequence or reset to make it work. Thanks

[bman80]

i'm thinking about purchasing the hague watermax system. for those of you that have purchased one, would you mind sharing how much you paid for it?

[Jasonandjason24]

Hague and Culligan sales people are all liers and have no water knowledge. All ion exchange water softners do the same exact function. The Only reason you would get a pressure drop is because of a undersized softner. Most sales people have no idea how to size a softner. The softner is mechanical and does nothing, it is the resin that actually softens the water. The resin makes your water soft and can take out a certain amount of iron, other then that it does nothing else, it does not remove any kind of chemicals what so ever. All these big companies highly miss inform the general public. Fleck sells exellent softners and stands by there product they are very good as far as warrenties. For the price of the $2500 Hague you can by 5 fleck softners :thinker:

[CEMart]

Yes that is some very very hard to understand, I want to know the price of the unity my self. if some one knows would love to learn it. I do have a cheap one American Brand and a GE water reverse-osmosis. total around $1500 installed. But would like to up-grade

[CEMart]

Did you call Hague to tell about your problems settins in the computer. They should be abel to tell you. And or come to you and fix it for free it those have warranty doesn't.

[kengrubb]

Wow! Only $2,500 for a Hague! That's a steal. [sarcastic tone ended]

Wife and I talked to a Hague sales rep this weekend. The softener and undersink reverse osmosis filter, for a mere $9,000--less if you wanna buy their soap and give them the names of your friends and family who can also participate in their multi-level game.

I went looking for comparisons of softeners and filters.

Consumer Reports rated the Whirlpool Gold WHER25 (available from Lowes) as a Best Buy, at $160--currently $192 on Lowes.com

Could not find a CR review of water softeners. Nor could I find anything at Epinions. I'll be doing some reading at apswater.com

[AndyC]

I'm not a Hague fan but I don't believe that $9000 price tag in the slightest.

Prices in this area for the most expensive Hague softener and the 3500 model RO with permenate pump is about $2700 installed.

Andy Christensen, CWS-II

[jdp38]

Gotta Go With Andy On This One....although I'm Not A Fan Of Hague, I've Only Seen One Complete Household System Run Over 3k

[kengrubb]

Maybe I got a "special" offer, but this is what the Hague rep offered us.

$9K with $600 down, 21% APR, and $399 a month

Or, we could give them 4 referrals, and get it for around $7K plus their soap--shades of Amway.

Or, we could get the softener only for $6K and skip the under sink unit.

Or, their bargain basement offer was a demo model they displayed at the Seattle Home Show for $5K.

A couple of Google searches turned up others who'd been sold Hague systems for $5K plus in MO and PA. MO Attorney General sued Hague in 2004 for their deceptive claims.

[overtherainbow]

wow the watermax is not a water softner it is the only tru water filter that filters out the crap that comes from the city. Hague quit making water softners almost 20 years ago. don't belive me hmmm I wonder why the heads of state water dept's use them, or why you can't find anyting in the drinking water line at the kitchen sink. no bacteria a TDS of absolute 0.

[overtherainbow]

oh and in our area they are $6380.00 i f you do the 4 things
I know they had payment plans as well but I figured I'd save the interest payments and pay it all at once. oh and it is the only system that is non comercial that will, WILL, filter out that bad bacteria that no chemical will kill. remeber it? it killed folks in WI back in the 90's

[AndyC]

wow the watermax is not a water softner it is the only tru water filter that filters out the crap that comes from the city. Hague quit making water softners almost 20 years ago. don't belive me hmmm I wonder why the heads of state water dept's use them, or why you can't find anyting in the drinking water line at the kitchen sink. no bacteria a TDS of absolute 0.

I am afraid you are mistaken to say the Hague quit making water softeners, now or 20 years ago. Other than that, I really don't understand anything else you said. Heads of state water departments? No bacteria or TDS? What are you talking about and where do you get your info?

Andy Christensen, CWS-II

[jimihendrix]

I believe the $9,000 price tag for Hague.

The Hague Water Max sells for $1,000 to $3,000 as stated in posts above.

