ComplaintsforSoft Water, Inc.

• Initial Complaint

  04/02/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  Bought an iron curtain about 4.5 years ago with a 5 year warranty. My warranty covered maintenance and any issues. Service was excellent for the first 4 years. However, there's a new sales/service manager in the last 6 months. I'm having issues he won't address. After about 5 calls and hours of my time, he blames the issues on bacteria in my well. I've had 2 well tests stating otherwise. I also share a well with a neighbor who has no issues. I'm still under warranty for 3 more months and I have a tank that's not working as it should, that they won't fix. Service used to be great, not anymore.

  Business response

  04/15/2024

  We have been trying to help the customer, however the customer has an iron bacteria problem in their well that is creating problems with the equipment.  This is not an issue with a defective part, or workmanship.  The customer needs a chlorination system added to their home or someone to chlorinate their well.  Iron bacteria is a nuisance bacteria that can cause these issues the customer is experiencing.  We are not obligated to repair under warranty something on the equipment that is not defective or a workmanship issue.  If the customer would like a chlorination system added to their Iron Filter, we would be happy to offer that, even at a discounted price.  However, despite the fact we have tried to help them out a couple of times since the installation, this was NOT, and never was a warranty issue, it is a water quality issue.  Our service calls for the last two years have been chlorinating his system and water, NOT repairing the equipment.  Again, if the customer would like information/pricing on the chlorination system, we would certainly work with them to get their water quality issues solved.
  

  Copy of the warranty information which states "defects in material and/or workmanship."
  

  ***********, ***** warrants to the original consumer/purchaser against defects in material and/or workmanship from the date of
  the original installation as follows:
  For a Period of THREE YEARS: The 3/4 or 1 control valve(s) including electrical parts, internal parts, and valve body.
  For a Period of TEN YEARS: The fiberglass and/or polyglass mineral tanks, 6 Diameter - 13 Diameter.
  For a Period of FIVE YEARS: The fiberglass and/or polyglass mineral tanks, 14 Diameter - Up.
  For a Period of ONE YEAR: The Iron Curtain aeration pumps and any other defective component.
  Any parts used for replacement are warranted for the remainder of the original warranty period.
  If a part described above becomes defective within the specified period, you should notify your *********** Iron Curtain reseller
  and arrange a time during normal business hours for the Iron Curtain reseller to inspect the water conditioner on your premises.
  Any part found defective within the terms of this warranty will be replaced by him. You pay only freight from our factory and local
  Iron Curtain reseller charges.

  Customer response

  04/18/2024

  Better Business Bureau:
  
  I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID ********, and have determined that this does not resolve my complaint.  For your reference, details of the offer I reviewed appear below.
  
  As stated in my original post. My neighbors share a well with us. They have no issues. So bacteria is not the issue. That compiled with the well test I provided showing no issues. Maybe the problem is you keep chlorinating instead of fixing the parts that aren't working. The solution is not up selling me on an additional $1300 system. 
  
  Regards,
  
  ***************************

  Business response

  04/18/2024

  This is an iron bacteria issue.  The unit is being fouled by iron bacteria, the orange slimy stuff.  This is not the same as your e-coli bacteria test.  They are not the same thing.  Iron bacteria is a nuisance bacteria and is not uncommon in our area.  The customers issue is NOT a manufacturers defect in a part or component.
  

  As for the system, there are not any parts to replace, as no parts have failed.  No part replacement can solve an iron bacteria problem.  The tanks are being fouled and plugged by iron bacteria.  Customer will continue to have problems if the iron bacteria issue is not addressed, whether that is in 3 more months or 3 more years.  The issue is the iron bacteria fouling the system, not the system.  If there is no iron bacteria, there is not a problem and no need to chlorinate anything.

  The warranty has not ever and does NOT include as the customer states, "maintenance and any issues." 

  From our first message, and among the other things listed, our warranty is:

  "***********, ***** warrants to the original consumer/purchaser against defects in material and/or workmanship from the date of the original installation as follows:"...Furthermore, our warranty states the filter media is warranted for 1 year...  even if that was the issue, which it is not.
  

  The customer is welcome to call the manufacturer ***********, *** if he so chooses and further discuss the issue with them.
  

• Initial Complaint

  07/27/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Unanswered

  More info

  I contacted Soft Water **** due to a puddle of water under my existing brine tank and water softener. 6/14/23 Soft Water performed an inspection and stated:1.He could not see where it was leaking.2.The softener probably had a "pin-sized hole", and that the softener needed to be replaced. 6/16/23 Soft Water:1.Removed the old softener and brine tank.2.Installed a new softener and brine tank. After the installation I checked the area, and there was a similar puddle of water in the same location underneath the new brine tank and softener. I contacted Soft Water **** regarding the issue. 6/27/23 Soft Water performed an inspection and found that the leak was coming from the Iron Curtain.Soft Water performed the repair on the Iron Curtain. This cost me $204.75.To date, there is no puddle of water.To summarize: The Iron Curtain was the problem.2.The water softener was never the problem.3.I did not need a new water softener (quoted as $1,495).4.Soft Water **** unnecessarily removed and replaced my functioning water softener. 5.I unnecessarily incurred an $85.00 installation charge; and I am now burdened with a $29/month rental fee due to Soft Water ****s error. 7/3/23 I emailed Soft Water **** requesting compensation for their error. I received an email from Soft Water that I had been previously credited $225. These "credits" were not documented on any of the invoices.

  Customer response

  07/31/2023

  ter **** I had contacted a different water softener company.

  This company disconnected the rental softener belonging to Soft Water, Inc.

  They installed a new softener for a total cost of approximately $1,475.

   

  I then emailed Soft Water, Inc. requesting them to remove their equipment from my home.

   

  *********************** (Soft Water, Inc.) responded the same day, and I am not satisfied with his response.

   

  I apologize that I could not attach the email, but would be happy to forward the email to you if youd like.   Below is the copied and pasted correspondence between myself and ************************

   

  Please let me know if there is any other information that youd like me to provide.  If any of this information is unclear, please feel free to phone me.

   

  Thank you,

  *************************

  ************

• Initial Complaint

  01/04/2022

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  Had soft water come out and fill a pressure tank , the tech failed to reset all my breakers to operating condition including the secondary switch to the dishwasher , I called soft water right away and they ignored the problem . They said it was not something there tech did. I left the dishwasher not working for 2 months thinking my dishwasher broke , finally called an electrician to come out and they had to reset the secondary switch that goes to the dishwasher . Called **** the supervisor or owner at soft water , he has not very helpful or helpful. Soft water **** was $250 and the electrician/ ****** that came out charged another $150 and soft water would not cover the **** or give a discount on there service. **** blames my breakers not being labeled correctly , and would not help at all , He was very aggressive and combative and threatened to send the file to the company attorney. At that point conversation ended

  Business response

  01/05/2022

  We spoke to the customers wife and agreed to credit the customer 1/2 of his $250 **** and we are a little surprised that there is now a BBB complaint as well as a 0 star review on ****** after the fact.

  Given that we agreed to a resolution and credited their ****, we would ask that a fair resolution would be for the customer to close this ******************** complaint and then also ask that they delete the ****** review given our price adjustment.

  Thanks,

  *****

*Some consumers may elect to not publish the details of their complaints, some complaints may not meet BBB's standards for publication, or BBB may display a portion of complaints when a high volume is received for a particular business. ↩