Hurricane season starts June 1. If you've been thinking about your water, here's what happens when you decide to schedule.
I get the "what does install day look like?" question from almost every transplant family. They're making first-90-day decisions about the house. They want to know: how long, how disruptive, who's doing the work, and what their rights are.
Here's the walkthrough. No surprises.
Before Install Day
The Free Water Test (45 Minutes)
Everything starts with a test. I bring the kit to your home, pull a sample from your tap, and run the baseline on your counter. You'll see the hardness in grains per gallon, the pH, total dissolved solids, and the chlorine or chloramine level (depending on your utility).
If your water doesn't need treatment, I'll tell you. If it does, I'll walk through the options, the pricing, and the timeline.
The Quote
If you decide to move forward, you'll get a written quote. The quote includes:
- The specific Puronics model recommended for your home
- The installed price (our standard whole-home is around $7,999 depending on model and site conditions)
- Financing options if applicable (subject to credit approval; see the financing page for full Truth in Lending disclosure)
- The warranty terms
- The estimated install date
The 72-Hour Lead Time
Most installs happen within 72 hours of approval. I keep inventory on hand (currently 9 units in stock) so you're not waiting weeks for a delivery.
Install Day: The 4-Hour Timeline
Hour 0: Arrival and Walk-Through (15 Minutes)
I show up at the scheduled time with the equipment on the truck. We do a walk-through of the garage to confirm the install location. In most 2018+ Lennar, DR Horton, Pulte, and Dream Finders builds in Cane Bay and Nexton, the main water shutoff is in the garage, usually on the wall where the water line enters from the street.
That garage-wall shutoff is what makes newer-build installs clean and fast. The system goes right next to the water heater and the main supply.
Hours 1-3: The Install
I shut off the main, cut into the supply line, and install the conditioning system inline so every tap downstream gets treated water. The plumbing is standard copper or PEX depending on what the builder used.
During this time:
- Your water is off (plan accordingly, fill a few water bottles beforehand)
- The work is contained to the garage
- No trenching, no outdoor work, no mess in the house
Hour 3-4: System Test and Walk-Through (30-45 Minutes)
Once the system is plumbed and sealed, I turn the water back on, run a full system test, and check every connection for leaks. Then I test the treated water at the kitchen tap and show you the before-and-after numbers.
I'll walk you through the control panel, the maintenance schedule, and what to expect in the first week.
Your Rights
South Carolina requires any residential plumbing work over $500 to be performed under a Residential Plumber license (SC Code 40-59-20(7)). I'll share the license number with you in the written quote and on request.
Federal law gives you a 3-day right to cancel any sale signed at your home (16 CFR Part 429). If I'm doing the sale and install at your house, you have 3 business days after signing to cancel for any reason. This is a consumer protection, and I mention it because you should know about it.
The 2-4 Week Retest
Two to four weeks after install, I come back to retest your water. This confirms the system is performing as expected and gives you a fresh set of numbers to compare against your baseline.
What Happens to Your Home
After install, here's what changes:
- Showerheads stop scaling (existing scale softens over 1-2 weeks)
- Dishwasher spots disappear
- Soap lathers better; you use less of it
- Water heater runs more efficiently over time
- Your laundry feels softer
What doesn't change: the water pressure, the water heater temperature, your plumbing routing.
The Pre-Hurricane-Season Timing
Hurricane season runs June 1 through November 30 in the Atlantic basin. The Lowcountry's last major storm impact was Tropical Storm Debby in August 2024, which flooded 75+ Dorchester County roads and pushed the Ashley River to 25.31 feet.
What does this have to do with your water system? Two things. First, a whole-home conditioning system doesn't require power to maintain water flow (the bypass valve keeps unfiltered water flowing during an outage). Second, the pre-hurricane window is when most homeowners are making storm-prep and home-improvement decisions. If you've been thinking about your water since you moved in, the window before hurricane season is a natural decision point.
Older Homes vs. Newer Builds
This post focuses on 2020+ newer builds because that's where most Cane Bay and Nexton transplants live. But if you're in an older Summerville home (pre-2010), the install process is different.
Older homes may have the shutoff in a crawlspace, a closet, or an outdoor utility box rather than the garage. The pipe material may be galvanized steel, copper, or a mix. The routing may require longer runs. Install time can be 5-6 hours instead of 3-4.
We identify all of this during the free water test. The quote includes the specific install plan for your home, so there are no surprises on install day.
FAQ: Install Day
Does it work with townhomes?
Yes, if your townhome has a garage with access to the main water shutoff. Most newer Cane Bay and Nexton townhomes do.
How long does install take?
Most whole-home installs in newer builds take 3-4 hours. Older homes with non-standard shutoff locations can take longer.
What if I need to cancel after signing?
You have 3 business days to cancel any sale signed at your home under federal law (16 CFR Part 429). No questions asked.
If You're Ready to Start
Book a free water test. That's the first step. 45 minutes. I'll bring the kit, test your tap, and walk through what makes sense for your home.
Call or text Jarred at (843) 302-5720, or book at prstnwtr.com/book.