Hague is currently selling this product for $11,400
($95 monthly payments for 120 months)
(the reverse osmosis option is another $1,000, but they give it away for free to some people)

This includes a 120-month supply of soap, a 25-year warranty on the system sans the electronics, and a 10-year warranty on the electronic componets. They will also inspect and maintain the system for free.

When customers buy the system, they are locked in on a 36-month plan, and after 36 months they can choose to discontinue using the system.

Hague also offers you prizes if you give them the names of your friends and relatives.

I almost started working for Hague but my ethics compelled me to quit after two days.

[starnz]

I for one can not believe the 9k price tag either. I have the watermax with the reverse osmosis kitchen faucet and my cost was under 4k. That includes taxes, installation, and what they claim to be 10 yrs worth of cleaning supplies. Since I havent had my system close to 10 years I can't vouch for that claim but I can say I am using an unbelievably small amount of detergents for washing clothes, dishes, etc.

The first time i washed dishes i used about half the amt of soap and I had a sink full of bubbles, could hardly wash dishes.

Here is the deal I was presented....

I was offered to buy the entire system (watermax, reverse osmosis) for $3998($2400 w/o r.o.). With this deal, install is free and they "pay" the taxes for you. Also, they throw in a 10 year supply of cleaning products, incl laundary, dish, dishwasher, glass, all-purpose, body, etc. The soaps are from a third party and supposedly guarenteed for life.
Or
You could rent the unit for up to three months to try it out. if you like it and decide you want to buy with in that three months, you get the above deal and everything you paid to rent is applied to the purchase price. The rental price was $46/mo and install of $99($25/mo w/o r.o.). If you didn't decide within three months, you had up to three years where they would apply half your expences thus far toward the unit purchase.

That was my deal. I'm in OH, 10 mins from their corp. offices. They seem to be legit to me. I'm satisfied and my rep followed up twice to be sure I was satisfied.

[jimihendrix]

That sounds much more reasonable.

I think the Watermax is a good system that has a good warranty, but I can't justify Hague charging $11,400 for a system which should cost less than $4k, which is what they are doing in KS and MO.

[beetlemania]

My GE water softener finally died and I have been researching water softeners and was pointed to a Watermax by Hague. From what I can tell, here are the pros/cons:

Pros:
25 year warranty on entire unit except digital component
10 year warranty on digital component
Big Water Flow
Treats Chloramines (never heard of it until today)
Reduced Regeneration times (although not sure why important)

Cons:
Expense

Has anybody bought one of these?

I started the process by looking for a simple water softener and am
now leaning towards this unit. I don't want my clock cleaned if this
is "junk".

Please advise.

Thanks

Anthony

I bought one last year in VA with a 6 month money back garentee and when my well water still looked like tang after they installed 2 units I asked for my money back and they stop taking my calls. They were supposed to come by and check up on it every 6 months and that never happened either. The salt unit went haywire the other day and the thing overflowed and flooded my house. The only way I could get it to stop was to turn off my well pump.

I called (the owners son) and he said he would be out next week, 7 days later I call and they appologize and say that will come back NEXT WEEK.... They did not so the warentee is completely worthless. I ended up having to fix it myself.

I am in the process of suing Hague right now and will be taking this thing out and selling it cheap on ebay if anyone is interested.

[ridesalot]

I was just quoted $7600 with the RO & 5 years worth of soaps & membership in some program which could help me buy items direct - tires, etc. No tax or installation fee. Since I have a 20 year old Hague softener, I was offered a "credit" of $1500 - and I could keep the old unit - still works fine. If paid in full - $500 additional credit - $4500 total. I was getting a special deal - normally only a $500 credit for old Hague equipment. Seems like prices vary greatly & I am only 150 miles from the factory.
I think the Watermax is a good system that has a good warranty, but I can't justify Hague charging $11,400 for a system which should cost less than $4k, which is what they are doing in KS and MO.[/QUOTE]

[arrietty7]

I recently had a Hague watermax system installed - $3500 Canadian, including tax and installation. Even with the so-called free supplies, I just don't understand some of the prices being quoted - I guess it's what the market will bear. And the only supplies I need are salt pellets for the brine tank. The water from my well is very hard, but the iron content was the more significant problem. It was 8.8 ppm, which is high, and had a sulfurous odor to it. It probably would not have killed me to drink it, but it certainly was unpleasant. And until I had the money for the whole house filter, I had to use a pitcher filter to have water for drinking, cooking, etc.

