Water softener installation
A softener works best when it's sized to your water and your household. Here's what goes into a good installation.
A water softener is a tank of resin beads that captures calcium and magnesium as water passes through, plus a brine tank that holds salt. Every so often the unit regenerates: it rinses the resin with salty brine to knock the hardness minerals loose and flushes them down a drain. Done right, the house gets softened water and you add salt now and then.
Why does sizing matter?
The installer should start with your actual hardness, in grains per gallon, and how much water your household uses. That sets the resin capacity and how often the unit needs to regenerate. An undersized unit runs out between regenerations and lets hard water through. An oversized one costs more and can regenerate inefficiently. On Prescott city water the published average is 4.3 to 7.6 grains per gallon, but a private well can be much different, so a test comes first.
What does a typical install include?
- Water test. Hardness at minimum. Well owners should also check iron and other issues that affect the resin.
- Location. Usually where the main line enters the house, often in a garage or utility area. In the Prescott area's freezing winter nights, outdoor or unheated spots need protection.
- Bypass valve. Lets you send water around the softener for service or for outdoor lines.
- Drain and power. The unit needs a drain for regeneration water and an outlet for the control valve.
- Setup. Programming hardness, household size and regeneration settings, then showing you how to add salt and bypass the unit.
Should outdoor hose bibs be softened?
Many installers leave irrigation and some hose bibs on hard water, since there's little reason to soften water for landscaping and salt is better kept out of the yard. Ask how the plumbing will be split.
What affects the price?
- The size and type of unit
- How much re-piping it takes to reach the main line
- Whether a drain and outlet are close by
- Add-ons like a pre-filter or a reverse osmosis drinking tap
The water treatment company prices the job after it knows your water, your plumbing and what equipment makes sense. We don't quote prices, and a number given over the phone before anyone has tested the water or seen the install spot is only a starting point.
Where we connect you with help
Common questions
Do I need a softener on Prescott city water?
It's a choice. The city reports moderately hard water. If scale and spotting bother you, or you want to protect appliances, a softener helps. If not, you may skip it.
Who can install a water softener in Arizona?
The Arizona Registrar of Contractors has a Water Conditioning Equipment classification (R-54, CR-54), and plumbing licenses cover some of this work. Check the company's license on the ROC website.
Related services
More background: Prescott hard water guide.
Spotty glasses, crusty faucets or a softener that quit?
Call now and a local water treatment company will help you figure out what your water needs.