New Home Plumbing/Water Softener

[Dbrule013]

I bought a new house in AZ a few months ago. I would like to have a water softener installed but am confused by the PEX plumbing in the house. Looking at another house in mid-construction the main line comes into the house wall and immediately is split into (2) cold supply lines. One line is smaller and goes across the garage ceiling toward the water heater. It then tees off and feeds both the water heater and the washing machine. The larger supply line also goes across the garage ceiling and then feeds the rest of the house. First, any idea why it splits right when the main enters the home? Also, for a water softener to be installed could the (2) supply lines be recombined in the garage, sent through the softener, and then split again?

Thanks for any help!

[leejosepho]

First, any idea why it splits right when the main enters the home?

Possibly to avoid the expense or some mechanical limitation related to a single, still-larger line, or maybe to build in some redundancy in case either of those lines ever fail.

Also, for a water softener to be installed could the (2) supply lines be recombined in the garage, sent through the softener, and then split again?

If neither line supplies any fixture, faucet or spigot along the way, I cannot see why not.

[Dbrule013]

Thanks for the reply. The only difference in my house to the house I looked at is that I have a 1/2 bathroom between the water main and garage. I would be surprised if the line isn't split before it hits the garage.

Well, I have a plumber coming over next Friday to give me a quote on plumbing the softener in. I'm just trying to figure out the pain he might have to go through to get it in.

Thanks, again.

[Jay Mpls]

The split is usually...
1 softwater line.
2 Hardwater for outside faucets.

[Gary Slusser]

I bought a new house in AZ a few months ago. I would like to have a water softener installed but am confused by the PEX plumbing in the house. Looking at another house in mid-construction the main line comes into the house wall and immediately is split into (2) cold supply lines. One line is smaller and goes across the garage ceiling toward the water heater. It then tees off and feeds both the water heater and the washing machine. The larger supply line also goes across the garage ceiling and then feeds the rest of the house. First, any idea why it splits right when the main enters the home? Also, for a water softener to be installed could the (2) supply lines be recombined in the garage, sent through the softener, and then split again?

You don't mention anything about a drain pipe there so you don't have a standard softener loop but, yes, you can redo the two lines so you get softened water to both. Why it was done that way... it is what it is but usually they run lines the shortest distance, and now it doesn't matter anyway. The potential problem, although livable, is the 1/2 bath possibly not getting softened cold water; it will get soft hot water though.

[Dbrule013]

I don't believe any of the drain lines use the garage walls. However, I am hoping the plumber will be able to tap into the 1/2 bath drain line. The sink is only about 2 feet away from the garage wall.