I am so pleased that I had the Watermax installed and wish I could have done it sooner. I just replace the salt occasionally and my well man told me the resin tank is good for 8-10 years. And the water is delicious and cold and so soft I can't control my hair!

[fisherman-bob]

Let me start by saying that I am a HAUGE service tech. In my expeirence I have found that any problems that our customers have had with the units in my area have all been resolved with in a matter of about an hour of my arrival. If I am not able to properly diagnose the problem, as a qualified hauge tech. I am able to contact the enginers at the factory to get the proper information to correct the issues at hand and have always had positive feedback from our customers.

Also I would like to inform you that in most cases that the unit that you are looking at has the feature of expanability by using the empty upper chamber for additional types of media versus the cost of additional equipment.

[fisherman-bob]

I have the hague watermax system with the digital control valve on top. This is on a well, there are three tanks one of them is salt, the other two have the digital controls on top of them.

The digital controls are both peeping, and the screens both say home not found. I tried to use the control, but it does not recognize that I'm pressing the buttons. Is there some code sequence or reset to make it work. Thanks

you have two courses of action first unplug power supply to both units, wait 10 seconds then plug them back in 1 at a time when doing this let the unit that is last to recieve waterfrom your water supply go through it's cycle then do the same to the next unit.

This should do the trick. I am a service tech. for hauge dealer in Maine, Aqua-Max of Maine I have been doing this for 3 yrs now and look forward to doing it for many more years

[Keldrec2000]

That sounds much more reasonable.

I think the Watermax is a good system that has a good warranty, but I can't justify Hague charging $11,400 for a system which should cost less than $4k, which is what they are doing in KS and MO.
Where in KS? I just talked with a rep (nice guy) who sold me one for $6K before tax with a 25 year on everything but the display (3yr+ 7year pro) and RO unit (1 year), plus 4 years of cleaning supplys and free install (if I work with them about the timing). Talked him into 25 year for RO and a second RO for free. Does anyone know if the cleaning suplies really last for 4 years (sounds like they went down from their original 10 yrs.)?

[biermech]

WoW!!!! What a bunch of posts. Some are true and some need to be trained. Water with 0 TDS is refered to as Ultra Pure water and can (in my opinion) not be good for you. Hauge has several independent dealers aroung the country the sell systems for what they want. It is not a set price. But for $9000.00 is absurb. You can get the same quaility water for less using other equipment. Shop around. Hauge is not the only one out there.

Beware of a salesman droping the price dramically, or offering a "display model" at a reduced price. These are the type that sell for thousands over fair price. I own a company and sell quailty for $2000.00 (3 pieces) and less.

[busyLadyBug]

I believe the $9,000 price tag for Hague.

The Hague Water Max sells for $1,000 to $3,000 as stated in posts above.

Hague is currently selling this product for $11,400
($95 monthly payments for 120 months)
(the reverse osmosis option is another $1,000, but they give it away for free to some people)

This includes a 120-month supply of soap, a 25-year warranty on the system sans the electronics, and a 10-year warranty on the electronic componets. They will also inspect and maintain the system for free.

When customers buy the system, they are locked in on a 36-month plan, and after 36 months they can choose to discontinue using the system.

Hague also offers you prizes if you give them the names of your friends and relatives.

I almost started working for Hague but my ethics compelled me to quit after two days.


