Water conditioner safe to plug in?

[Alcyone]

My house was built in 1960. Sometimes when I turn on the water, it appears brown and stains the bathtub/sinks. I noticed there's this water conditioner in my utility room that has a tank on it. It can be plugged in. I'm wondering if this is safe or advisable?

Thanks.

[Redwood]

It sounds like it has been inactive for some time...
I would call in a water treatment specialist to look the equipment over and make sure that it is operational. He will also give you instructions on how to maintain it. Look for one that is a Certified Water Specialist (CWS) level 1-6, 6 is the highest certification...

[oliverpeters]

Sounds like the people you brought it off properly turned it off when they moved out. I Would plug it in if it looks safe ( don’t plug it in if it has damage done to it or looks like its come from the stone age) the ones I’ve come across have been working for years without any fault. If you decide to plug it in let it run for a hour or 2 and then drain the water out of the taps to let the pipes filter through and hopefully you should be ready to go. but if the problem still persists i would look into buying a new one.

[HayZee518]

look for rust anywhere on the unit. it may need to be recharged with salt.