I had a salesman come by my place trying to sell a hague for a similar deal. Except i would get %20 off if I bought it !!!RIGHT NOW!!! But even that price would have been outrageous! Glad I held off ;)

[guy48065]

Wow so much misinformation in one place! The Hague Water Max is a water softener but also can be more. It's a configurable softener plus filter(s). It can be composed of several layers of treatment to eliminate hardness, iron, sulfur, chlorine, odors, bacteria and more--as your needs dictate. With such a system it's especially crucial you find a qualified dealer to set it up. Most other "systems" are nothing more than a resin tank, salt tank (or a small combo unit like sold at Sears) and a timer. Those certainly ARE "all the same" and can be installed by anyone with basic plumbing skills and the manual.

Typical price in my town for the all-out multi-layered system is $3000 and doesn't involve any soap purchase or other nonsense. Comparing the price of a Hague system purchased on credit stretched out over a 10 year span to a basic softener at the cash price is misleading & dishonest. Let's keep this real.

[guy48065]

...oh and "fisherman bob" is a trained Hague service tech and can't spell the company name correctly in any of his posts?? I'm doubting....

[churlish]

In the "let's keep this real" spirit, 3K is at least twice, and probably more than twice, what any local dealer should be selling a Hague for. Yes they combine filtration with softening and both are very limited in size. In most cases they are undersized because of the small amount of resin and filter media in the two chambered tank with the resin for the softener being vacuum packed. That means the resin bed can not be expanded during backwash, that means it doesn't get as clean as it could but, there is a membrane separating the filter media from the resin and it or the filter media is supposed to prevent dirt for getting into the resin bed. That could become blocked reducing flow through the unit.

They are hard to work on because to the cabinet design.

They are very proprietary and there are few dealers and only those dealers can get parts to service the units with. And since they are the only ones to service it, they can charge anything they want.

A regular two tank type softener is a much better choice and if it uses a Clack WS-1 or some Fleck control valves, you can get the correct size, no matter what size you need and they are DIYer friendly for those that want to repair their softener instead of being dependent on a local dealer and paying service charges.

[guy48065]

Is it possible to find specs on these units that list things like resin manufacturer and amount used? The Hague is different in that they use a chambered large-diameter cabinet instead of the skinny tanks the others use. Capacity appears to be greater but if they don't utilize the space to give the customer the right amount of resin for their needs, what good is it?

I like what you've said and it all seems reasonable enough. Not sure if you're saying the quote I have for the Hague is twice what it should sell for or twice what a similar-size competitive unit sells for.

[churlish]

Yes it is.

Softeners are sized by cubic foot volume of resin in what you call a skinny tank. All components of most are made by the largest manufacturers in the industry. Their names are Ionics, Purolite, Structural Fibers, Autotrol, Clack, Fleck, etc..

That large diameter tank, is very odd. No one else uses anything like that but, there is a small volume of resin in the tank; and only in the bottom half.

Real softeners have skinny to thick tanks tanks. I commonly sell softeners with tanks from 9" x 48" to 16" x 65"; that's 1.0 ft3 to 4.0 ft3 softeners.

And what makes you think the right volume of resin isn't in the tank? If that were true, the softener could never work correctly.

Yes I'm saying it isn't worth half the 3k price. Online I and other dealers sell much larger and better quality softeners for less than $1000 including shipping.

[guy48065]

And what makes you think the right volume of resin isn't in the tank? If that were true, the softener could never work correctly.

'm referring to your comment that the Hague Water Max is a smaller-capacity unit. I think they add resin, bacteriostat, and other components to the separate chambers to meet customer's needs so I don't know how many ft^3 they would be adding to mine--but I'm more concerned that you are saying there isn't enough cabinet space to hold enough resin to meet my needs.

[guy48065]

Also I need to personally visit their store so I can see their cut-away demo model so I can better understand your reference to the resin being "vacuum packed". Diagrams & photos of the unit show plenty of headspace above each layer.

[churlish]

Capacity is stated in K grains (X 1000s of grains). How many depends on the volume and type of resin AND the number of lbs of salt used per regeneration. The largest volume of resin you can get in any cabinet model softener is like 1.2 ft3; usually 40K and a constant SFR (service flow rating) of 7-8 gpm. Exceed the constant SFR of the volume of resin and the resin can not remove 100% of the hardness, iron etc. that is in the water. Constant SFR is not stated as X gpm @ 15 psi, that is the max flow rate of the softener and meant to be used rarely and for only a few minutes.

Combining any type of filtration with softening is never a good idea. You would never find that done in any market except residential. And that is usually done by shysters taking advantage of consumers' ignorance and telling them what they want to hear. And they usually sell them for very high prices.

[guy48065]

churlish please send me a PM. Thx.

[mglbsn]

I just cancelled a contract for a Hague WaterMax Sytem that included the reverse osmosis filter and the "5 yr" supply of Liquid Soap Products - the installed price was $6,500!! And, this was a deal compared to financing it which over a five year time period would have been $8,820. Reading the varying prices has been really enlightening - Thanks

[shadow745]

So many times, we are assaulted by sales weasels painting a brighter picture than is factual. And we have manufacturers adding bells and whistles that are totally unecessary. A water Softener is a water softener. Period. The End. This technology has been around for decades. Simpler is better. Less stuff to break. It's like a Mercedes Benz with windsheild washers on the headlights. Do you really need them? No you don't. If you want them, who am I to say not to get it? But it's just one more thing that can go wrong. Windshield wipers on headlights won't impede the operation of the car, but fancy digital displays and computer boards in close proximity to salt and water fail frequently and WILL cause you problems. So many times I see a unit I install for $800 being sold for $1500, or one worth $2000 being sold for SIX TO NINE THOUSAND DOLLARS, and it's the EXACT same equipment! Someone is making a serious boat payment!


100% true. The bells and whistles are OK if you like to think you got alot for what you paid, but surely not necessary. Case in point...... we have a Rainsoft softener with the mechanical head and it's been kicking since 1997. A gear set in the main motor did wear out, but other than that it works great all the time and there is very little that can go wrong. The service guy said even though they also have digital models, the mechanical units like we have are still their best overall. Later!

[dialtone]

My Hague Watermax System Control did the Beeping thing and couldn't find HOME. It regenerated over and over until the salt tank was almost spilling over with water.

I unpluged the module and now it's dead. The light comes on but that it. I can't find my paperwork. I did get it in 2004, as I can locate the zero balance sheet from the finance company.

How do I get in contact with the folks that can help me get it repaired, or replaced?

Thanks

[biermech]

I would start by contacting Hague to see if any warranty is left on the unit. Hague claims to have the best/longest warranty.

[dialtone]

I've written to a few Hague e-mails in the past and gotten NO response. :wall:

Today, I did find a better working website for a facility in Columbus, OH. I've left my contact information and description of the problem at that site. I hope I get something from that.

From some of the posts in this thread, it would appear that I will have 6 years left on the electronics warranty. :)

[norcalbev]

Lots of misguided info in this thread. One fellow claimed to work for Hague but could not spell the company, hmm. Then there are price quotes that are far less than dealer cost if we're talking about the hague watermax. I know because I have worked for a multi brand softener co, including Hague. When you get quoted a softener price which includes installation it's going to vary state to state. Here's some reasons: In most states, an installed water softener is considerred a home improvement which means sales tax is based on dealer cost. California is not one of those states. Here, even if the dealer quotes tax included, the tax is based on the selling price paid. Do all of them do that? No, but to the consumer they look like the good guy. Next is the plumbing job. I've seen some hack jobs. This isn't a simple plug in appliance. You cannot have "soft" water on your lawns, therefore many houses require a hard/raw water line to the back or front lawn. That line by code is supposed to be buried 18" deep. Do all installers do this? No, it's labor expensive. Sometimes the drain line or hard water line for the back yard goes through the attic. That should not be done in pvc, it should be at least pex for durability. And how much copper is being used, where? Pex and copper obviously cost more than pvc. Does the company install water hammer softeners to quiet down the regeneration bang on loud units? Also consider if you live in a freezing climate. The company I worked for wasn't the cheapest (nowhere near the $9k-$11k range) but we insulated pipes and/or put a shed around the system on outdoor installations. How's the R/O installed? What was done under the sink? Did they use the dishwasher air gap or did they drill a new hole for the dedicated faucet? I used to see billing and I've seen proper installs take as long as 15-18 hours. In some areas the home is pre-plumbed for a water softener with a loop and in that case a softener can be installed in 3 hours or less which could affect price too. When you are talking about an installation of a water softener sometimes it's unwise to go with the cheapest bidder, kinda like cheap tools.

[WaterTreatment]

I am in the business and have been so for more than a decade.
I have sold Culligan, EcoWater, and Hague Quality Water.
Culligan is now manufactured in Mainland China, and they are overpriced for what you get. If I had to chose a brand other than Hague for my home I would choose EcoWater. EcoWater has a strong warranty and a product that actually works over the long haul with minimal service. The WaterMax from Hague Quality Water does much more than just soften your water. WaterMax will consistently deliver to you "ZERO" grain water. Other brands will give you softened water, but will not always give you "ZERO" grain, Soft Water. The WaterMax will also remove sand, silt, sediment, and 95% of the free chlorine in the first chamber. In the second chamber it will remove the remaining 5% of the chlorine and reduce disolved gasses such as Volitile Organic Compounds including Pesticides, Fungicides, Herbicides, Organic Gasses, Fertilizers, etc. In the third chamber if removes the Hardness from your water.
Prices range from dealer to dealer, just as home prices range from area to area. Just because you can buy a house for $100,000 in Oklahoma does not mean that you can buy the same home for the same price in New York City.
A Water Softener is a Water Softener is a Water Softener, just like a car is a car is a car, everybody knows that is not true, you get what you pay for. Hague WaterMax is a Whole House Water Filtration system which includes Softening.
For all of you out there even if you don't buy Hague, don't get stuck in analysis paralysis. Do something because just about anything will beat what is coming out your tap right now. I hope this was helpful.

[WaterTreatment]

"Dial tone", you can give Hague Quality Water International a call directly and they will have a dealer service you. (614) 836-2115
I hope this helps.

[arrietty7]

if all you want/need is soft water, there are literally hundreds of options, most of them quite inexpensive, in the hundreds of dollars rather than the thousands.

my well water was not only extremely hard, it had lots of iron and the Watermax handles that perfectly. and, in fact, if you visit a website for an inexpensive water softener, they will often have a link or statement - got iron? call us, meaning extra $$$.

the reduced regeneration time saves salt and water, although for me both are cheap and plentiful.

the only major caveat, and my installer was quite chagrined when he realized he had not warned me, if your hot water tank has a magnesium anode, it will be a problem down the line. it might not be a bad idea to replace it preemptively with an aluminum one. you'll know the magnesium one has gone bad when the hot water starts getting smelly, and by then the anode might be corroded into place and difficult to change.

I LOVE MY WATERMAX.

[AndyC]

if all you want/need is soft water, there are literally hundreds of options, most of them quite inexpensive, in the hundreds of dollars rather than the thousands.

my well water was not only extremely hard, it had lots of iron and the Watermax handles that perfectly. and, in fact, if you visit a website for an inexpensive water softener, they will often have a link or statement - got iron? call us, meaning extra $$$.

the reduced regeneration time saves salt and water, although for me both are cheap and plentiful.

the only major caveat, and my installer was quite chagrined when he realized he had not warned me, if your hot water tank has a magnesium anode, it will be a problem down the line. it might not be a bad idea to replace it preemptively with an aluminum one. you'll know the magnesium one has gone bad when the hot water starts getting smelly, and by then the anode might be corroded into place and difficult to change.

I LOVE MY WATERMAX.

It's a good feeling beleiving you have made the right decision. I hiope yours is trouble free fro many years to come. But with 8-9 parts iron and no freeboard I hope it can keep up. Iron in my area is not nearly that high and WaterBosses die a relatively young age.

Yes, they do filter elements out and the upper chamber can contain carbon for odor removal. I'm what your choices are when the carbon burns out? It will need to be replaced and that can be done.

I am surprised that the resins were only predicted to last 8 - 10 years.

Anyway, good luck with your unit.

Andy Christensen, CWS-II